diff --git a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/base.py b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/base.py
index fd99d5f74..1c88c0c73 100644
--- a/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/base.py
+++ b/backend/packages/harness/deerflow/persistence/base.py
@@ -9,10 +9,23 @@ LangGraph's checkpointer tables are NOT managed by this Base.
 
 from __future__ import annotations
 
+from functools import cache
+
 from sqlalchemy import inspect as sa_inspect
 from sqlalchemy.orm import DeclarativeBase
 
 
+@cache
+def _column_keys(cls: type) -> tuple[str, ...]:
+    """Mapped column keys for an ORM class, in mapper order.
+
+    ``to_dict``/``__repr__`` run per row (e.g. once per event when serializing a
+    messages page), so the SQLAlchemy mapper reflection is cached per class —
+    the mapping is fixed at class-definition time, so this never goes stale.
+    """
+    return tuple(c.key for c in sa_inspect(cls).mapper.column_attrs)
+
+
 class Base(DeclarativeBase):
     """Base class for all DeerFlow ORM models.
 
@@ -24,7 +37,7 @@ class Base(DeclarativeBase):
     def to_dict(self, *, exclude: set[str] | None = None) -> dict:
         """Convert ORM instance to plain dict.
 
-        Uses SQLAlchemy's inspect() to iterate mapped column attributes.
+        Uses cached mapped-column keys (see :func:`_column_keys`).
 
         Args:
             exclude: Optional set of column keys to omit.
@@ -32,9 +45,11 @@ class Base(DeclarativeBase):
         Returns:
             Dict of {column_key: value} for all mapped columns.
         """
-        exclude = exclude or set()
-        return {c.key: getattr(self, c.key) for c in sa_inspect(type(self)).mapper.column_attrs if c.key not in exclude}
+        keys = _column_keys(type(self))
+        if exclude:
+            return {k: getattr(self, k) for k in keys if k not in exclude}
+        return {k: getattr(self, k) for k in keys}
 
     def __repr__(self) -> str:
-        cols = ", ".join(f"{c.key}={getattr(self, c.key)!r}" for c in sa_inspect(type(self)).mapper.column_attrs)
+        cols = ", ".join(f"{k}={getattr(self, k)!r}" for k in _column_keys(type(self)))
         return f"{type(self).__name__}({cols})"
diff --git a/backend/tests/test_base_to_dict.py b/backend/tests/test_base_to_dict.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a01ca8b5a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/tests/test_base_to_dict.py
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+"""Base.to_dict()/__repr__ caching + behavior.
+
+These run once per row when serializing ORM rows (e.g. every event in a
+messages page), so the mapped-column reflection is cached per class. Behavior
+must stay identical.
+"""
+
+from __future__ import annotations
+
+from sqlalchemy import Integer, String
+from sqlalchemy.orm import Mapped, mapped_column
+
+from deerflow.persistence.base import Base, _column_keys
+
+
+class _Widget(Base):
+    __tablename__ = "_widget_to_dict_test"
+
+    id: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(Integer, primary_key=True)
+    name: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(String(32))
+    color: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(String(16))
+
+
+def test_to_dict_returns_all_columns():
+    w = _Widget(id=1, name="gear", color="red")
+    assert w.to_dict() == {"id": 1, "name": "gear", "color": "red"}
+
+
+def test_to_dict_exclude():
+    w = _Widget(id=2, name="cog", color="blue")
+    assert w.to_dict(exclude={"color"}) == {"id": 2, "name": "cog"}
+    # Empty exclude behaves like no exclude.
+    assert w.to_dict(exclude=set()) == {"id": 2, "name": "cog", "color": "blue"}
+
+
+def test_column_keys_are_cached_per_class():
+    # Same tuple object returned across calls -> reflection ran once.
+    assert _column_keys(_Widget) is _column_keys(_Widget)
+    assert _column_keys(_Widget) == ("id", "name", "color")
+
+
+def test_repr_lists_columns():
+    w = _Widget(id=3, name="bolt", color="green")
+    r = repr(w)
+    assert r.startswith("_Widget(")
+    assert "id=3" in r and "name='bolt'" in r and "color='green'" in r