diff --git a/example/pubspec.yaml b/example/pubspec.yaml
index b86bdabb..a59c9599 100644
--- a/example/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/example/pubspec.yaml
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ dependency_overrides:
   solidui:
     git:
       url: https://github.com/anusii/solidui.git
-      ref: tony/127_browserpod
+      ref: tony/204_pod_initialisation
 
 dev_dependencies:
   flutter_lints: ^6.0.0
diff --git a/lib/solidpod.dart b/lib/solidpod.dart
index d26ebf69..d0650306 100644
--- a/lib/solidpod.dart
+++ b/lib/solidpod.dart
@@ -136,10 +136,13 @@ export 'src/solid/utils/get_url_helper.dart'
 
 export 'src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart'
     show
+        clearPodStructureInitialised,
         generateDefaultFolders,
         generateCustomFolders,
         generateDefaultFiles,
-        initPod;
+        initPod,
+        isPodStructureInitialised,
+        markPodStructureInitialised;
 
 /// Read encrypted/non-encrypted files stored in a POD
 
diff --git a/lib/src/solid/api/rest_api.dart b/lib/src/solid/api/rest_api.dart
index 743cadd4..8fe7e1cf 100644
--- a/lib/src/solid/api/rest_api.dart
+++ b/lib/src/solid/api/rest_api.dart
@@ -142,30 +142,48 @@ Future<List<dynamic>> initialStructureTest(
     'fileNames': [],
   };
 
-  for (final containerName in folders) {
-    // NB: the trailing separator in path is essential for this check
-    final resourceUrl = await getDirUrl(containerName);
-    if (await checkResourceStatus(resourceUrl, isFile: false) ==
-        ResourceStatus.notExist) {
-      allExists = false;
+  // Resolve URLs and check existence of all folders in parallel.
+
+  final folderResults = await Future.wait(
+    folders.map((containerName) async {
+      final resourceUrl = await getDirUrl(containerName);
+      final status = await checkResourceStatus(resourceUrl, isFile: false);
+      return (name: containerName, url: resourceUrl, status: status);
+    }),
+  );
 
-      resNotExist['folders'].add(resourceUrl);
-      resNotExist['folderNames'].add(containerName);
+  for (final result in folderResults) {
+    if (result.status == ResourceStatus.notExist) {
+      allExists = false;
+      resNotExist['folders'].add(result.url);
+      resNotExist['folderNames'].add(result.name);
     }
   }
 
+  // Resolve URLs and check existence of all files in parallel.
+
+  final fileFutures =
+      <Future<({String fileName, String url, ResourceStatus status})>>[];
   for (final containerName in files.keys) {
     final fileNameList = files[containerName] as List<String>;
     for (final fileName in fileNameList) {
-      final resourceUrl = await getFileUrl(
-        [containerName as String, fileName].join('/'),
-      );
-      if (await checkResourceStatus(resourceUrl, isFile: true) ==
-          ResourceStatus.notExist) {
-        allExists = false;
-        resNotExist['files'].add(resourceUrl);
-        resNotExist['fileNames'].add(fileName);
-      }
+      fileFutures.add(() async {
+        final resourceUrl = await getFileUrl(
+          [containerName as String, fileName].join('/'),
+        );
+        final status = await checkResourceStatus(resourceUrl, isFile: true);
+        return (fileName: fileName, url: resourceUrl, status: status);
+      }());
+    }
+  }
+
+  final fileResults = await Future.wait(fileFutures);
+
+  for (final result in fileResults) {
+    if (result.status == ResourceStatus.notExist) {
+      allExists = false;
+      resNotExist['files'].add(result.url);
+      resNotExist['fileNames'].add(result.fileName);
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart b/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
index a9756aef..4e03b605 100644
--- a/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
+++ b/lib/src/solid/utils/init_helper.dart
@@ -29,9 +29,12 @@
 
 library;
 
+import 'package:flutter/foundation.dart' show debugPrint;
+
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/api/rest_api.dart';
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/constants/common.dart';
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/constants/web_acl.dart';
+import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/authdata_manager.dart';
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/exceptions.dart';
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/get_url_helper.dart';
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/key_manager.dart';
@@ -41,14 +44,70 @@ import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/misc.dart'
         getEncKeyPath,
         getIndKeyPath,
         getPubKeyPath,
-        isUserLoggedIn;
+        isUserLoggedIn,
+        writeToSecureStorage;
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/permission.dart' show genAclTurtle;
 import 'package:solidpod/src/solid/utils/rdf.dart' show genPermLogTTLStr;
 
+/// Key prefix for the POD initialisation flag in secure storage.
+
+const String _podInitFlagPrefix = '_pod_init_done_';
+
+/// Builds a unique storage key for the current user and app.
+
+Future<String> _getPodInitFlagKey() async {
+  final webId = await AuthDataManager.getWebId();
+  if (webId == null || webId.isEmpty) {
+    throw NotLoggedInException(
+      'Cannot check initialisation flag without logging in',
+    );
+  }
+  return '$_podInitFlagPrefix${appDirName}_$webId';
+}
+
+/// Returns `true` if the POD structure has already been initialised for the
+/// current user and app, allowing subsequent logins to skip the full
+/// folder/file existence check.
+
+Future<bool> isPodStructureInitialised() async {
+  try {
+    final key = await _getPodInitFlagKey();
+    final value = await secureStorage.read(key: key);
+    return value == 'true';
+  } on Object catch (e) {
+    debugPrint('isPodStructureInitialised() check failed: $e');
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+/// Persists a flag indicating the POD structure has been successfully
+/// initialised for the current user and app.
+
+Future<void> markPodStructureInitialised() async {
+  final key = await _getPodInitFlagKey();
+  await writeToSecureStorage(key, 'true');
+}
+
+/// Clears the initialisation flag, forcing a full structure check on the
+/// next login. Useful when the expected folder/file layout changes between
+/// app versions.
+
+Future<void> clearPodStructureInitialised() async {
+  try {
+    final key = await _getPodInitFlagKey();
+    if (await secureStorage.containsKey(key: key)) {
+      await secureStorage.delete(key: key);
+    }
+  } on Object catch (e) {
+    debugPrint('clearPodStructureInitialised() failed: $e');
+  }
+}
+
 /// Generates a list of default folder paths for a given application.
 ///
-/// This function takes the name of an application as input and returns a list of strings.
-/// Each string in the list represents a path to a default folder for the application.
+/// This function takes the name of an application as input and returns a list
+/// of strings. Each string in the list represents a path to a default folder
+/// for the application.
 
 Future<List<String>> generateDefaultFolders() async {
   final dataDirLoc = [appDirName, dataDir].join('/');
@@ -91,8 +150,9 @@ List<String> generateCustomFolders(List customFolderPaths) {
 
 /// Generates a list of default folder paths for a given application.
 ///
-/// This function takes the name of an application as input and returns a list of strings.
-/// Each string in the list represents a path to a default folder for the application.
+/// This function takes the name of an application as input and returns a list
+/// of strings. Each string in the list represents a path to a default folder
+/// for the application.
 
 Future<Map<dynamic, dynamic>> generateDefaultFiles() async {
   final sharingDirLoc = [appDirName, sharingDir].join('/');
@@ -204,4 +264,6 @@ Future<void> initPod(
 
     await createResource(f, content: fileContent, replaceIfExist: aclFlag);
   }
+
+  await markPodStructureInitialised();
 }
diff --git a/pubspec.yaml b/pubspec.yaml
index 9047d360..d1627618 100644
--- a/pubspec.yaml
+++ b/pubspec.yaml
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ dependency_overrides:
   solidui:
     git:
       url: https://github.com/anusii/solidui.git
-      ref: tony/127_browserpod
+      ref: tony/204_pod_initialisation
 
 dev_dependencies:
   build_runner: ^2.10.5