diff --git a/benchmarks/benchmark_encrypt_sign.rb b/benchmarks/benchmark_encrypt_sign.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..732693d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/benchmarks/benchmark_encrypt_sign.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,122 @@
+# -*- encoding: utf-8 -*-
+# Benchmark to investigate encryption vs encryption+signing performance
+require_relative '../test/test_helper'
+
+# Simple timing helper since benchmark is no longer in stdlib
+def measure(label, n = 5)
+  start = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  n.times { yield }
+  elapsed = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC) - start
+  puts "#{label.ljust(30)} #{elapsed.round(4)}s total, #{(elapsed / n).round(4)}s per iteration"
+  elapsed
+end
+
+# Profiling helper to trace where time is spent
+def profile_encrypt_sign
+  plain_text = "Hello, World! " * 100
+  crypto = GPGME::Crypto.new(always_trust: true)
+  key = KEYS.first[:sha]
+
+  puts "\n=== Profiling encrypt only ==="
+  t0 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  keys = GPGME::Key.find(:public, key)
+  t1 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  puts "Key.find for recipients: #{((t1 - t0) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+  GPGME::Ctx.new(always_trust: true) do |ctx|
+    t2 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "Ctx.new: #{((t2 - t1) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+    plain_data = GPGME::Data.new(plain_text)
+    cipher_data = GPGME::Data.new
+    ctx.encrypt(keys, plain_data, cipher_data, GPGME::ENCRYPT_ALWAYS_TRUST)
+    t3 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "encrypt: #{((t3 - t2) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+  end
+
+  puts "\n=== Profiling encrypt + sign (no explicit signer) ==="
+  t0 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  keys = GPGME::Key.find(:public, key)
+  t1 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  puts "Key.find for recipients: #{((t1 - t0) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+  GPGME::Ctx.new(always_trust: true) do |ctx|
+    t2 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "Ctx.new: #{((t2 - t1) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+    plain_data = GPGME::Data.new(plain_text)
+    cipher_data = GPGME::Data.new
+    ctx.encrypt_sign(keys, plain_data, cipher_data, GPGME::ENCRYPT_ALWAYS_TRUST)
+    t3 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "encrypt_sign: #{((t3 - t2) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+  end
+
+  puts "\n=== Profiling encrypt + sign (with explicit signer - current code) ==="
+  t0 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  keys = GPGME::Key.find(:public, key)
+  t1 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  puts "Key.find for recipients: #{((t1 - t0) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+  signers = GPGME::Key.find(:public, key, :sign)
+  t2 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+  puts "Key.find for signers: #{((t2 - t1) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+  GPGME::Ctx.new(always_trust: true) do |ctx|
+    t3 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "Ctx.new: #{((t3 - t2) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+    ctx.add_signer(*signers)
+    t4 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "add_signer: #{((t4 - t3) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+
+    plain_data = GPGME::Data.new(plain_text)
+    cipher_data = GPGME::Data.new
+    ctx.encrypt_sign(keys, plain_data, cipher_data, GPGME::ENCRYPT_ALWAYS_TRUST)
+    t5 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "encrypt_sign: #{((t5 - t4) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+  end
+
+  puts "\n=== Key.find cost breakdown ==="
+  10.times do |i|
+    t0 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    GPGME::Key.find(:public, key)
+    t1 = Process.clock_gettime(Process::CLOCK_MONOTONIC)
+    puts "Key.find iteration #{i + 1}: #{((t1 - t0) * 1000).round(2)}ms"
+  end
+end
+
+# Ensure keys are imported
+import_keys
+
+plain_text = "Hello, World! " * 1000  # ~14KB of data
+
+crypto = GPGME::Crypto.new(always_trust: true)
+key = KEYS.first[:sha]
+
+puts "Data size: #{plain_text.bytesize} bytes"
+puts
+
+n = 50
+
+measure("encrypt only:", n) do
+  crypto.encrypt(plain_text, recipients: key)
+end
+
+measure("encrypt + sign:", n) do
+  crypto.encrypt(plain_text, recipients: key, sign: true)
+end
+
+measure("sign only:", n) do
+  crypto.sign(plain_text)
+end
+
+puts
+puts "Running with explicit signer..."
+puts
+
+measure("encrypt + sign (explicit):", n) do
+  crypto.encrypt(plain_text, recipients: key, sign: true, signers: key)
+end
+
+# Run detailed profiling
+profile_encrypt_sign
diff --git a/lib/gpgme/crypto.rb b/lib/gpgme/crypto.rb
index c2c77e8..61c0645 100644
--- a/lib/gpgme/crypto.rb
+++ b/lib/gpgme/crypto.rb
@@ -91,7 +91,9 @@ def encrypt(plain, options = {})
         begin
           if options[:sign]
             if options[:signers]
-              signers = Key.find(:public, options[:signers], :sign)
+              # Optimization: reuse recipient Key objects if signers match
+              # to avoid redundant key lookups
+              signers = resolve_keys_for_signing(options[:signers], keys)
               ctx.add_signer(*signers)
             end
             ctx.encrypt_sign(keys, plain_data, cipher_data, flags)
@@ -353,5 +355,58 @@ def self.method_missing(method, *args, &block)
       end
     end
 
+    private
+
+    # Resolves keys for signing, reusing already-fetched recipient keys when possible
+    # to avoid redundant key lookups which can be slow.
+    #
+    # @param signers_input [Array, String, Key] The signer identifiers
+    # @param recipient_keys [Array<Key>, nil] Already-fetched recipient keys to check for reuse
+    # @return [Array<Key>] Keys suitable for signing
+    def resolve_keys_for_signing(signers_input, recipient_keys)
+      signers_input = [signers_input].flatten
+      recipient_keys ||= []
+
+      # Build a lookup hash of recipient keys by various identifiers
+      recipient_lookup = {}
+      recipient_keys.each do |key|
+        next unless key.is_a?(Key)
+        # Index by fingerprint, short key ID, and email
+        recipient_lookup[key.fingerprint] = key if key.fingerprint
+        recipient_lookup[key.fingerprint[-16..]] = key if key.fingerprint && key.fingerprint.length >= 16
+        recipient_lookup[key.fingerprint[-8..]] = key if key.fingerprint && key.fingerprint.length >= 8
+        if key.uids && !key.uids.empty?
+          key.uids.each do |uid|
+            recipient_lookup[uid.email] = key if uid.email && !uid.email.empty?
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      result = []
+      needs_lookup = []
+
+      signers_input.each do |signer|
+        case signer
+        when Key
+          # Already a key object, use directly if it can sign
+          result << signer if signer.usable_for?([:sign])
+        when String
+          # Check if we already have this key from recipients
+          if (existing = recipient_lookup[signer]) && existing.usable_for?([:sign])
+            result << existing
+          else
+            needs_lookup << signer
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      # Only do a Key.find for signers we couldn't resolve from recipients
+      unless needs_lookup.empty?
+        result += Key.find(:public, needs_lookup, :sign)
+      end
+
+      result
+    end
+
   end # module Crypto
 end # module GPGME