diff --git a/internal/cache/lru.go b/internal/cache/lru.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d89fae5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cache/lru.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package cache
+
+import (
+	"container/list"
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"forge.lclr.dev/AI/xdebug-mcp/internal/cachegrind"
+)
+
+const DefaultCapacity = 2
+
+type entry struct {
+	key     string
+	profile *cachegrind.Profile
+	modTime time.Time
+	elem    *list.Element
+}
+
+// Cache is a thread-safe LRU cache keyed by absolute file path.
+type Cache struct {
+	mu       sync.Mutex
+	capacity int
+	items    map[string]*entry
+	order    list.List
+}
+
+func New(capacity int) *Cache {
+	return &Cache{
+		capacity: capacity,
+		items:    make(map[string]*entry),
+	}
+}
+
+// Get returns the cached Profile if key exists and modTime matches.
+func (c *Cache) Get(key string, modTime time.Time) (*cachegrind.Profile, bool) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+
+	e, ok := c.items[key]
+	if !ok {
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	if !e.modTime.Equal(modTime) {
+		c.evict(e)
+		return nil, false
+	}
+	c.order.MoveToFront(e.elem)
+	return e.profile, true
+}
+
+// Set stores a Profile, evicting the least-recently-used entry if at capacity.
+func (c *Cache) Set(key string, profile *cachegrind.Profile, modTime time.Time) {
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	defer c.mu.Unlock()
+
+	if e, ok := c.items[key]; ok {
+		c.evict(e)
+	}
+	for len(c.items) >= c.capacity {
+		back := c.order.Back()
+		if back == nil {
+			break
+		}
+		c.evict(back.Value.(*entry))
+	}
+	e := &entry{key: key, profile: profile, modTime: modTime}
+	e.elem = c.order.PushFront(e)
+	c.items[key] = e
+}
+
+func (c *Cache) evict(e *entry) {
+	c.order.Remove(e.elem)
+	delete(c.items, e.key)
+}
diff --git a/internal/cache/lru_test.go b/internal/cache/lru_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..444dce2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/cache/lru_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+package cache_test
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"forge.lclr.dev/AI/xdebug-mcp/internal/cache"
+	"forge.lclr.dev/AI/xdebug-mcp/internal/cachegrind"
+)
+
+func TestLRU_GetSet(t *testing.T) {
+	c := cache.New(2)
+	t0 := time.Now()
+	p := &cachegrind.Profile{Cmd: "p1"}
+
+	c.Set("/a", p, t0)
+	got, ok := c.Get("/a", t0)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, p, got)
+}
+
+func TestLRU_Eviction(t *testing.T) {
+	c := cache.New(2)
+	t0 := time.Now()
+
+	p1 := &cachegrind.Profile{Cmd: "p1"}
+	p2 := &cachegrind.Profile{Cmd: "p2"}
+	p3 := &cachegrind.Profile{Cmd: "p3"}
+
+	c.Set("/a", p1, t0)
+	c.Set("/b", p2, t0)
+	c.Get("/a", t0) // access /a → /b becomes LRU
+	c.Set("/c", p3, t0) // should evict /b
+
+	_, ok := c.Get("/b", t0)
+	assert.False(t, ok, "b should have been evicted")
+
+	got, ok := c.Get("/a", t0)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, p1, got)
+
+	got, ok = c.Get("/c", t0)
+	require.True(t, ok)
+	assert.Equal(t, p3, got)
+}
+
+func TestLRU_ModtimeInvalidation(t *testing.T) {
+	c := cache.New(2)
+	t1 := time.Now()
+	t2 := t1.Add(time.Second)
+
+	c.Set("/a", &cachegrind.Profile{Cmd: "old"}, t1)
+	_, ok := c.Get("/a", t2) // newer modtime → stale
+	assert.False(t, ok)
+}