diff --git a/apps/web/src/components/knowledge/LinkAutocomplete.tsx b/apps/web/src/components/knowledge/LinkAutocomplete.tsx
index fe78b60..9af5b9b 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/components/knowledge/LinkAutocomplete.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/components/knowledge/LinkAutocomplete.tsx
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ export function LinkAutocomplete({
   const dropdownRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
   const searchTimeoutRef = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | null>(null);
   const abortControllerRef = useRef<AbortController | null>(null);
+  const mirrorRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement | null>(null);
+  const cursorSpanRef = useRef<HTMLSpanElement | null>(null);
 
   /**
    * Search for knowledge entries matching the query.
@@ -132,15 +134,37 @@ export function LinkAutocomplete({
   );
 
   /**
-   * Calculate dropdown position relative to cursor
+   * Calculate dropdown position relative to cursor.
+   * Uses a persistent off-screen mirror element (via refs) to avoid
+   * creating and removing DOM nodes on every keystroke, which causes
+   * layout thrashing.
    */
   const calculateDropdownPosition = useCallback(
     (textarea: HTMLTextAreaElement, cursorIndex: number): { top: number; left: number } => {
-      // Create a mirror div to measure text position
-      const mirror = document.createElement("div");
-      const styles = window.getComputedStyle(textarea);
+      // Lazily create the mirror element once, then reuse it
+      if (!mirrorRef.current) {
+        const mirror = document.createElement("div");
+        mirror.style.position = "absolute";
+        mirror.style.visibility = "hidden";
+        mirror.style.height = "auto";
+        mirror.style.whiteSpace = "pre-wrap";
+        mirror.style.pointerEvents = "none";
+        document.body.appendChild(mirror);
+        mirrorRef.current = mirror;
 
-      // Copy relevant styles
+        const span = document.createElement("span");
+        span.textContent = "|";
+        cursorSpanRef.current = span;
+      }
+
+      const mirror = mirrorRef.current;
+      const cursorSpan = cursorSpanRef.current;
+      if (!cursorSpan) {
+        return { top: 0, left: 0 };
+      }
+
+      // Sync styles from the textarea so measurement is accurate
+      const styles = window.getComputedStyle(textarea);
       const stylesToCopy = [
         "fontFamily",
         "fontSize",
@@ -161,31 +185,19 @@ export function LinkAutocomplete({
         }
       });
 
-      mirror.style.position = "absolute";
-      mirror.style.visibility = "hidden";
       mirror.style.width = `${String(textarea.clientWidth)}px`;
-      mirror.style.height = "auto";
-      mirror.style.whiteSpace = "pre-wrap";
 
-      // Get text up to cursor
+      // Update content: text before cursor + cursor marker span
       const textBeforeCursor = textarea.value.substring(0, cursorIndex);
       mirror.textContent = textBeforeCursor;
-
-      // Create a span for the cursor position
-      const cursorSpan = document.createElement("span");
-      cursorSpan.textContent = "|";
       mirror.appendChild(cursorSpan);
 
-      document.body.appendChild(mirror);
-
       const textareaRect = textarea.getBoundingClientRect();
       const cursorSpanRect = cursorSpan.getBoundingClientRect();
 
       const top = cursorSpanRect.top - textareaRect.top + textarea.scrollTop + 20;
       const left = cursorSpanRect.left - textareaRect.left + textarea.scrollLeft;
 
-      document.body.removeChild(mirror);
-
       return { top, left };
     },
     []
@@ -346,7 +358,8 @@ export function LinkAutocomplete({
   }, [textareaRef, handleInput, handleKeyDown]);
 
   /**
-   * Cleanup timeout and abort in-flight requests on unmount
+   * Cleanup timeout, abort in-flight requests, and remove the
+   * persistent mirror element on unmount
    */
   useEffect(() => {
     return (): void => {
@@ -356,6 +369,11 @@ export function LinkAutocomplete({
       if (abortControllerRef.current) {
         abortControllerRef.current.abort();
       }
+      if (mirrorRef.current) {
+        document.body.removeChild(mirrorRef.current);
+        mirrorRef.current = null;
+        cursorSpanRef.current = null;
+      }
     };
   }, []);