diff --git a/lua/chatgpt_nvim/init.lua b/lua/chatgpt_nvim/init.lua
index 871b694..b2b0135 100644
--- a/lua/chatgpt_nvim/init.lua
+++ b/lua/chatgpt_nvim/init.lua
@@ -12,8 +12,8 @@ local function copy_to_clipboard(text)
   vim.fn.setreg('+', text)
 end
 
-local function parse_response(raw)
-  local conf = config.load()
+-- We now expect 'conf' as a parameter, instead of loading config inside parse_response.
+local function parse_response(raw, conf)
   if not ok_yaml then
     vim.api.nvim_err_writeln("lyaml not available. Install with `luarocks install lyaml`.")
     return nil
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ local function is_directory(path)
   return stat and stat.type == "directory"
 end
 
-local function handle_step_by_step_if_needed(prompt)
-  local conf = config.load()
+-- We now expect 'conf' as a parameter, instead of loading config inside handle_step_by_step_if_needed.
+local function handle_step_by_step_if_needed(prompt, conf)
   local length = #prompt
   if not conf.enable_step_by_step or length <= (conf.prompt_char_limit or 8000) then
     return { prompt }
@@ -293,6 +293,7 @@ local function execute_debug_command(cmd)
 end
 
 function M.run_chatgpt_command()
+  -- Load the config once here for the entire command.
   local conf = config.load()
   ui.debug_log("Running :ChatGPT command.")
   local dirs = conf.directories or {"."}
@@ -372,7 +373,7 @@ function M.run_chatgpt_command()
       local prompt = table.concat(initial_sections, "\n")
       store_prompt_for_reference(prompt)
 
-      local chunks = handle_step_by_step_if_needed(prompt)
+      local chunks = handle_step_by_step_if_needed(prompt, conf)
       copy_to_clipboard(chunks[1])
       if #chunks == 1 then
         vim.api.nvim_out_write("Prompt copied to clipboard! Paste into ChatGPT.\n")
@@ -397,7 +398,8 @@ function M.run_chatgpt_paste_command()
     return
   end
 
-  local data = parse_response(raw)
+  -- Pass the loaded config into parse_response, so we don’t load config.lua again.
+  local data = parse_response(raw, conf)
   if not data then
     return
   end
@@ -504,7 +506,7 @@ function M.run_chatgpt_paste_command()
       end
 
       local sections = {
-        config.load().initial_prompt,
+        conf.initial_prompt,
         "\n\nProject name: " .. (conf.project_name or ""),
         "\n\nBelow are the requested files from the project, each preceded by its filename in backticks and enclosed in triple backticks.\n",
         table.concat(file_sections, "\n"),
@@ -631,7 +633,7 @@ function M.run_chatgpt_current_buffer_command()
 
   store_prompt_for_reference(prompt)
 
-  local chunks = handle_step_by_step_if_needed(prompt)
+  local chunks = handle_step_by_step_if_needed(prompt, conf)
   copy_to_clipboard(chunks[1])
   if #chunks == 1 then
     vim.api.nvim_out_write("Prompt (from current buffer) copied to clipboard! Paste into ChatGPT.\n")
@@ -640,4 +642,4 @@ function M.run_chatgpt_current_buffer_command()
   end
 end
 
-return M
+return M
\ No newline at end of file