diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/pipeline-native.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/pipeline-native.ts
index f2df526084..c6bf0f77fc 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/pipeline-native.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/pipeline-native.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { runFrontend, type Frontend, type FrontendOptions } from "./pipeline.js";
 import { loadProgram } from "./program.js";
-import { FrontendServices, type ComptimeEvaluator } from "./services.js";
+import { FrontendServices, programHostLoads, type ComptimeEvaluator } from "./services.js";
 import { createNativeTs7Api } from "./ts7/native-api.js";
 
 /** Native callers supply the installed TS7 executable explicitly. The
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@ export function runNativeFrontend(
     undefined,
   );
   try {
+    services.reuseProgramHosts(programHostLoads());
     const frontend = runFrontend(
       entryPath,
       (path, options) =>
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program-node.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program-node.ts
index 8a45f92ee4..60d23efd8c 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program-node.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/program-node.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import {
 } from "./program.js";
 import { createNodeFrontendServices } from "./services-node.js";
 import type { Ts7Host } from "./ts7/program-host.js";
+import type { FrontendServices } from "./services.js";
 export * from "./program.js";
 
 export interface NodeProgramLoadOptions {
@@ -14,19 +15,32 @@ export interface NodeProgramLoadOptions {
   externalTypes?: ReadonlyMap<string, string> | Readonly<Record<string, string>> | undefined;
 }
 
+function serviceOptions(options: NodeProgramLoadOptions | undefined) {
+  return {
+    npmStatic: [...(options?.npmStatic ?? [])],
+    externalTypes:
+      options?.externalTypes instanceof Map
+        ? [...options.externalTypes]
+        : Object.entries(options?.externalTypes ?? {}),
+  };
+}
+
+/** A load on services the caller owns (and closes). */
+export function loadProgramWithServices(
+  entryPath: string,
+  services: FrontendServices,
+  options?: NodeProgramLoadOptions,
+): ReturnType<typeof loadWithServices> {
+  return loadWithServices(entryPath, services, serviceOptions(options));
+}
+
 export function loadProgram(
   entryPath: string,
   options?: NodeProgramLoadOptions,
 ): ReturnType<typeof loadWithServices> {
   const services = createNodeFrontendServices();
   try {
-    const load = loadWithServices(entryPath, services, {
-      npmStatic: [...(options?.npmStatic ?? [])],
-      externalTypes:
-        options?.externalTypes instanceof Map
-          ? [...options.externalTypes]
-          : Object.entries(options?.externalTypes ?? {}),
-    });
+    const load = loadWithServices(entryPath, services, serviceOptions(options));
     return {
       ...load,
       dispose: () => {
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.test.ts
index e491b0ac5b..e80565c31a 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.test.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,12 @@ import { mkdtempSync, rmSync, writeFileSync } from "node:fs";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { afterEach, expect, test, vi } from "vitest";
-import { FrontendServices, type ComptimeEvaluator } from "./services.js";
+import {
+  FrontendServices,
+  PROGRAM_HOST_LOADS,
+  programHostLoads,
+  type ComptimeEvaluator,
+} from "./services.js";
 import { Ts7Api } from "./ts7/rpc-api.js";
 import { checkPreflight, isNodeEsmFile, loadProgram } from "./program.js";
 import { clearResolveCaches } from "./resolve.js";
@@ -168,3 +173,64 @@ test("Node format decisions belong to their program even when source ASTs are re
   }
   expect(first.analysis.nodeEsmFiles.size).toBe(0);
 });
+
+test("reused program hosts serve later loads, up to their share, one connection per live host", () => {
+  const { services, connections, dir } = setup();
+  services.reuseProgramHosts(3);
+  const entry = join(dir, "main.ts");
+  writeFileSync(entry, "export const value = 1;");
+  try {
+    // Two loads alive at once hold two hosts; after they close, the next
+    // loads reuse those connections.
+    const a = loadProgram(entry, services);
+    const b = loadProgram(entry, services);
+    expect(connections).toHaveLength(2);
+    a.dispose();
+    b.dispose();
+    for (let load = 0; load < 5; load++) {
+      const next = loadProgram(entry, services);
+      expect(checkPreflight(next)).toEqual([]);
+      next.dispose();
+    }
+    // Each host served 3 loads (the share), then closed: a third host
+    // started for the last load.
+    expect(connections).toHaveLength(3);
+    expect(connections[0]!.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(connections[1]!.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(connections[2]!.close).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  } finally {
+    services.close();
+  }
+  expect(connections[2]!.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+});
+
+test("without reuse, and for timed hosts, every load gets its own host", () => {
+  const { services, connections } = setup();
+  try {
+    services.createProgramHost().close();
+    services.createProgramHost().close();
+    expect(connections).toHaveLength(2);
+    services.reuseProgramHosts(4);
+    services.createProgramHost({ collectTiming: true }).close();
+    services.createProgramHost({ collectTiming: true }).close();
+    expect(connections).toHaveLength(4);
+    for (const connection of connections) expect(connection.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    // A host in a different directory is not reused for this one.
+    services.createProgramHost({ cwd: tmpdir() }).close();
+    services.createProgramHost().close();
+    expect(connections).toHaveLength(6);
+  } finally {
+    services.close();
+  }
+  for (const connection of connections) expect(connection.close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+});
+
+test("SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS selects the share and rejects malformed values", () => {
+  expect(programHostLoads({})).toBe(PROGRAM_HOST_LOADS);
+  expect(programHostLoads({ SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS: "1" })).toBe(1);
+  expect(programHostLoads({ SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS: "12" })).toBe(12);
+  for (const value of ["0", "-1", "2.5", "many"])
+    expect(() => programHostLoads({ SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS: value })).toThrow(
+      "SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS must be a positive integer",
+    );
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.ts
index 5e493f0baa..ce5e88ed16 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/services.ts
@@ -42,6 +42,25 @@ export interface RuntimeModuleResolver {
   lookupPaths: (fromFile: string, specifier: string) => readonly string[] | null;
 }
 
+/** How many loads of one compile a program host serves before a new one
+ * replaces it. tsc-ts keeps every syntax tree it builds for the life of its
+ * process, so a host grows with each load whose files differ from the last
+ * one's (on pi, by 200-400 MB a load); a new one starts empty. */
+export const PROGRAM_HOST_LOADS = 4;
+
+/** PROGRAM_HOST_LOADS, or SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS (1: a new host per load,
+ * the comparison the host reuse parity test runs). */
+export function programHostLoads(env: NodeJS.ProcessEnv = process.env): number {
+  const value = env["SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS"];
+  if (value === undefined || value === "") return PROGRAM_HOST_LOADS;
+  const loads = Number(value);
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(loads) || loads < 1)
+    throw new Error(
+      `SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS must be a positive integer, not ${JSON.stringify(value)}`,
+    );
+  return loads;
+}
+
 /** Own the syntax and semantic services for a compiler client. The supplied
  * connection factory and optional evaluator provide host operations;
  * parsing, projection and filesystem resolution share their implementation
@@ -49,6 +68,10 @@ export interface RuntimeModuleResolver {
 export class FrontendServices {
   private parser: Ts7SourceParser | undefined;
   private closed = false;
+  /** How many loads one program host serves (reuseProgramHosts). */
+  private hostLoads = 1;
+  /** Reusable program hosts that no load holds. */
+  private readonly idleHosts: Ts7Host[] = [];
 
   constructor(
     private readonly createApi: Ts7ApiFactory,
@@ -81,9 +104,29 @@ export class FrontendServices {
       throw new Error("this compiler host does not provide compile-time evaluation");
     return evaluate(source, timeoutMs);
   }
+  /** Let every program host serve up to `loads` loads (reuseProgramHosts). */
+  reuseProgramHosts(loads: number): void {
+    this.ensureOpen();
+    this.hostLoads = loads > 1 ? loads : 1;
+  }
   createProgramHost(options?: Ts7HostOptions): Ts7Host {
     this.ensureOpen();
-    return new Ts7Host(this.createApi, { ...options, cwd: options?.cwd ?? this.cwd });
+    const cwd = options?.cwd ?? this.cwd;
+    // A timed host reports its own load's timing, so it is never reused.
+    if (this.hostLoads === 1 || options?.collectTiming === true)
+      return new Ts7Host(this.createApi, { ...options, cwd });
+    const index = this.idleHosts.findIndex((host) => host.cwd === cwd);
+    if (index >= 0) {
+      const host = this.idleHosts.splice(index, 1)[0]!;
+      host.rebind(options?.fsShadow);
+      return host;
+    }
+    return new Ts7Host(this.createApi, { ...options, cwd }, (released) => {
+      // The host's load closed it: keep its connection for the next load,
+      // unless it has served its share or these services are closed.
+      if (this.closed || released.loads >= this.hostLoads) released.closeConnection();
+      else this.idleHosts.push(released);
+    });
   }
   rewriteCjs(
     source: string,
@@ -214,6 +257,12 @@ export class FrontendServices {
     this.closed = true;
     const parser = this.parser;
     this.parser = undefined;
-    parser?.close();
+    // A host a load still holds closes when that load closes it.
+    const idle = this.idleHosts.splice(0);
+    try {
+      for (const host of idle) host.closeConnection();
+    } finally {
+      parser?.close();
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.test.ts
index 2ab6a0293f..5003353feb 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.test.ts
@@ -333,3 +333,97 @@ test("closed hosts refuse every operation and release virtual contents", () => {
   expect(() => host.getTimingInfo()).toThrow("closed");
   expect(() => host.createProgram([entry], options)).toThrow("closed");
 });
+
+/** What a program answers that a reused host could answer stale: its file
+ * list, each file's text, and its diagnostics. */
+function answers(program: ReturnType<Ts7Host["createProgram"]>) {
+  const names = [...program.getSourceFileNames()];
+  return {
+    names,
+    texts: names.map((name) => program.getSourceFile(name)?.text),
+    diagnostics: getPreEmitDiagnostics(program),
+  };
+}
+
+test("a rebound host answers as a new host when shadows, disk files and in-memory files change", () => {
+  const { directory, entry } = fixture();
+  const dep = join(directory, "dep.ts");
+  const extra = join(directory, "extra.d.ts");
+  const virtual = join(directory, "virtual.ts");
+  writeFileSync(
+    entry,
+    '/// <reference path="./extra.d.ts" />\nimport { value } from "./dep.js";\nimport { v } from "./virtual.js";\nexport const sum: number = value + extra + v;\n',
+  );
+  writeFileSync(dep, "export const value: number = 1;\n");
+  writeFileSync(extra, "declare const extra: number;\n");
+  // Load 1: dep.ts reads as a string-typed replacement, extra.d.ts is
+  // hidden, and virtual.ts exists in memory only.
+  const shadow = {
+    readFile: (path: string) =>
+      tsgoPath(path) === tsgoPath(dep) ? 'export const value: string = "1";\n' : undefined,
+    hideFile: (path: string) => tsgoPath(path) === tsgoPath(extra),
+  };
+  const factory = vi.fn((connection: Ts7ApiOptions) => new Ts7Api(connection));
+  const reused = new Ts7Host(factory, { cwd: directory, fsShadow: shadow }, () => {});
+  hosts.push(reused);
+  reused.addVirtualFile(virtual, "export const v = 2;\n");
+  const first = reused.createProgram([entry], options);
+  const firstAnswers = answers(first);
+  first.dispose();
+  expect(firstAnswers.diagnostics.map((d) => d.code).sort()).toEqual([2304, 2322, 6053]);
+  // Load 2: no shadow, no in-memory file, and dep.ts changed on disk
+  // without a change notification.
+  writeFileSync(dep, "export const value: boolean = true;\n");
+  reused.rebind(null);
+  const second = reused.createProgram([entry], options);
+  const fresh = makeHost(directory).host.createProgram([entry], options);
+  try {
+    expect(factory).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(answers(second)).toEqual(answers(fresh));
+    expect(
+      answers(second)
+        .diagnostics.map((d) => d.code)
+        .sort(),
+    ).toEqual([2307, 2365]);
+  } finally {
+    second.dispose();
+    fresh.dispose();
+  }
+  // Load 3: the first load's shadow again answers as it did.
+  writeFileSync(dep, "export const value: number = 1;\n");
+  reused.rebind(shadow);
+  reused.addVirtualFile(virtual, "export const v = 2;\n");
+  const third = reused.createProgram([entry], options);
+  try {
+    expect(answers(third)).toEqual(firstAnswers);
+  } finally {
+    third.dispose();
+  }
+});
+
+test("a reusable host returns to its owner on close and closes its connection only once", () => {
+  const { directory, entry } = fixture();
+  const released: Ts7Host[] = [];
+  let api!: Ts7Api;
+  const host = new Ts7Host(
+    (connection) => (api = new Ts7Api(connection)),
+    { cwd: directory },
+    (h) => released.push(h),
+  );
+  hosts.push(host);
+  const program = host.createProgram([entry], options);
+  program.dispose();
+  const close = vi.spyOn(api, "close");
+  host.close();
+  host.close();
+  expect(released).toEqual([host]);
+  expect(close).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  // Still open: the next load rebinds it.
+  host.rebind(null);
+  expect(host.loads).toBe(2);
+  host.createProgram([entry], options).dispose();
+  host.closeConnection();
+  host.close();
+  expect(close).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(() => host.createProgram([entry], options)).toThrow("closed");
+});
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.ts
index 1b6b7b1035..a61fcffa44 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/program-host.ts
@@ -166,16 +166,37 @@ export class Ts7Host {
   /** The text the server reads for a file (its readFile hook). */
   private readonly readSource: (fileName: string) => string | null;
   private closed = false;
+  /** The file system shadow of the load that holds this host (rebind). */
+  private shadow: NonNullable<Ts7HostOptions["fsShadow"]> | null;
+  /** Whether the next snapshot drops every file the server read: set when
+   * the host passes to another load, whose files may read differently. */
+  private invalidateAll = false;
+  /** The working directory of the server connection. */
+  readonly cwd: string;
+  /** The loads this host has served: 1, and one more for each rebind. */
+  loads = 1;
+  /** Called instead of closing the connection when the host is reusable. */
+  private release: ((host: Ts7Host) => void) | undefined;
+  /** Whether a load holds this reusable host: from its creation or rebind
+   * until that load closes it. */
+  private held = true;
 
-  constructor(createApi: Ts7ApiFactory, options?: Ts7HostOptions) {
+  constructor(
+    createApi: Ts7ApiFactory,
+    options?: Ts7HostOptions,
+    release?: (host: Ts7Host) => void,
+  ) {
     const virtualFiles = this.virtualFiles;
-    const shadow = options?.fsShadow ?? null;
+    this.shadow = options?.fsShadow ?? null;
+    this.cwd = options?.cwd ?? process.cwd();
+    this.release = release;
     // A virtual file, a shadow's replacement, a package shim's declaration
     // entry, a type-patched package file or the file on disk; null when shadowed out of existence or
     // missing.
     this.readSource = (fileName) => {
       const virtual = virtualFiles.get(tsgoPath(fileName));
       if (virtual !== undefined) return stripSourceBom(virtual);
+      const shadow = this.shadow;
       if (shadow !== null) {
         if (shadow.hideFile(fileName)) return null;
         const replacement = shadow.readFile(fileName);
@@ -199,7 +220,7 @@ export class Ts7Host {
         readFile: this.readSource,
         fileExists: (fileName) => {
           if (virtualFiles.has(tsgoPath(fileName))) return true;
-          if (shadow !== null && shadow.hideFile(fileName)) return false;
+          if (this.shadow !== null && this.shadow.hideFile(fileName)) return false;
           return trackedFileExists(fileName) || typePatchFileExists(fileName);
         },
         directoryExists: (path) => trackedDirectoryExists(path),
@@ -270,8 +291,9 @@ export class Ts7Host {
       const snapshot = this.api.updateSnapshot({
         openProjects: [configPath],
         closeProjects,
-        fileChanges: { created, changed },
+        fileChanges: this.invalidateAll ? { invalidateAll: true } : { created, changed },
       });
+      this.invalidateAll = false;
       this.closingProjects.clear();
       this.virtualChanges.clear();
       const project = snapshot.getProject(configPath);
@@ -303,8 +325,36 @@ export class Ts7Host {
     if (this.closed) throw new InternalCompilerError("Ts7Host is closed");
   }
 
+  /** Pass this pooled host to another load: its shadow replaces the last
+   * load's, the last load's in-memory files are gone, and the next snapshot
+   * reads every file again (the server reuses a file's syntax tree only for
+   * identical text). */
+  rebind(fsShadow: Ts7HostOptions["fsShadow"]): void {
+    this.ensureOpen();
+    this.held = true;
+    this.loads++;
+    this.shadow = fsShadow ?? null;
+    this.virtualFiles.clear();
+    this.virtualChanges.clear();
+    this.invalidateAll = true;
+  }
+
+  /** Close the server connection, even when the host is pooled. */
+  closeConnection(): void {
+    this.release = undefined;
+    this.close();
+  }
+
   close(): void {
     if (this.closed) return;
+    const release = this.release;
+    if (release !== undefined) {
+      // A second close by the same load returns nothing twice.
+      if (!this.held) return;
+      this.held = false;
+      release(this);
+      return;
+    }
     this.closed = true;
     try {
       this.api.close();
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.test.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.test.ts
index faad0cc028..91d07590ee 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.test.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.test.ts
@@ -1,37 +1,68 @@
-import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
+import { execFile, execFileSync } from "node:child_process";
 import { promisify } from "node:util";
 import { expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { Ts7FifoIo } from "./rpc-process.js";
 
 const execFileAsync = promisify(execFile);
+const posix = process.platform !== "win32";
 
-test.skipIf(process.platform === "win32")(
-  "closing the owned server is quiet even when its cancellation handler writes stderr",
+function alive(pid: number): boolean {
+  try {
+    process.kill(pid, 0);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error) {
+    return (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "EPERM";
+  }
+}
+
+test.skipIf(!posix)("a FIFO server echoes, and exits when its transport closes", () => {
+  const io = new Ts7FifoIo("/bin/cat", []);
+  const bytes = Buffer.from("ping\n");
+  expect(io.write(bytes, 0, bytes.length)).toBe(bytes.length);
+  const reply = Buffer.alloc(16);
+  expect(reply.subarray(0, io.read(reply, 0, reply.length)).toString()).toBe("ping\n");
+  io.close();
+  io.close();
+  expect(() => io.read(reply, 0, 1)).toThrow("closed");
+  // The server is not this process's child: init reaps it once it exits.
+  const deadline = Date.now() + 5000;
+  while (alive(io.pid) && Date.now() < deadline) execFileSync("sleep", ["0.01"]);
+  expect(alive(io.pid)).toBe(false);
+});
+
+test.skipIf(!posix)("a missing FIFO server fails at construction and tracks nothing", () => {
+  const before = process.listenerCount("exit");
+  expect(() => new Ts7FifoIo("/nonexistent/scriptc-ts7-server", [])).toThrow(
+    "Unable to start TypeScript server",
+  );
+  expect(process.listenerCount("exit")).toBe(before);
+});
+
+test.skipIf(!posix)(
+  "replaced and closed checker servers leave no zombie children behind",
   async () => {
-    // A ready message ensures the signal handler is installed before close.
-    // Keep stdin idle, matching an API server waiting for its next request.
-    const server = `
-    process.on('SIGTERM', () => {
-      process.stderr.write('context canceled\\n');
-      process.exit(0);
-    });
-    process.stdout.write(Buffer.from([0x93, 4, 0xc4, 0, 0xc4, 0]));
-    setInterval(() => {}, 1000);
-  `;
-    const moduleUrl = new URL("./rpc-process.ts", import.meta.url).href;
+    // Source budget 1: every parse after the first replaces the server.
+    const parserUrl = new URL("./source-parser.ts", import.meta.url).href;
+    const apiUrl = new URL("./rpc-api.ts", import.meta.url).href;
     const host = `
-    import { spawnTs7Wire } from ${JSON.stringify(moduleUrl)};
-    const wire = spawnTs7Wire(process.execPath, ['--eval', ${JSON.stringify(server)}]);
-    const ready = wire.read();
-    if (ready.kind !== 4) throw new Error('server was not ready');
-    wire.close();
-    wire.close();
+    import { execFileSync } from 'node:child_process';
+    import { Ts7SourceParser } from ${JSON.stringify(parserUrl)};
+    import { Ts7Api } from ${JSON.stringify(apiUrl)};
+    const parser = new Ts7SourceParser((options) => new Ts7Api(options), process.cwd(), 1);
+    for (let n = 0; n < 12; n++) parser.parse('f' + n + '.ts', 'export const v' + n + ' = ' + n + ';', 'ts');
+    parser.close();
+    const zombies = execFileSync('ps', ['-A', '-o', 'ppid=,stat='], { encoding: 'utf8' })
+      .split('\\n')
+      .map((line) => line.trim().split(/\\s+/))
+      .filter(([ppid, stat]) => Number(ppid) === process.pid && (stat ?? '').startsWith('Z'));
+    console.log(JSON.stringify({ zombies: zombies.length }));
   `;
     const result = await execFileAsync(
       process.execPath,
       ["--import", "tsx", "--input-type=module", "--eval", host],
-      { timeout: 10_000 },
+      { timeout: 60_000 },
     );
-    expect(result.stdout).toBe("");
+    expect(JSON.parse(result.stdout)).toEqual({ zombies: 0 });
     expect(result.stderr).toBe("");
   },
 );
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.ts b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.ts
index 416f5e4f75..bdcf30478f 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/frontend/ts7/rpc-process.ts
@@ -1,98 +1,96 @@
-import { spawn, type ChildProcess } from "node:child_process";
+import { spawn, spawnSync, type ChildProcess } from "node:child_process";
 import { randomUUID } from "node:crypto";
-import { closeSync, openSync, readSync, writeSync } from "node:fs";
-import type { Readable, Writable } from "node:stream";
+import { closeSync, constants, mkdtempSync, openSync, readSync, rmSync, writeSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
 import { Ts7Wire, type Ts7WireIo } from "./rpc-wire.js";
 
-// Node's public spawn API does not expose synchronous pipe descriptors.
-// Keep this host-specific boundary out of the statically compiled protocol.
-// Windows uses a named pipe because libuv's Windows handles are not CRT fds.
-interface PipeHandle {
-  fd: number;
-  setBlocking: (blocking: boolean) => void;
-}
-type PipeStream = (Readable | Writable) & {
-  _handle?: PipeHandle;
-  unref: () => void;
-};
+// Node's public spawn API does not expose synchronous pipe descriptors, so
+// the server's end of the channel is a named pipe on Windows and a FIFO pair
+// elsewhere, both opened with openSync. Keep this host-specific boundary out
+// of the statically compiled protocol.
 
-const liveTransports = new Set<Ts7ProcessIo>();
+const liveTransports = new Set<Ts7WireIo>();
 const sleepBuffer = new Int32Array(new SharedArrayBuffer(4));
 
 function closeLiveTransports(): void {
   for (const transport of liveTransports) transport.close();
 }
 
-/** Own the child and its descriptors together: every failure path closes
- * both, and the exit hook exists only while at least one host is alive. */
-class Ts7ProcessIo implements Ts7WireIo {
+function track(transport: Ts7WireIo): void {
+  if (liveTransports.size === 0) process.on("exit", closeLiveTransports);
+  liveTransports.add(transport);
+}
+
+function untrack(transport: Ts7WireIo): void {
+  liveTransports.delete(transport);
+  if (liveTransports.size === 0) process.removeListener("exit", closeLiveTransports);
+}
+
+/** A synchronous read or write that retries an interrupted call and waits
+ * out a full pipe. */
+function transfer(
+  operation: (
+    fd: number,
+    buffer: Uint8Array,
+    offset: number,
+    length: number,
+    position: null,
+  ) => number,
+  fd: number,
+  buffer: Uint8Array,
+  offset: number,
+  length: number,
+): number {
+  for (;;) {
+    try {
+      return operation(fd, buffer, offset, length, null);
+    } catch (error) {
+      const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
+      if (code === "EINTR") continue;
+      if (code !== "EAGAIN") throw error;
+      Atomics.wait(sleepBuffer, 0, 0, 1);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+/** Windows: the server is a child process that creates a named pipe
+ * (`--pipe`), which this process opens. Windows has no zombie processes; the
+ * child's handle closes with the process. */
+class Ts7NamedPipeIo implements Ts7WireIo {
   private readonly child: ChildProcess;
-  private readFd = -1;
-  private writeFd = -1;
   private pipeFd = -1;
   private closed = false;
   private spawnError: Error | undefined;
 
   constructor(executable: string, args: string[]) {
-    const windows = process.platform === "win32";
     const pipe = `\\\\.\\pipe\\scriptc-ts7-${process.pid}-${randomUUID()}`;
-    this.child = spawn(executable, windows ? [...args, "--pipe", pipe] : args, {
-      stdio: windows ? ["ignore", "ignore", "inherit"] : ["pipe", "pipe", "inherit"],
+    this.child = spawn(executable, [...args, "--pipe", pipe], {
+      stdio: ["ignore", "ignore", "inherit"],
       windowsHide: true,
     });
-    // A failed spawn emits asynchronously even when descriptor validation
-    // below has already thrown. Always consume that event.
+    // A failed spawn emits asynchronously even when the connection below has
+    // already thrown. Always consume that event.
     this.child.on("error", (error: Error) => {
       this.spawnError = error;
     });
     try {
       if (this.child.pid === undefined)
         throw new Error(`Unable to start TypeScript server: ${executable}`);
-      if (windows) {
-        for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 500; attempt++) {
-          try {
-            this.pipeFd = openSync(pipe, "r+");
-            break;
-          } catch (error) {
-            const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
-            if (code !== "ENOENT" && code !== "EBUSY") throw error;
-            Atomics.wait(sleepBuffer, 0, 0, 10);
-          }
+      for (let attempt = 0; attempt < 500; attempt++) {
+        try {
+          this.pipeFd = openSync(pipe, "r+");
+          break;
+        } catch (error) {
+          const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
+          if (code !== "ENOENT" && code !== "EBUSY") throw error;
+          Atomics.wait(sleepBuffer, 0, 0, 10);
         }
-        if (this.pipeFd === -1)
-          throw new Error("TypeScript server: timed out connecting to named pipe");
-        this.readFd = this.pipeFd;
-        this.writeFd = this.pipeFd;
-      } else {
-        const stdout = this.child.stdout as PipeStream | null;
-        const stdin = this.child.stdin as PipeStream | null;
-        const readHandle = stdout?._handle;
-        const writeHandle = stdin?._handle;
-        if (
-          !stdout ||
-          !stdin ||
-          !readHandle ||
-          !writeHandle ||
-          !Number.isInteger(readHandle.fd) ||
-          readHandle.fd < 0 ||
-          !Number.isInteger(writeHandle.fd) ||
-          writeHandle.fd < 0 ||
-          typeof readHandle.setBlocking !== "function" ||
-          typeof writeHandle.setBlocking !== "function"
-        ) {
-          throw new Error("TypeScript server: Node synchronous pipe handles are unavailable");
-        }
-        readHandle.setBlocking(true);
-        writeHandle.setBlocking(true);
-        this.child.stdout!.pause();
-        stdout.unref();
-        stdin.unref();
-        this.readFd = readHandle.fd;
-        this.writeFd = writeHandle.fd;
       }
+      if (this.pipeFd === -1)
+        throw new Error("TypeScript server: timed out connecting to named pipe");
       this.child.unref();
-      if (liveTransports.size === 0) process.on("exit", closeLiveTransports);
-      liveTransports.add(this);
+      track(this);
     } catch (error) {
       this.close();
       throw error;
@@ -102,52 +100,27 @@ class Ts7ProcessIo implements Ts7WireIo {
   read = (buffer: Uint8Array, offset: number, length: number): number => {
     if (this.spawnError) throw this.spawnError;
     if (this.closed) throw new Error("TypeScript server transport is closed");
-    for (;;) {
-      try {
-        return readSync(this.readFd, buffer, offset, length, null);
-      } catch (error) {
-        const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
-        if (code === "EINTR") continue;
-        if (code !== "EAGAIN") throw error;
-        Atomics.wait(sleepBuffer, 0, 0, 1);
-      }
-    }
+    return transfer(readSync, this.pipeFd, buffer, offset, length);
   };
 
   write = (buffer: Uint8Array, offset: number, length: number): number => {
     if (this.spawnError) throw this.spawnError;
     if (this.closed) throw new Error("TypeScript server transport is closed");
-    for (;;) {
-      try {
-        return writeSync(this.writeFd, buffer, offset, length, null);
-      } catch (error) {
-        const code = (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code;
-        if (code === "EINTR") continue;
-        if (code !== "EAGAIN") throw error;
-        Atomics.wait(sleepBuffer, 0, 0, 1);
-      }
-    }
+    return transfer(writeSync, this.pipeFd, buffer, offset, length);
   };
 
   close = (): void => {
     if (this.closed) return;
     this.closed = true;
-    liveTransports.delete(this);
-    if (liveTransports.size === 0) process.removeListener("exit", closeLiveTransports);
+    untrack(this);
     if (this.pipeFd !== -1) {
       try {
         closeSync(this.pipeFd);
       } catch {
-        /* still close the child */
+        /* still end the child */
       }
       this.pipeFd = -1;
     }
-    this.readFd = -1;
-    this.writeFd = -1;
-    this.child.stdout?.destroy();
-    this.child.stdin?.destroy();
-    // A failed spawn can leave libuv's process handle without a PID.
-    // Never signal it: PID zero has process-group semantics on POSIX.
     // The channel is closed and all its work is discarded. SIGTERM invokes
     // tsgo's cancellation handler, which can race EOF and print "context
     // canceled" into an otherwise successful compile's stderr.
@@ -155,6 +128,120 @@ class Ts7ProcessIo implements Ts7WireIo {
   };
 }
 
+/* POSIX: the server is not this process's child. A shell that spawnSync runs
+ * and reaps creates two FIFOs, starts the server in the background with its
+ * standard input and output on them, prints its PID and exits; the server's
+ * parent becomes init (or the nearest subreaper), which reaps it. A child of
+ * this process would stay a zombie after it exits: Node reaps children only
+ * from its event loop, which a synchronous compile never returns to. The
+ * subshell points its standard streams at /dev/null before it opens the
+ * FIFOs, so spawnSync's output pipe closes as soon as the shell exits. A
+ * missing or non-executable server fails here, before any FIFO exists: the
+ * background subshell would otherwise block opening its input and the failure
+ * would only surface as end of file on the first read. */
+const FIFO_LAUNCH =
+  'i=$1 o=$2; shift 2; command -v "$1" >/dev/null || exit 127; mkfifo -m 600 "$i" "$o" || exit 1; ' +
+  '( exec </dev/null >/dev/null; exec "$@" <"$i" >"$o" ) & echo $!';
+
+/** How long a starting server may take to open its input, in milliseconds. */
+const FIFO_OPEN_TIMEOUT = 10_000;
+
+function processAlive(pid: number): boolean {
+  try {
+    process.kill(pid, 0);
+    return true;
+  } catch (error) {
+    return (error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code === "EPERM";
+  }
+}
+
+export class Ts7FifoIo implements Ts7WireIo {
+  private readFd = -1;
+  private writeFd = -1;
+  private closed = false;
+  /** The server's process ID, for tests: it is never signaled. */
+  readonly pid: number;
+
+  constructor(executable: string, args: string[]) {
+    const directory = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "scriptc-ts7-"));
+    const input = join(directory, "in");
+    const output = join(directory, "out");
+    try {
+      const shell = spawnSync(
+        "/bin/sh",
+        ["-c", FIFO_LAUNCH, "sh", input, output, executable, ...args],
+        { stdio: ["ignore", "pipe", "inherit"], encoding: "utf8" },
+      );
+      const pid = Number(shell.stdout?.trim());
+      if (shell.status !== 0 || !Number.isSafeInteger(pid) || pid <= 0)
+        throw new Error(`Unable to start TypeScript server: ${executable}`);
+      this.pid = pid;
+      // A non-blocking open fails with ENXIO until the server opens its end,
+      // so a server that exits as it starts cannot block this process.
+      let probe = -1;
+      for (let waited = 0; probe < 0; waited++) {
+        try {
+          probe = openSync(input, constants.O_WRONLY | constants.O_NONBLOCK);
+        } catch (error) {
+          if ((error as NodeJS.ErrnoException).code !== "ENXIO") throw error;
+          if (waited >= FIFO_OPEN_TIMEOUT || !processAlive(pid))
+            throw new Error(`Unable to start TypeScript server: ${executable}`);
+          Atomics.wait(sleepBuffer, 0, 0, 1);
+        }
+      }
+      try {
+        // The server reads now, so a blocking open returns at once.
+        this.writeFd = openSync(input, "w");
+      } finally {
+        closeSync(probe);
+      }
+      // The server's shell opens its output right after its input.
+      this.readFd = openSync(output, "r");
+      track(this);
+    } catch (error) {
+      this.close();
+      throw error;
+    } finally {
+      // Both ends are open, or the start failed: the names are not needed.
+      rmSync(directory, { recursive: true, force: true });
+    }
+  }
+
+  read = (buffer: Uint8Array, offset: number, length: number): number => {
+    if (this.closed) throw new Error("TypeScript server transport is closed");
+    return transfer(readSync, this.readFd, buffer, offset, length);
+  };
+
+  write = (buffer: Uint8Array, offset: number, length: number): number => {
+    if (this.closed) throw new Error("TypeScript server transport is closed");
+    return transfer(writeSync, this.writeFd, buffer, offset, length);
+  };
+
+  /** Closing both FIFOs ends the session: the server reads end of file on
+   * its input and exits, and a write to its closed output ends it with
+   * SIGPIPE. It is never signaled, because once init has reaped it its PID
+   * can belong to another process. */
+  close = (): void => {
+    if (this.closed) return;
+    this.closed = true;
+    untrack(this);
+    for (const fd of [this.writeFd, this.readFd]) {
+      if (fd === -1) continue;
+      try {
+        closeSync(fd);
+      } catch {
+        /* close the other end too */
+      }
+    }
+    this.writeFd = -1;
+    this.readFd = -1;
+  };
+}
+
 export function spawnTs7Wire(executable: string, args: string[]): Ts7Wire {
-  return new Ts7Wire(new Ts7ProcessIo(executable, args));
+  return new Ts7Wire(
+    process.platform === "win32"
+      ? new Ts7NamedPipeIo(executable, args)
+      : new Ts7FifoIo(executable, args),
+  );
 }
diff --git a/packages/compiler/src/index.ts b/packages/compiler/src/index.ts
index caec4b53d9..bb67437638 100644
--- a/packages/compiler/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/compiler/src/index.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { createRequire } from "node:module";
 import { setShapeOverlayMemoDir, shapeOverlayEnabled } from "./frontend/shape-inference/index.js";
 import { jsInferenceEnabled } from "./frontend/js-inference.js";
-import { nodeFrontendServices } from "./frontend/services-node.js";
+import { createNodeFrontendServices, nodeFrontendServices } from "./frontend/services-node.js";
 import {
   runTypePatchCommand,
   type TypePatchCommandRequest,
@@ -173,7 +173,8 @@ import { serializeModuleParts } from "./ir/serialize.js";
 import { readTextParts, writeTextParts } from "./text-parts.js";
 import { validateModule } from "./ir/validate.js";
 import { compilerOwnedFileRoots } from "./frontend/dts-paths.js";
-import { loadProgram } from "./frontend/program-node.js";
+import { loadProgramWithServices } from "./frontend/program-node.js";
+import { programHostLoads } from "./frontend/services.js";
 import { runFrontend, type FrontendFactory } from "./frontend/pipeline.js";
 import {
   type ProvenanceSources,
@@ -485,7 +486,35 @@ const nodeFrontend: FrontendFactory = (
   externalTypes,
   libraryNpmStatic,
   options,
-) => runFrontend(entry, loadProgram, npmStatic, externalTypes, libraryNpmStatic, options);
+) => {
+  // One syntax parser for every load of this compile, and program hosts
+  // that serve several loads (FrontendServices.reuseProgramHosts).
+  const services = createNodeFrontendServices();
+  try {
+    services.reuseProgramHosts(programHostLoads());
+    const frontend = runFrontend(
+      entry,
+      (path, loadOptions) => loadProgramWithServices(path, services, loadOptions),
+      npmStatic,
+      externalTypes,
+      libraryNpmStatic,
+      options,
+    );
+    return {
+      ...frontend,
+      dispose: () => {
+        try {
+          frontend.dispose();
+        } finally {
+          services.close();
+        }
+      },
+    };
+  } catch (error) {
+    services.close();
+    throw error;
+  }
+};
 
 /** The checker's part of the executable cache key (`checkerCacheIdentity`), as the CLI's startup route computes it. */
 function checkerField(): { checker?: string } {
diff --git a/tests/harness/ts7-host-reuse-parity.test.ts b/tests/harness/ts7-host-reuse-parity.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..22284f4266
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/harness/ts7-host-reuse-parity.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+/* Program host reuse (FrontendServices.reuseProgramHosts) must not change
+ * a compile: a build whose loads share program hosts emits the same IR,
+ * the same diagnostics and the same exit status as a build with a new host
+ * for every load (SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS=1). Share 2 replaces each host after
+ * two loads, so a fixpoint of several loads exercises both a rebind and a
+ * replacement. The npm cases are the frontend's multi-load builds: each
+ * imports packages, so its build loads the program at least twice. */
+import { execFile } from "node:child_process";
+import { mkdtempSync, readFileSync, rmSync } from "node:fs";
+import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
+import { join } from "node:path";
+import { promisify } from "node:util";
+import { afterAll, beforeEach, describe, expect, test } from "vitest";
+import { npmCases } from "./npm-cases.js";
+import { skipUnownedTest } from "./shard.js";
+
+const execFileAsync = promisify(execFile);
+const repoRoot = join(import.meta.dirname, "../..");
+const cli = join(repoRoot, "packages/cli/dist/bootstrap.js");
+const out = mkdtempSync(join(tmpdir(), "scriptc-host-reuse-"));
+afterAll(() => rmSync(out, { recursive: true, force: true }));
+
+interface Build {
+  ir: string | null;
+  stderr: string;
+  status: number;
+}
+
+async function build(entry: string, name: string, loads: string): Promise<Build> {
+  const ir = join(out, `${name}.${loads}.ir.json`);
+  const env = {
+    ...process.env,
+    SCRIPTC_TS7_HOST_LOADS: loads,
+    SCRIPTC_CACHE_DIR: join(out, `cache-${loads}`),
+  };
+  try {
+    const { stderr } = await execFileAsync(
+      process.execPath,
+      ["--max-old-space-size=8192", cli, "build", entry, "--emit=ir", "-o", ir],
+      { env, encoding: "utf8", maxBuffer: 64 * 1024 * 1024 },
+    );
+    return { ir: readFileSync(ir, "utf8"), stderr, status: 0 };
+  } catch (error) {
+    const e = error as { code?: unknown; stderr?: string };
+    if (typeof e.code !== "number") throw error;
+    return { ir: null, stderr: e.stderr ?? "", status: e.code };
+  }
+}
+
+// Every sixth case by name (all of them with SCRIPTC_HOST_REUSE_PARITY_ALL=1).
+const all = process.env["SCRIPTC_HOST_REUSE_PARITY_ALL"] === "1";
+const cases = npmCases(join(repoRoot, "tests/fixtures"))
+  .sort((a, b) => a.name.localeCompare(b.name))
+  .filter((_, index) => all || index % 6 === 0);
+
+describe("program host reuse parity", () => {
+  beforeEach((context) => skipUnownedTest(context, {}));
+  for (const { name, entry } of cases) {
+    test(
+      name,
+      async () => {
+        const fresh = await build(entry, name, "1");
+        const reused = await build(entry, name, "2");
+        expect(reused.status).toBe(fresh.status);
+        expect(reused.stderr).toBe(fresh.stderr);
+        expect(reused.ir === fresh.ir).toBe(true);
+      },
+      600_000,
+    );
+  }
+});