diff --git a/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor.go b/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor.go
index 7d0ddcf2..3dd4ca5e 100644
--- a/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor.go
+++ b/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor.go
@@ -1485,25 +1485,27 @@ func countCacheControlsMap(root map[string]any) int {
 	return count
 }
 
-func normalizeTTLForBlock(obj map[string]any, seen5m *bool) {
+func normalizeTTLForBlock(obj map[string]any, seen5m *bool) bool {
 	ccRaw, exists := obj["cache_control"]
 	if !exists {
-		return
+		return false
 	}
 	cc, ok := asObject(ccRaw)
 	if !ok {
 		*seen5m = true
-		return
+		return false
 	}
 	ttlRaw, ttlExists := cc["ttl"]
 	ttl, ttlIsString := ttlRaw.(string)
 	if !ttlExists || !ttlIsString || ttl != "1h" {
 		*seen5m = true
-		return
+		return false
 	}
 	if *seen5m {
 		delete(cc, "ttl")
+		return true
 	}
+	return false
 }
 
 func findLastCacheControlIndex(arr []any) int {
@@ -1599,11 +1601,14 @@ func normalizeCacheControlTTL(payload []byte) []byte {
 	}
 
 	seen5m := false
+	modified := false
 
 	if tools, ok := asArray(root["tools"]); ok {
 		for _, tool := range tools {
 			if obj, ok := asObject(tool); ok {
-				normalizeTTLForBlock(obj, &seen5m)
+				if normalizeTTLForBlock(obj, &seen5m) {
+					modified = true
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1611,7 +1616,9 @@ func normalizeCacheControlTTL(payload []byte) []byte {
 	if system, ok := asArray(root["system"]); ok {
 		for _, item := range system {
 			if obj, ok := asObject(item); ok {
-				normalizeTTLForBlock(obj, &seen5m)
+				if normalizeTTLForBlock(obj, &seen5m) {
+					modified = true
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
@@ -1628,12 +1635,17 @@ func normalizeCacheControlTTL(payload []byte) []byte {
 			}
 			for _, item := range content {
 				if obj, ok := asObject(item); ok {
-					normalizeTTLForBlock(obj, &seen5m)
+					if normalizeTTLForBlock(obj, &seen5m) {
+						modified = true
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	if !modified {
+		return payload
+	}
 	return marshalPayloadObject(payload, root)
 }
 
diff --git a/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor_test.go b/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor_test.go
index c4a4d644..ead4e299 100644
--- a/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor_test.go
+++ b/internal/runtime/executor/claude_executor_test.go
@@ -369,6 +369,19 @@ func TestNormalizeCacheControlTTL_DowngradesLaterOneHourBlocks(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestNormalizeCacheControlTTL_PreservesOriginalBytesWhenNoChange(t *testing.T) {
+	// Payload where no TTL normalization is needed (all blocks use 1h with no
+	// preceding 5m block). The text intentionally contains HTML chars (<, >, &)
+	// that json.Marshal would escape to \u003c etc., altering byte identity.
+	payload := []byte(`{"tools":[{"name":"t1","cache_control":{"type":"ephemeral","ttl":"1h"}}],"system":[{"type":"text","text":"<system-reminder>foo & bar</system-reminder>","cache_control":{"type":"ephemeral","ttl":"1h"}}],"messages":[{"role":"user","content":[{"type":"text","text":"hello"}]}]}`)
+
+	out := normalizeCacheControlTTL(payload)
+
+	if !bytes.Equal(out, payload) {
+		t.Fatalf("normalizeCacheControlTTL altered bytes when no change was needed.\noriginal: %s\ngot:      %s", payload, out)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestEnforceCacheControlLimit_StripsNonLastToolBeforeMessages(t *testing.T) {
 	payload := []byte(`{
 		"tools": [