diff --git a/weed/filer/reader_cache.go b/weed/filer/reader_cache.go
index 605be5e73..d6a57dc29 100644
--- a/weed/filer/reader_cache.go
+++ b/weed/filer/reader_cache.go
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ type ReaderCache struct {
 type SingleChunkCacher struct {
 	completedTimeNew int64
 	sync.Mutex
+	cond           *sync.Cond
 	parent         *ReaderCache
 	chunkFileId    string
 	data           []byte
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ type SingleChunkCacher struct {
 	isGzipped      bool
 	chunkSize      int
 	shouldCache    bool
+	isComplete     bool // indicates whether the download has completed (success or failure)
 	wg             sync.WaitGroup
 	cacheStartedCh chan struct{}
 }
@@ -97,10 +99,8 @@ func (rc *ReaderCache) ReadChunkAt(buffer []byte, fileId string, cipherKey []byt
 	rc.Lock()
 
 	if cacher, found := rc.downloaders[fileId]; found {
-		if n, err := cacher.readChunkAt(buffer, offset); n != 0 && err == nil {
-			rc.Unlock()
-			return n, err
-		}
+		rc.Unlock()
+		return cacher.readChunkAt(buffer, offset)
 	}
 	if shouldCache || rc.lookupFileIdFn == nil {
 		n, err := rc.chunkCache.ReadChunkAt(buffer, fileId, uint64(offset))
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ func (rc *ReaderCache) destroy() {
 }
 
 func newSingleChunkCacher(parent *ReaderCache, fileId string, cipherKey []byte, isGzipped bool, chunkSize int, shouldCache bool) *SingleChunkCacher {
-	return &SingleChunkCacher{
+	s := &SingleChunkCacher{
 		parent:         parent,
 		chunkFileId:    fileId,
 		cipherKey:      cipherKey,
@@ -167,37 +167,56 @@ func newSingleChunkCacher(parent *ReaderCache, fileId string, cipherKey []byte,
 		shouldCache:    shouldCache,
 		cacheStartedCh: make(chan struct{}),
 	}
+	s.cond = sync.NewCond(&s.Mutex)
+	return s
 }
 
+// startCaching downloads the chunk data in the background.
+// It does NOT hold the lock during the HTTP download to allow concurrent readers
+// to wait efficiently using the condition variable.
 func (s *SingleChunkCacher) startCaching() {
 	s.wg.Add(1)
 	defer s.wg.Done()
-	s.Lock()
-	defer s.Unlock()
 
-	s.cacheStartedCh <- struct{}{} // means this has been started
+	s.cacheStartedCh <- struct{}{} // signal that we've started
 
+	// Lookup file ID without holding the lock
 	urlStrings, err := s.parent.lookupFileIdFn(context.Background(), s.chunkFileId)
 	if err != nil {
+		s.Lock()
 		s.err = fmt.Errorf("operation LookupFileId %s failed, err: %v", s.chunkFileId, err)
+		s.isComplete = true
+		s.cond.Broadcast() // wake up any waiting readers
+		s.Unlock()
 		return
 	}
 
-	s.data = mem.Allocate(s.chunkSize)
+	// Allocate buffer and download without holding the lock
+	// This allows multiple downloads to proceed in parallel
+	data := mem.Allocate(s.chunkSize)
+	_, fetchErr := util_http.RetriedFetchChunkData(context.Background(), data, urlStrings, s.cipherKey, s.isGzipped, true, 0, s.chunkFileId)
 
-	_, s.err = util_http.RetriedFetchChunkData(context.Background(), s.data, urlStrings, s.cipherKey, s.isGzipped, true, 0, s.chunkFileId)
-	if s.err != nil {
-		mem.Free(s.data)
-		s.data = nil
+	// Now acquire lock to update state
+	s.Lock()
+	defer s.Unlock()
+
+	if fetchErr != nil {
+		mem.Free(data)
+		s.err = fetchErr
+		s.isComplete = true
+		s.cond.Broadcast() // wake up any waiting readers
 		return
 	}
 
+	s.data = data
+	s.isComplete = true
+
 	if s.shouldCache {
 		s.parent.chunkCache.SetChunk(s.chunkFileId, s.data)
 	}
 	atomic.StoreInt64(&s.completedTimeNew, time.Now().UnixNano())
 
-	return
+	s.cond.Broadcast() // wake up any waiting readers
 }
 
 func (s *SingleChunkCacher) destroy() {
@@ -213,12 +232,21 @@ func (s *SingleChunkCacher) destroy() {
 	}
 }
 
+// readChunkAt reads data from the cached chunk.
+// It waits for the download to complete if it's still in progress,
+// using a condition variable for efficient waiting.
 func (s *SingleChunkCacher) readChunkAt(buf []byte, offset int64) (int, error) {
 	s.wg.Add(1)
 	defer s.wg.Done()
 	s.Lock()
 	defer s.Unlock()
 
+	// Wait for download to complete using condition variable
+	// This is more efficient than spinning or holding a lock during download
+	for !s.isComplete {
+		s.cond.Wait()
+	}
+
 	if s.err != nil {
 		return 0, s.err
 	}
@@ -228,5 +256,4 @@ func (s *SingleChunkCacher) readChunkAt(buf []byte, offset int64) (int, error) {
 	}
 
 	return copy(buf, s.data[offset:]), nil
-
 }