diff --git a/store/jetstream.go b/store/jetstream.go
index 452e16f..20ea6eb 100644
--- a/store/jetstream.go
+++ b/store/jetstream.go
@@ -121,21 +121,42 @@ func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) GetStreamName() string {
 // than the current latest version for the actor.
 func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) SaveEvent(event *aether.Event) error {
 	jes.mu.Lock()
-	defer jes.mu.Unlock()
-
-	// Get current latest version for this actor
-	currentVersion, err := jes.getLatestVersionLocked(event.ActorID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to get latest version: %w", err)
-	}
-
-	// Validate version is strictly greater than current
-	if event.Version <= currentVersion {
-		return &aether.VersionConflictError{
-			ActorID:          event.ActorID,
-			AttemptedVersion: event.Version,
-			CurrentVersion:   currentVersion,
+	// Check cache first
+	if version, ok := jes.versions[event.ActorID]; ok {
+		// Validate version against cached version
+		if event.Version <= version {
+			jes.mu.Unlock()
+			return &aether.VersionConflictError{
+				ActorID:          event.ActorID,
+				AttemptedVersion: event.Version,
+				CurrentVersion:   version,
+			}
 		}
+		// Version check passed, proceed with publish
+		jes.mu.Unlock()
+	} else {
+		// Cache miss - need to check actual stream
+		jes.mu.Unlock()
+
+		// Get current latest version without holding lock
+		currentVersion, err := jes.GetLatestVersion(event.ActorID)
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to get latest version: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		// Validate version is strictly greater than current
+		if event.Version <= currentVersion {
+			return &aether.VersionConflictError{
+				ActorID:          event.ActorID,
+				AttemptedVersion: event.Version,
+				CurrentVersion:   currentVersion,
+			}
+		}
+
+		// Update cache after successful validation
+		jes.mu.Lock()
+		jes.versions[event.ActorID] = currentVersion
+		jes.mu.Unlock()
 	}
 
 	// Serialize event to JSON
@@ -156,33 +177,14 @@ func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) SaveEvent(event *aether.Event) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("failed to publish event to JetStream: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	// Update version cache
+	// Update version cache after successful publish
+	jes.mu.Lock()
 	jes.versions[event.ActorID] = event.Version
+	jes.mu.Unlock()
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-// getLatestVersionLocked returns the latest version for an actor.
-// Caller must hold jes.mu.
-// This method uses the optimized GetLatestVersion which fetches only the last message.
-func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) getLatestVersionLocked(actorID string) (int64, error) {
-	// Check cache first
-	if version, ok := jes.versions[actorID]; ok {
-		return version, nil
-	}
-
-	// Use optimized GetLatestVersion to fetch only last event
-	latestVersion, err := jes.GetLatestVersion(actorID)
-	if err != nil {
-		return 0, err
-	}
-
-	// Update cache
-	jes.versions[actorID] = latestVersion
-
-	return latestVersion, nil
-}
-
 // GetEvents retrieves all events for an actor since a version.
 // Note: This method silently skips malformed events for backward compatibility.
 // Use GetEventsWithErrors to receive information about malformed events.
@@ -308,7 +310,8 @@ func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) GetLatestVersion(actorID string) (int64, error)
 	return event.Version, nil
 }
 
-// GetLatestSnapshot gets the most recent snapshot for an actor
+// GetLatestSnapshot gets the most recent snapshot for an actor.
+// Returns nil if no snapshot exists for the actor (consistent with GetLatestVersion).
 func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) GetLatestSnapshot(actorID string) (*aether.ActorSnapshot, error) {
 	// Create subject for snapshots
 	subject := fmt.Sprintf("%s.snapshots.%s.%s",
@@ -326,13 +329,15 @@ func (jes *JetStreamEventStore) GetLatestSnapshot(actorID string) (*aether.Actor
 	msgs, err := consumer.Fetch(1, nats.MaxWait(time.Second))
 	if err != nil {
 		if err == nats.ErrTimeout {
-			return nil, fmt.Errorf("no snapshot found for actor %s", actorID)
+			// No snapshot found - return nil (consistent with GetLatestVersion returning 0)
+			return nil, nil
 		}
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch snapshot: %w", err)
 	}
 
 	if len(msgs) == 0 {
-		return nil, fmt.Errorf("no snapshot found for actor %s", actorID)
+		// No snapshot exists for this actor
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	var snapshot aether.ActorSnapshot
diff --git a/store/jetstream_benchmark_test.go b/store/jetstream_benchmark_test.go
index fd9463d..3857076 100644
--- a/store/jetstream_benchmark_test.go
+++ b/store/jetstream_benchmark_test.go
@@ -57,7 +57,8 @@ func BenchmarkGetLatestVersion_WithManyEvents(b *testing.B) {
 }
 
 // BenchmarkGetLatestVersion_NoCache benchmarks GetLatestVersion without cache
-// to show that even uncached lookups are very fast due to DeliverLast optimization
+// to show that even uncached lookups are very fast due to DeliverLast optimization.
+// A new store instance is created before timing to bypass the version cache.
 func BenchmarkGetLatestVersion_NoCache(b *testing.B) {
 	nc := getTestNATSConnection(&testing.T{})
 	if nc == nil {
@@ -71,7 +72,6 @@ func BenchmarkGetLatestVersion_NoCache(b *testing.B) {
 		b.Fatalf("failed to create store: %v", err)
 	}
 
-	// Create a new store instance each iteration to bypass cache
 	actorID := "actor-bench-nocache"
 
 	// Populate with 1000 events
@@ -90,15 +90,16 @@ func BenchmarkGetLatestVersion_NoCache(b *testing.B) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Benchmark GetLatestVersion without using cache (fresh instance)
+	// Create a new store instance to bypass version cache
+	uncachedStore, err := NewJetStreamEventStore(nc, store.GetStreamName())
+	if err != nil {
+		b.Fatalf("failed to create uncached store: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	// Benchmark GetLatestVersion without using cache
 	b.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		// Create a new store to bypass version cache
-		newStore, err := NewJetStreamEventStore(nc, store.GetStreamName())
-		if err != nil {
-			b.Fatalf("failed to create new store: %v", err)
-		}
-		_, err = newStore.GetLatestVersion(actorID)
+		_, err := uncachedStore.GetLatestVersion(actorID)
 		if err != nil {
 			b.Fatalf("GetLatestVersion failed: %v", err)
 		}