diff --git a/src/exo/master/api.py b/src/exo/master/api.py
index 30f87e2a..4aac51fe 100644
--- a/src/exo/master/api.py
+++ b/src/exo/master/api.py
@@ -67,7 +67,14 @@ from exo.utils.channels import Receiver, Sender, channel
 from exo.utils.dashboard_path import find_dashboard
 from exo.utils.event_buffer import OrderedBuffer
 
-encoding = load_harmony_encoding(HarmonyEncodingName.HARMONY_GPT_OSS)
+_encoding: object = None
+
+
+def get_encoding():
+    global _encoding
+    if _encoding is None:
+        _encoding = load_harmony_encoding(HarmonyEncodingName.HARMONY_GPT_OSS)
+    return _encoding
 
 
 def chunk_to_response(
@@ -382,7 +389,7 @@ class API:
         )
 
     async def _process_gpt_oss(self, token_chunks: Receiver[TokenChunk]):
-        stream = StreamableParser(encoding, role=Role.ASSISTANT)
+        stream = StreamableParser(_encoding, role=Role.ASSISTANT)
         thinking = False
 
         async for chunk in token_chunks: