diff --git a/docs/api.md b/docs/api.md
index 08fe7fb..f23c1e6 100644
--- a/docs/api.md
+++ b/docs/api.md
@@ -147,6 +147,26 @@ billed. Measured across twelve calls with a 27k-token prefix, exactly one
 reported a write, on `/v1/messages`. The dashboard hides the column outright
 when nothing wrote.
 
+### Cache lifetime
+
+A `cache_control` breakpoint with no `ttl` gets the five-minute tier. That is
+short enough to be self-defeating on long turns: the entry is written during
+prefill, so a turn that itself runs longer than five minutes has already
+outlived its own cache by the time it finishes, and the next turn pays a full
+cold prefill of the whole conversation.
+
+Setting `extend_cache_ttl: true` promotes breakpoints that carry no explicit
+`ttl` to the one-hour tier. An explicit `ttl` is always left as the client sent
+it. Copilot honours both tiers and accounts for them separately, in
+`cache_creation.ephemeral_5m_input_tokens` and `ephemeral_1h_input_tokens`.
+
+It is off by default because it is not free. Extended writes bill at a higher
+rate than five-minute ones while reads cost the same, so the premium is charged
+on *every* write and the saving only lands on an expiry that would otherwise
+have happened. On a conversation that does many small incremental writes
+between rare expiries it costs more than it saves; it pays off when turns
+routinely run past five minutes.
+
 A model with no cache activity at all is usually not a fault either: Copilot
 needs a minimum cacheable prefix before any of the prompt is eligible.
 `claude-haiku-4.5` was observed caching a 6902-token prefix but not a
diff --git a/docs/configuration.md b/docs/configuration.md
index f038072..c9eb8cc 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.md
+++ b/docs/configuration.md
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ Every config field has a `GHC_PROXY_*` override:
 | `GHC_PROXY_MAX_CONNECTION_RETRIES` | Max connection retries |
 | `GHC_PROXY_UPSTREAM_READ_TIMEOUT` | Max seconds of upstream silence (`0` disables) |
 | `GHC_PROXY_REDIRECT_ANTHROPIC` | Always translate Anthropic via chat completions |
+| `GHC_PROXY_EXTEND_CACHE_TTL` | Promote `cache_control` breakpoints to the 1h tier (`true`/`1`) |
 | `GHC_PROXY_SHOW_TOKEN` | Log tokens on refresh (`true`/`1`) |
 | `GHC_PROXY_DYNAMIC_VSCODE_VERSION` | Fetch latest VS Code version (`true`/`1`) |
 | `GHC_PROXY_AUTO_UPGRADE` | Auto-upgrade app on startup (`true`/`1`); set `0` to disable |
diff --git a/src/anthropic.rs b/src/anthropic.rs
index 2b41a53..04b2ae3 100644
--- a/src/anthropic.rs
+++ b/src/anthropic.rs
@@ -773,13 +773,19 @@ pub fn uses_context_management(req: &Value) -> bool {
         .unwrap_or(false)
 }
 
-fn clean_cache_control(block: &mut Value) {
+fn clean_cache_control(block: &mut Value, extend_ttl: bool) {
     if let Some(cc) = block.get_mut("cache_control") {
         if cc.get("type").and_then(|t| t.as_str()) == Some("ephemeral") {
             if let Some(obj) = cc.as_object_mut() {
                 if obj.contains_key("scope") {
                     obj.remove("scope");
                 }
+                // Only fill a gap. An explicit `ttl` is the client's decision
+                // and overriding it would bill the extended rate against a
+                // choice someone deliberately made.
+                if extend_ttl && !obj.contains_key("ttl") {
+                    obj.insert("ttl".to_string(), Value::String("1h".to_string()));
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -797,8 +803,10 @@ fn is_empty_text_block(block: &Value) -> bool {
 }
 
 /// Filters an Anthropic request down to the allowed keys and strips the
-/// unsupported `scope` field from ephemeral `cache_control` blocks.
-pub fn sanitize_anthropic_request(req: &Value) -> Value {
+/// unsupported `scope` field from ephemeral `cache_control` blocks. When
+/// `extend_ttl` is set, breakpoints left without a `ttl` are promoted to the
+/// one-hour tier.
+pub fn sanitize_anthropic_request(req: &Value, extend_ttl: bool) -> Value {
     let mut out = Map::new();
     if let Some(obj) = req.as_object() {
         for (k, v) in obj {
@@ -811,12 +819,12 @@ pub fn sanitize_anthropic_request(req: &Value) -> Value {
 
     if let Some(tools) = out.get_mut("tools").and_then(|t| t.as_array_mut()) {
         for t in tools {
-            clean_cache_control(t);
+            clean_cache_control(t, extend_ttl);
         }
     }
     if let Some(system) = out.get_mut("system").and_then(|s| s.as_array_mut()) {
         for s in system {
-            clean_cache_control(s);
+            clean_cache_control(s, extend_ttl);
         }
     }
     if let Some(messages) = out.get_mut("messages").and_then(|m| m.as_array_mut()) {
@@ -828,7 +836,7 @@ pub fn sanitize_anthropic_request(req: &Value) -> Value {
             }
             if let Some(content) = msg.get_mut("content").and_then(|c| c.as_array_mut()) {
                 for block in content.iter_mut() {
-                    clean_cache_control(block);
+                    clean_cache_control(block, extend_ttl);
                 }
                 content.retain(|block| !is_empty_text_block(block));
             }
@@ -1362,7 +1370,7 @@ mod tests {
             "context_management": {"edits": [{"type": "clear_tool_uses_20250919"}]}
         });
         assert!(uses_context_management(&req));
-        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req);
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, false);
         assert!(out.get("context_management").is_some());
     }
 
@@ -1472,7 +1480,7 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn sanitize_drops_unknown_keys() {
         let req = json!({"model": "m", "messages": [], "foo": "bar"});
-        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req);
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, false);
         assert!(out.get("foo").is_none());
         assert_eq!(out["model"], "m");
     }
@@ -1480,10 +1488,75 @@ mod tests {
     #[test]
     fn sanitize_keeps_output_config() {
         let req = json!({"model": "m", "messages": [], "output_config": {"effort": "high"}});
-        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req);
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, false);
         assert_eq!(out["output_config"]["effort"], "high");
     }
 
+    fn ttl_probe_request() -> Value {
+        json!({
+            "model": "m",
+            "tools": [{"name": "t", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}}],
+            "system": [{"type": "text", "text": "s", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}}],
+            "messages": [{
+                "role": "user",
+                "content": [{"type": "text", "text": "u", "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral"}}]
+            }]
+        })
+    }
+
+    /// Off by default: extended writes bill at a higher rate.
+    #[test]
+    fn cache_ttl_is_left_alone_unless_asked_for() {
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&ttl_probe_request(), false);
+        assert!(out["tools"][0]["cache_control"].get("ttl").is_none());
+        assert!(out["system"][0]["cache_control"].get("ttl").is_none());
+        assert!(out["messages"][0]["content"][0]["cache_control"]
+            .get("ttl")
+            .is_none());
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn cache_ttl_is_extended_at_every_breakpoint() {
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&ttl_probe_request(), true);
+        assert_eq!(out["tools"][0]["cache_control"]["ttl"], "1h");
+        assert_eq!(out["system"][0]["cache_control"]["ttl"], "1h");
+        assert_eq!(
+            out["messages"][0]["content"][0]["cache_control"]["ttl"],
+            "1h"
+        );
+    }
+
+    /// A client that names a ttl has priced the trade itself.
+    #[test]
+    fn an_explicit_cache_ttl_is_never_overridden() {
+        let req = json!({
+            "model": "m",
+            "system": [{
+                "type": "text", "text": "s",
+                "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral", "ttl": "5m"}
+            }],
+            "messages": []
+        });
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, true);
+        assert_eq!(out["system"][0]["cache_control"]["ttl"], "5m");
+    }
+
+    /// `scope` is rejected upstream, so it has to go even while a ttl goes in.
+    #[test]
+    fn extending_the_ttl_still_strips_scope() {
+        let req = json!({
+            "model": "m",
+            "system": [{
+                "type": "text", "text": "s",
+                "cache_control": {"type": "ephemeral", "scope": "global"}
+            }],
+            "messages": []
+        });
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, true);
+        assert!(out["system"][0]["cache_control"].get("scope").is_none());
+        assert_eq!(out["system"][0]["cache_control"]["ttl"], "1h");
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn sanitize_drops_empty_text_blocks() {
         let req = json!({
@@ -1496,7 +1569,7 @@ mod tests {
                 ]
             }]
         });
-        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req);
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, false);
         let blocks = out["messages"][0]["content"]
             .as_array()
             .cloned()
@@ -1515,7 +1588,7 @@ mod tests {
                 {"role": "user", "content": [{"type": "text", "text": "hello"}]}
             ]
         });
-        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req);
+        let out = sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, false);
         let messages = out["messages"].as_array().cloned().unwrap_or_default();
         assert_eq!(messages.len(), 1);
         assert_eq!(messages[0]["role"], "user");
diff --git a/src/config.rs b/src/config.rs
index 984437b..7e510c2 100644
--- a/src/config.rs
+++ b/src/config.rs
@@ -164,6 +164,17 @@ pub struct Config {
     /// translate Anthropic requests through the OpenAI chat completions API.
     #[serde(default)]
     pub redirect_anthropic: bool,
+    /// When true, give `cache_control` breakpoints that carry no explicit `ttl`
+    /// the one-hour tier instead of the five-minute default.
+    ///
+    /// Worth it only when turns regularly run longer than five minutes: an
+    /// entry is written during prefill, so a turn that takes longer than the
+    /// TTL outlives its own cache and the next turn pays a full cold prefill.
+    /// The trade is that every write bills at the higher extended rate, which
+    /// on a workload of many small incremental writes costs more than the
+    /// occasional expiry it prevents.
+    #[serde(default)]
+    pub extend_cache_ttl: bool,
     /// When true, log the GitHub and Copilot tokens whenever they are resolved
     /// or refreshed. Useful for debugging; keep disabled in shared environments.
     #[serde(default)]
@@ -260,6 +271,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             max_connection_retries: default_max_retries(),
             upstream_read_timeout_seconds: default_read_timeout(),
             redirect_anthropic: false,
+            extend_cache_ttl: false,
             show_token: false,
             dynamic_vscode_version: false,
             auto_upgrade: true,
@@ -539,6 +551,15 @@ pub fn render_config_yaml(cfg: &Config) -> String {
         );
         let _ = writeln!(s, "redirect_anthropic: {}", cfg.redirect_anthropic);
     }
+    if cfg.extend_cache_ttl {
+        s.push('\n');
+        s.push_str("# Promote cache_control breakpoints without an explicit ttl to the 1h tier.\n");
+        s.push_str(
+            "# Helps when turns run longer than 5m and expire their own cache; costs more\n",
+        );
+        s.push_str("# per write, so it loses on workloads of many small incremental writes.\n");
+        let _ = writeln!(s, "extend_cache_ttl: {}", cfg.extend_cache_ttl);
+    }
     if cfg.show_token
         || cfg.dynamic_vscode_version
         || cfg.rate_limit_seconds.is_some()
@@ -753,6 +774,13 @@ pub fn load_config_with_options(write_back_on_migration: bool) -> Config {
             cfg.redirect_anthropic
         );
     }
+    if let Ok(val) = std::env::var("GHC_PROXY_EXTEND_CACHE_TTL") {
+        cfg.extend_cache_ttl = val.eq_ignore_ascii_case("true") || val == "1";
+        tracing::info!(
+            "✓ Overriding extend_cache_ttl from GHC_PROXY_EXTEND_CACHE_TTL: {}",
+            cfg.extend_cache_ttl
+        );
+    }
     if let Ok(val) = std::env::var("GHC_PROXY_SHOW_TOKEN") {
         cfg.show_token = val.eq_ignore_ascii_case("true") || val == "1";
         tracing::info!(
diff --git a/src/server.rs b/src/server.rs
index efa975d..6aff552 100644
--- a/src/server.rs
+++ b/src/server.rs
@@ -1838,7 +1838,10 @@ async fn messages_direct(
     let mut current = req.clone();
     let mut thinking_adapted = false;
     for _ in 0..4 {
-        let mut sanitized = anthropic::sanitize_anthropic_request(&current);
+        let mut sanitized = anthropic::sanitize_anthropic_request(
+            &current,
+            state.config_snapshot().extend_cache_ttl,
+        );
         sanitized = anthropic::adjust_thinking_budget(&sanitized);
         let payload = serde_json::to_vec(&sanitized).unwrap_or_default();
         log_debug_request(&state, "/v1/messages", &sanitized);
@@ -2251,8 +2254,9 @@ async fn count_tokens(
         )
         .await;
         let url = format!("{}/v1/messages/count_tokens", state.copilot_base_url());
-        let payload =
-            serde_json::to_vec(&anthropic::sanitize_anthropic_request(&req)).unwrap_or_default();
+        // Counting writes no cache entry, so the ttl is irrelevant here.
+        let payload = serde_json::to_vec(&anthropic::sanitize_anthropic_request(&req, false))
+            .unwrap_or_default();
         // Deliberately not retried: clients call this before every turn, so a
         // backoff here stalls the turn only to arrive at the local estimate
         // anyway.