diff --git a/relay/relay.go b/relay/relay.go
index 5baf779..eb9261a 100644
--- a/relay/relay.go
+++ b/relay/relay.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package relay
 
 import (
+	"bufio"
 	"bytes"
 	"context"
 	"encoding/binary"
@@ -210,10 +211,15 @@ func NewUDPProxyServer(parentCtx context.Context, addr, serverURL string, privat
 
 // Start sets up the UDP listener, worker pool, and begins reading packets.
 func (s *UDPProxyServer) Start() error {
-	// Fetch initial mappings.
-	if err := s.fetchInitialMappings(); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to fetch initial mappings: %v", err)
-	}
+	// Fetch initial mappings asynchronously so a large (potentially 100MB+)
+	// response does not block the UDP listener from coming up. Any packets
+	// arriving for unknown mappings before the load completes will simply
+	// log and be repopulated via the hole-punch path.
+	go func() {
+		if err := s.fetchInitialMappings(); err != nil {
+			logger.Error("Failed to fetch initial mappings: %v", err)
+		}
+	}()
 
 	udpAddr, err := net.ResolveUDPAddr("udp", s.addr)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -488,6 +494,7 @@ func (s *UDPProxyServer) decryptMessage(encMsg EncryptedHolePunchMessage) ([]byt
 }
 
 func (s *UDPProxyServer) fetchInitialMappings() error {
+	logger.Info("Requesting initial proxy mappings")
 	body := bytes.NewBuffer([]byte(fmt.Sprintf(`{"publicKey": "%s"}`, s.privateKey.PublicKey().String())))
 	resp, err := http.Post(s.serverURL+"/gerbil/get-all-relays", "application/json", body)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -499,24 +506,82 @@ func (s *UDPProxyServer) fetchInitialMappings() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("server returned non-OK status: %d, body: %s",
 			resp.StatusCode, string(body))
 	}
-	data, err := io.ReadAll(resp.Body)
+	logger.Info("Received initial mappings, streaming decode")
+
+	// Stream-decode the response instead of buffering the entire body
+	// (which can be 100MB+) and then re-walking it with json.Unmarshal.
+	// This both lowers peak memory and lets us start populating the
+	// sync.Map as entries arrive.
+	dec := json.NewDecoder(bufio.NewReaderSize(resp.Body, 1<<20))
+
+	// Expect opening '{' of the top-level object.
+	tok, err := dec.Token()
 	if err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read response body: %v", err)
+		return fmt.Errorf("failed to read opening token: %v", err)
 	}
-	logger.Info("Received initial mappings: %s", string(data))
-	var initialMappings InitialMappings
-	if err := json.Unmarshal(data, &initialMappings); err != nil {
-		return fmt.Errorf("failed to unmarshal initial mappings: %v", err)
+	if d, ok := tok.(json.Delim); !ok || d != '{' {
+		return fmt.Errorf("expected '{' at top level, got %v", tok)
 	}
-	// Store mappings in our sync.Map.
-	for key, mapping := range initialMappings.Mappings {
-		// Initialize LastUsed timestamp for initial mappings
-		mapping.LastUsed = time.Now()
-		s.proxyMappings.Store(key, mapping)
+
+	count := 0
+	now := time.Now()
+
+	for dec.More() {
+		keyTok, err := dec.Token()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read top-level key: %v", err)
+		}
+		key, ok := keyTok.(string)
+		if !ok {
+			return fmt.Errorf("expected string key at top level, got %T", keyTok)
+		}
+
+		if key != "mappings" {
+			// Skip unknown top-level fields without materializing them.
+			var skip json.RawMessage
+			if err := dec.Decode(&skip); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to skip field %q: %v", key, err)
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// Expect opening '{' of the mappings object.
+		tok, err := dec.Token()
+		if err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read mappings open: %v", err)
+		}
+		if d, ok := tok.(json.Delim); !ok || d != '{' {
+			return fmt.Errorf("expected '{' for mappings, got %v", tok)
+		}
+
+		for dec.More() {
+			mapKeyTok, err := dec.Token()
+			if err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to read mapping key: %v", err)
+			}
+			mapKey, ok := mapKeyTok.(string)
+			if !ok {
+				return fmt.Errorf("expected string mapping key, got %T", mapKeyTok)
+			}
+
+			var mapping ProxyMapping
+			if err := dec.Decode(&mapping); err != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to decode mapping %q: %v", mapKey, err)
+			}
+			mapping.LastUsed = now
+			s.proxyMappings.Store(mapKey, mapping)
+			count++
+		}
+
+		// Consume closing '}' of mappings object.
+		if _, err := dec.Token(); err != nil {
+			return fmt.Errorf("failed to read mappings close: %v", err)
+		}
 	}
-	metrics.RecordProxyInitialMappings(relayIfname, int64(len(initialMappings.Mappings)))
-	metrics.RecordProxyMapping(relayIfname, int64(len(initialMappings.Mappings)))
-	logger.Info("Loaded %d initial proxy mappings", len(initialMappings.Mappings))
+
+	metrics.RecordProxyInitialMappings(relayIfname, int64(count))
+	metrics.RecordProxyMapping(relayIfname, int64(count))
+	logger.Info("Loaded %d initial proxy mappings", count)
 	return nil
 }