diff --git a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesConfiguration.java
index 6a66b226ab..af9d91b550 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesConfiguration.java
@@ -65,6 +65,13 @@ public class PrivilegesConfiguration {
     );
     private final PrivilegesInterceptorImpl privilegesInterceptor;
 
+    /**
+     * Tracks the sequence numbers of roles and action groups configurations to detect changes.
+     * Only rebuild ActionPrivileges when these actually change.
+     */
+    private volatile long lastRolesSeqNo = -1;
+    private volatile long lastActionGroupsSeqNo = -1;
+
     /**
      * The pure static action groups should be ONLY used by action privileges for plugins; only those cannot and should
      * not have knowledge of any action groups defined in the dynamic configuration. All other functionality should
@@ -109,6 +116,12 @@ public PrivilegesConfiguration(
                     .withStaticConfig();
                 ConfigV7 generalConfiguration = configurationRepository.getConfiguration(CType.CONFIG).getCEntry(CType.CONFIG.name());
 
+                // Check if roles or action groups actually changed
+                long currentRolesSeqNo = rolesConfiguration.getSeqNo();
+                long currentActionGroupsSeqNo = actionGroupsConfiguration.getSeqNo();
+                boolean rolesOrActionGroupsChanged = currentRolesSeqNo != lastRolesSeqNo
+                    || currentActionGroupsSeqNo != lastActionGroupsSeqNo;
+
                 FlattenedActionGroups flattenedActionGroups = new FlattenedActionGroups(actionGroupsConfiguration.withStaticConfig());
                 this.actionGroups.set(flattenedActionGroups);
 
@@ -142,8 +155,28 @@ public PrivilegesConfiguration(
                     if (oldInstance != null) {
                         oldInstance.shutdown();
                     }
-                } else {
+                    lastRolesSeqNo = currentRolesSeqNo;
+                    lastActionGroupsSeqNo = currentActionGroupsSeqNo;
+                } else if (rolesOrActionGroupsChanged) {
+                    // Only rebuild ActionPrivileges when roles or action groups changed
+                    log.debug(
+                        "Roles or action groups changed (roles seqNo: {} -> {}, actionGroups seqNo: {} -> {}), rebuilding ActionPrivileges",
+                        lastRolesSeqNo,
+                        currentRolesSeqNo,
+                        lastActionGroupsSeqNo,
+                        currentActionGroupsSeqNo
+                    );
                     privilegesEvaluator.get().updateConfiguration(flattenedActionGroups, rolesConfiguration, generalConfiguration);
+                    lastRolesSeqNo = currentRolesSeqNo;
+                    lastActionGroupsSeqNo = currentActionGroupsSeqNo;
+                } else {
+                    // Only update general configuration settings (dnfof, filtered alias mode) without rebuilding ActionPrivileges
+                    log.debug(
+                        "Roles and action groups unchanged (seqNo: roles={}, actionGroups={}), skipping ActionPrivileges rebuild",
+                        currentRolesSeqNo,
+                        currentActionGroupsSeqNo
+                    );
+                    privilegesEvaluator.get().updateGeneralConfiguration(generalConfiguration);
                 }
 
                 try {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluator.java b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluator.java
index ddbdf7be5c..53785130e1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluator.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluator.java
@@ -67,6 +67,12 @@ void updateConfiguration(
         ConfigV7 generalConfiguration
     );
 
+    /**
+     * Updates only the general configuration settings (like dnfof, filtered alias mode) without
+     * rebuilding ActionPrivileges. Use this when roles and action groups haven't changed.
+     */
+    void updateGeneralConfiguration(ConfigV7 generalConfiguration);
+
     void updateClusterStateMetadata(ClusterService clusterService);
 
     /**
@@ -129,6 +135,11 @@ public void updateConfiguration(
 
         }
 
+        @Override
+        public void updateGeneralConfiguration(ConfigV7 generalConfiguration) {
+
+        }
+
         @Override
         public void updateClusterStateMetadata(ClusterService clusterService) {
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluatorImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluatorImpl.java
index 558fb6e6ad..777b2a908d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluatorImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/PrivilegesEvaluatorImpl.java
@@ -213,9 +213,7 @@ public void updateConfiguration(
         SecurityDynamicConfiguration<RoleV7> rolesConfiguration,
         ConfigV7 generalConfiguration
     ) {
-        this.dnfofEnabled = isDnfofEnabled(generalConfiguration);
-        this.dnfofForEmptyResultsEnabled = isDnfofEmptyEnabled(generalConfiguration);
-        this.filteredAliasMode = getFilteredAliasMode(generalConfiguration);
+        updateGeneralConfiguration(generalConfiguration);
 
         try {
             RoleBasedActionPrivileges actionPrivileges = new RoleBasedActionPrivileges(rolesConfiguration, flattenedActionGroups, settings);
@@ -232,6 +230,13 @@ public void updateConfiguration(
 
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void updateGeneralConfiguration(ConfigV7 generalConfiguration) {
+        this.dnfofEnabled = isDnfofEnabled(generalConfiguration);
+        this.dnfofForEmptyResultsEnabled = isDnfofEmptyEnabled(generalConfiguration);
+        this.filteredAliasMode = getFilteredAliasMode(generalConfiguration);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void updateClusterStateMetadata(ClusterService clusterService) {
         RoleBasedActionPrivileges actionPrivileges = this.actionPrivileges.get();
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/RestLayerPrivilegesEvaluatorTest.java b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/RestLayerPrivilegesEvaluatorTest.java
index 311176c9a0..0b2712177d 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/RestLayerPrivilegesEvaluatorTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/opensearch/security/privileges/RestLayerPrivilegesEvaluatorTest.java
@@ -177,6 +177,11 @@ public void updateConfiguration(
 
             }
 
+            @Override
+            public void updateGeneralConfiguration(ConfigV7 generalConfiguration) {
+
+            }
+
             @Override
             public void updateClusterStateMetadata(ClusterService clusterService) {