diff --git a/src/password_manager/entry_management.py b/src/password_manager/entry_management.py
index 23a015a..aad4722 100644
--- a/src/password_manager/entry_management.py
+++ b/src/password_manager/entry_management.py
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         :return: The next index number as an integer.
         """
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             if "entries" in data and isinstance(data["entries"], dict):
                 indices = [int(idx) for idx in data["entries"].keys()]
                 next_index = max(indices) + 1 if indices else 0
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         """
         try:
             index = self.get_next_index()
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
 
             data.setdefault("entries", {})
             data["entries"][str(index)] = {
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@ class EntryManager:
 
     def get_next_totp_index(self) -> int:
         """Return the next available derivation index for TOTP secrets."""
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         entries = data.get("entries", {})
         indices = [
             int(v.get("index", 0))
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ class EntryManager:
     ) -> str:
         """Add a new TOTP entry and return the provisioning URI."""
         entry_id = self.get_next_index()
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
 
         if secret is None:
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         if index is None:
             index = self.get_next_index()
 
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
         data["entries"][str(index)] = {
             "type": EntryType.SSH.value,
@@ -325,7 +325,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         if index is None:
             index = self.get_next_index()
 
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
         data["entries"][str(index)] = {
             "type": EntryType.PGP.value,
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         if index is None:
             index = self.get_next_index()
 
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
         data["entries"][str(index)] = {
             "type": EntryType.NOSTR.value,
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ class EntryManager:
 
         index = self.get_next_index()
 
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
         data["entries"][str(index)] = {
             "type": EntryType.KEY_VALUE.value,
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         if index is None:
             index = self.get_next_index()
 
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
         data["entries"][str(index)] = {
             "type": EntryType.SEED.value,
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         account_dir = self.fingerprint_dir / "accounts" / fingerprint
         account_dir.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
 
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         data.setdefault("entries", {})
         data["entries"][str(index)] = {
             "type": EntryType.MANAGED_ACCOUNT.value,
@@ -612,7 +612,7 @@ class EntryManager:
 
     def export_totp_entries(self, parent_seed: str) -> dict[str, list[dict[str, Any]]]:
         """Return all TOTP secrets and metadata for external use."""
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         entries = data.get("entries", {})
         exported: list[dict[str, Any]] = []
         for entry in entries.values():
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         :return: A dictionary containing the entry details or None if not found.
         """
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             entry = data.get("entries", {}).get(str(index))
 
             if entry:
@@ -719,7 +719,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         :param value: (Optional) New value for key/value entries.
         """
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             entry = data.get("entries", {}).get(str(index))
 
             if not entry:
@@ -919,7 +919,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         ``True``.
         """
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             entries_data = data.get("entries", {})
 
             if not entries_data:
@@ -1030,7 +1030,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         self, query: str
     ) -> List[Tuple[int, str, Optional[str], Optional[str], bool]]:
         """Return entries matching the query across common fields."""
-        data = self.vault.load_index()
+        data = self._load_index()
         entries_data = data.get("entries", {})
 
         if not entries_data:
@@ -1119,11 +1119,11 @@ class EntryManager:
         :param index: The index number of the entry to delete.
         """
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             if "entries" in data and str(index) in data["entries"]:
                 del data["entries"][str(index)]
                 logger.debug(f"Deleted entry at index {index}.")
-                self.vault.save_index(data)
+                self._save_index(data)
                 self.update_checksum()
                 self.backup_manager.create_backup()
                 logger.info(f"Entry at index {index} deleted successfully.")
@@ -1154,7 +1154,7 @@ class EntryManager:
         Updates the checksum file for the password database to ensure data integrity.
         """
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             json_content = json.dumps(data, indent=4)
             checksum = hashlib.sha256(json_content.encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
 
@@ -1200,6 +1200,7 @@ class EntryManager:
                 )
             )
 
+            self.clear_cache()
             self.update_checksum()
 
         except Exception as e:
@@ -1253,7 +1254,7 @@ class EntryManager:
     ) -> list[tuple[int, str, str]]:
         """Return a list of entry index, type, and display labels."""
         try:
-            data = self.vault.load_index()
+            data = self._load_index()
             entries_data = data.get("entries", {})
 
             summaries: list[tuple[int, str, str]] = []
diff --git a/src/tests/test_index_cache.py b/src/tests/test_index_cache.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e4a054b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tests/test_index_cache.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from pathlib import Path
+from tempfile import TemporaryDirectory
+from unittest.mock import patch
+
+from helpers import create_vault, TEST_SEED, TEST_PASSWORD
+from password_manager.entry_management import EntryManager
+from password_manager.backup import BackupManager
+from password_manager.config_manager import ConfigManager
+
+
+def test_index_caching():
+    with TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+        vault, _ = create_vault(Path(tmpdir), TEST_SEED, TEST_PASSWORD)
+        cfg_mgr = ConfigManager(vault, Path(tmpdir))
+        backup_mgr = BackupManager(Path(tmpdir), cfg_mgr)
+        entry_mgr = EntryManager(vault, backup_mgr)
+
+        # create initial entry so the index file exists
+        entry_mgr.add_entry("init", 8)
+        entry_mgr.clear_cache()
+
+        with patch.object(vault, "load_index", wraps=vault.load_index) as mocked:
+            idx = entry_mgr.add_entry("example.com", 8)
+            assert mocked.call_count == 1
+
+            entry = entry_mgr.retrieve_entry(idx)
+            assert entry["label"] == "example.com"
+            assert mocked.call_count == 1
+
+            entry_mgr.clear_cache()
+            entry = entry_mgr.retrieve_entry(idx)
+            assert entry["label"] == "example.com"
+            assert mocked.call_count == 2