diff --git a/src/app/api/shorten/route.ts b/src/app/api/shorten/route.ts
index e16aa8b..358600f 100644
--- a/src/app/api/shorten/route.ts
+++ b/src/app/api/shorten/route.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import { prisma } from "@/lib/prisma";
 import { getCurrentUser } from "@/lib/auth";
 import { generateUniqueShortCode } from "@/lib/short-code";
 import { generateQRCodeDataUrl } from "@/lib/qr";
-import { fetchUrlTitle } from "@/lib/url-metadata";
 
 export async function POST(req: Request) {
   try {
@@ -113,22 +112,6 @@ export async function POST(req: Request) {
       },
     });
 
-    // Truly non-blocking title scrape in background (does not block HTTP response)
-    fetchUrlTitle(url.trim())
-      .then(async (fetchedTitle) => {
-        if (fetchedTitle) {
-          try {
-            await prisma.shortUrl.update({
-              where: { id: createdUrl.id },
-              data: { title: fetchedTitle },
-            });
-          } catch {
-            // Background task: ignore error
-          }
-        }
-      })
-      .catch(() => {});
-
     // Build absolute short URL
     const appUrl = (process.env.NEXT_PUBLIC_APP_URL || "http://localhost:3000").replace(/\/$/, "");
     const fullShortUrl = `${appUrl}/${shortCode}`;
diff --git a/src/lib/qr.ts b/src/lib/qr.ts
index cadcfd7..54b84e8 100644
--- a/src/lib/qr.ts
+++ b/src/lib/qr.ts
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ export async function generateQRCodeDataUrl(text: string, options: QROptions = {
   };
 
   return await QRCode.toDataURL(text, {
-    errorCorrectionLevel: "H",
+    errorCorrectionLevel: "M",
     margin,
     width: size,
     color: qrColor,
diff --git a/src/lib/short-code.ts b/src/lib/short-code.ts
index 1a7ebdf..0ce2b02 100644
--- a/src/lib/short-code.ts
+++ b/src/lib/short-code.ts
@@ -2,11 +2,18 @@ import { prisma } from "./prisma";
 
 const CHARS = "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0123456789";
 
+let cachedLength: { value: number; timestamp: number } | null = null;
+
 /**
  * Get the configured default short code length from admin settings.
  * Defaults to 5 if not configured.
  */
 export async function getDefaultUrlLength(): Promise<number> {
+  const now = Date.now();
+  if (cachedLength && now - cachedLength.timestamp < 60000) {
+    return cachedLength.value;
+  }
+
   try {
     const setting = await prisma.setting.findUnique({
       where: { key: "default_url_length" },
@@ -14,12 +21,15 @@ export async function getDefaultUrlLength(): Promise<number> {
     if (setting && setting.value) {
       const len = parseInt(setting.value, 10);
       if (!isNaN(len) && len >= 3 && len <= 16) {
+        cachedLength = { value: len, timestamp: now };
         return len;
       }
     }
   } catch (error) {
     console.error("Error reading default_url_length:", error);
   }
+
+  cachedLength = { value: 5, timestamp: now };
   return 5;
 }