# UNDF: UNDF-2026-000001092
--- a/modules/repository/init.go
+++ b/modules/repository/init.go
@@ -104,13 +104,16 @@ func LoadRepoConfig() error {

 	// Filter out invalid names and promote preferred licenses.
+	// Build a set for O(1) lookups to avoid O(P*L) and O(L*P) scans.
+	licensesSet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(Licenses))
+	for _, name := range Licenses {
+		licensesSet[strings.ToLower(name)] = struct{}{}
+	}
+	preferredSet := make(map[string]struct{}, len(setting.Repository.PreferredLicenses))
+	for _, name := range setting.Repository.PreferredLicenses {
+		preferredSet[strings.ToLower(name)] = struct{}{}
+	}
 	sortedLicenses := make([]string, 0, len(Licenses))
 	for _, name := range setting.Repository.PreferredLicenses {
-		if util.SliceContainsString(Licenses, name, true) {
+		if _, ok := licensesSet[strings.ToLower(name)]; ok {
 			sortedLicenses = append(sortedLicenses, name)
 		}
 	}
 	for _, name := range Licenses {
-		if !util.SliceContainsString(setting.Repository.PreferredLicenses, name, true) {
+		if _, ok := preferredSet[strings.ToLower(name)]; !ok {
 			sortedLicenses = append(sortedLicenses, name)
 		}
 	}