diff --git a/packages/payload/src/config/client.ts b/packages/payload/src/config/client.ts
index 0ff9d210849..9f00bef57c2 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/config/client.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/config/client.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import { type ClientGlobalConfig, createClientGlobalConfigs } from '../globals/c
 export type ServerOnlyRootProperties = keyof Pick<
   SanitizedConfig,
   | 'bin'
+  | 'collectionsBySlug'
   | 'cors'
   | 'csrf'
   | 'custom'
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ export type ServerOnlyRootProperties = keyof Pick<
   | 'editor'
   | 'email'
   | 'endpoints'
+  | 'globalsBySlug'
   | 'graphQL'
   | 'hooks'
   | 'i18n'
@@ -99,6 +101,8 @@ export const serverOnlyConfigProperties: readonly Partial<ServerOnlyRootProperti
   'logger',
   'kv',
   'queryPresets',
+  'collectionsBySlug',
+  'globalsBySlug',
   // `admin`, `onInit`, `localization`, `collections`, and `globals` are all handled separately
 ]
 
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.spec.ts b/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..010f9db46e0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+import { describe, expect, it } from 'vitest'
+
+import { sanitizeConfig } from './sanitize.js'
+
+describe('sanitizeConfig', () => {
+  it('should populate collectionsBySlug map from collections array', async () => {
+    const config = await sanitizeConfig({
+      collections: [
+        { slug: 'posts', fields: [] },
+        { slug: 'users', auth: true, fields: [] },
+      ],
+      globals: [{ slug: 'settings', fields: [] }],
+    } as any)
+
+    expect(config.collectionsBySlug).toEqual(expect.objectContaining({ posts: expect.any(Object) }))
+    expect(Object.keys(config.collectionsBySlug).length).toBe(config.collections.length)
+    expect(config.collectionsBySlug['posts']).toBe(
+      config.collections.find((c) => c.slug === 'posts'),
+    )
+  })
+
+  it('should populate globalsBySlug map from globals array', async () => {
+    const config = await sanitizeConfig({
+      collections: [],
+      globals: [
+        { slug: 'settings', fields: [] },
+        { slug: 'nav', fields: [] },
+      ],
+    } as any)
+
+    expect(config.globalsBySlug).toEqual(expect.objectContaining({ settings: expect.any(Object) }))
+    expect(Object.keys(config.globalsBySlug).length).toBe(config.globals.length)
+    expect(config.globalsBySlug['settings']).toBe(config.globals.find((g) => g.slug === 'settings'))
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.ts b/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.ts
index e65799c6e6d..fa06ba5529c 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/config/sanitize.ts
@@ -4,7 +4,12 @@ import { en } from '@payloadcms/translations/languages/en'
 import { deepMergeSimple } from '@payloadcms/translations/utilities'
 
 import type { OrderableJoinInfo } from '../fields/config/sanitizeJoinField.js'
-import type { CollectionSlug, GlobalSlug, SanitizedCollectionConfig } from '../index.js'
+import type {
+  CollectionSlug,
+  GlobalSlug,
+  SanitizedCollectionConfig,
+  SanitizedGlobalConfig,
+} from '../index.js'
 import type { SanitizedJobsConfig } from '../queues/config/types/index.js'
 import type {
   Config,
@@ -504,5 +509,17 @@ export const sanitizeConfig = async (incomingConfig: Config): Promise<SanitizedC
 
   await Promise.all(promises)
 
+  const collectionsBySlug: Record<string, SanitizedCollectionConfig> = {}
+  for (const collection of config.collections as SanitizedCollectionConfig[]) {
+    collectionsBySlug[collection.slug] = collection
+  }
+
+  const globalsBySlug: Record<string, SanitizedGlobalConfig> = {}
+  for (const global of config.globals ?? []) {
+    globalsBySlug[global.slug] = global
+  }
+
+  config.collectionsBySlug = collectionsBySlug
+  config.globalsBySlug = globalsBySlug
   return config as SanitizedConfig
 }
diff --git a/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts b/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts
index 8bbfcbf8eb3..30d4f37b786 100644
--- a/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts
+++ b/packages/payload/src/config/types.ts
@@ -1586,10 +1586,12 @@ export type SanitizedConfig = {
   } & DeepRequired<Config['admin']>
   blocks?: FlattenedBlock[]
   collections: SanitizedCollectionConfig[]
+  collectionsBySlug: Record<string, SanitizedCollectionConfig>
   /** Default richtext editor to use for richText fields */
   editor?: RichTextAdapter<any, any, any>
   endpoints: Endpoint[]
   globals: SanitizedGlobalConfig[]
+  globalsBySlug: Record<string, SanitizedGlobalConfig>
   i18n: Required<I18nOptions>
   jobs: SanitizedJobsConfig
   localization: false | SanitizedLocalizationConfig
diff --git a/packages/plugin-import-export/src/export/createExport.ts b/packages/plugin-import-export/src/export/createExport.ts
index 161d0f4e1b6..3b8e3f0d832 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-import-export/src/export/createExport.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-import-export/src/export/createExport.ts
@@ -92,7 +92,7 @@ export const createExport = async (args: CreateExportArgs) => {
   }
 
   const locale = localeFromInput ?? localeFromReq
-  const collectionConfig = payload.config.collections.find(({ slug }) => slug === collectionSlug)
+  const collectionConfig = payload.config.collectionsBySlug[collectionSlug]
 
   if (!collectionConfig) {
     throw new APIError(`Collection with slug ${collectionSlug} not found.`)
diff --git a/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/createImport.ts b/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/createImport.ts
index b05d599422f..bb9b34ee060 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/createImport.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/createImport.ts
@@ -116,9 +116,7 @@ export const createImport = async ({
     })
   }
 
-  const collectionConfig = req.payload.config.collections.find(
-    ({ slug }) => slug === collectionSlug,
-  )
+  const collectionConfig = req.payload.config.collectionsBySlug[collectionSlug]
 
   if (!collectionConfig) {
     if (!collectionSlug) {
diff --git a/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/getCreateImportCollectionTask.ts b/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/getCreateImportCollectionTask.ts
index 8dfdb59c387..6bcfe308650 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/getCreateImportCollectionTask.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-import-export/src/import/getCreateImportCollectionTask.ts
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ export const getCreateCollectionImportTask = (
       }
 
       // Get the collection config for the imports collection
-      const collectionConfig = req.payload.config.collections.find(
-        (c) => c.slug === importCollection,
-      )
+      const collectionConfig = req.payload.config.collectionsBySlug[importCollection]
 
       if (!collectionConfig) {
         throw new Error(`Collection config not found for: ${importCollection}`)
diff --git a/packages/plugin-mcp/src/utils/getVirtualFieldNames.ts b/packages/plugin-mcp/src/utils/getVirtualFieldNames.ts
index 3f0cb958307..e4208a19671 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-mcp/src/utils/getVirtualFieldNames.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-mcp/src/utils/getVirtualFieldNames.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { fieldIsVirtual } from 'payload/shared'
  * Returns the names of all top-level virtual fields for a given collection slug.
  */
 export function getCollectionVirtualFieldNames(config: SanitizedConfig, slug: string): string[] {
-  const collection = config.collections.find((c) => c.slug === slug)
+  const collection = config.collectionsBySlug[slug]
 
   if (!collection) {
     return []
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ export function getCollectionVirtualFieldNames(config: SanitizedConfig, slug: st
  * Returns the names of all top-level virtual fields for a given global slug.
  */
 export function getGlobalVirtualFieldNames(config: SanitizedConfig, slug: string): string[] {
-  const global = config.globals.find((g) => g.slug === slug)
+  const global = config.globalsBySlug[slug]
 
   if (!global) {
     return []
diff --git a/packages/plugin-seo/src/index.ts b/packages/plugin-seo/src/index.ts
index dc81ce03bf9..6f8eb1b8065 100644
--- a/packages/plugin-seo/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/plugin-seo/src/index.ts
@@ -144,10 +144,9 @@ export const seoPlugin =
             const result = pluginConfig.generateTitle
               ? await pluginConfig.generateTitle({
                   ...data,
-                  collectionConfig: config.collections?.find(
-                    (c) => c.slug === reqData.collectionSlug,
-                  ),
-                  globalConfig: config.globals?.find((g) => g.slug === reqData.globalSlug),
+                  collectionConfig:
+                    req.payload.config.collectionsBySlug[reqData.collectionSlug ?? ''],
+                  globalConfig: req.payload.config.globalsBySlug[reqData.globalSlug ?? ''],
                   req,
                 } satisfies Parameters<GenerateTitle>[0])
               : ''
@@ -168,10 +167,9 @@ export const seoPlugin =
             const result = pluginConfig.generateDescription
               ? await pluginConfig.generateDescription({
                   ...data,
-                  collectionConfig: config.collections?.find(
-                    (c) => c.slug === reqData.collectionSlug,
-                  ),
-                  globalConfig: config.globals?.find((g) => g.slug === reqData.globalSlug),
+                  collectionConfig:
+                    req.payload.config.collectionsBySlug[reqData.collectionSlug ?? ''],
+                  globalConfig: req.payload.config.globalsBySlug[reqData.globalSlug ?? ''],
                   req,
                 } satisfies Parameters<GenerateDescription>[0])
               : ''
@@ -192,10 +190,9 @@ export const seoPlugin =
             const result = pluginConfig.generateURL
               ? await pluginConfig.generateURL({
                   ...data,
-                  collectionConfig: config.collections?.find(
-                    (c) => c.slug === reqData.collectionSlug,
-                  ),
-                  globalConfig: config.globals?.find((g) => g.slug === reqData.globalSlug),
+                  collectionConfig:
+                    req.payload.config.collectionsBySlug[reqData.collectionSlug ?? ''],
+                  globalConfig: req.payload.config.globalsBySlug[reqData.globalSlug ?? ''],
                   req,
                 } satisfies Parameters<GenerateURL>[0])
               : ''
@@ -216,10 +213,9 @@ export const seoPlugin =
             const result = pluginConfig.generateImage
               ? await pluginConfig.generateImage({
                   ...data,
-                  collectionConfig: config.collections?.find(
-                    (c) => c.slug === reqData.collectionSlug,
-                  ),
-                  globalConfig: config.globals?.find((g) => g.slug === reqData.globalSlug),
+                  collectionConfig:
+                    req.payload.config.collectionsBySlug[reqData.collectionSlug ?? ''],
+                  globalConfig: req.payload.config.globalsBySlug[reqData.globalSlug ?? ''],
                   req,
                 } satisfies Parameters<GenerateImage>[0])
               : ''