diff --git a/src-tauri/src/vault/mod.rs b/src-tauri/src/vault/mod.rs
index 6d2034d4..bf9266ff 100644
--- a/src-tauri/src/vault/mod.rs
+++ b/src-tauri/src/vault/mod.rs
@@ -371,9 +371,16 @@ fn validate_save_path(file_path: &Path, display_path: &str) -> Result<(), String
     Ok(())
 }
 
-/// Write content to a note file. Validates parent directory and read-only status.
+/// Write content to a note file. Creates parent directory if needed, validates path,
+/// then writes content to disk.
 pub fn save_note_content(path: &str, content: &str) -> Result<(), String> {
     let file_path = Path::new(path);
+    if let Some(parent) = file_path.parent() {
+        if !parent.exists() {
+            fs::create_dir_all(parent)
+                .map_err(|e| format!("Failed to create directory {}: {}", parent.display(), e))?;
+        }
+    }
     validate_save_path(file_path, path)?;
     fs::write(file_path, content).map_err(|e| format!("Failed to save {}: {}", path, e))
 }
@@ -960,6 +967,32 @@ References:
         assert!(entry.outgoing_links.contains(&"project/alpha".to_string()));
     }
 
+    // --- save_note_content tests ---
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_save_note_content_creates_parent_directory() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        let path = dir.path().join("new-type/untitled-note.md");
+        let content = "---\ntitle: Untitled note\n---\n# Untitled note\n\n";
+
+        assert!(!path.parent().unwrap().exists());
+        save_note_content(path.to_str().unwrap(), content).unwrap();
+
+        assert!(path.exists());
+        assert_eq!(fs::read_to_string(&path).unwrap(), content);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_save_note_content_existing_directory() {
+        let dir = TempDir::new().unwrap();
+        fs::create_dir_all(dir.path().join("note")).unwrap();
+        let path = dir.path().join("note/test.md");
+        let content = "# Test\n";
+
+        save_note_content(path.to_str().unwrap(), content).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(fs::read_to_string(&path).unwrap(), content);
+    }
+
     // Frontmatter update/delete tests are in frontmatter.rs
     // save_image tests are in vault/image.rs
     // purge_trash tests are in vault/trash.rs
diff --git a/src/components/Editor.tsx b/src/components/Editor.tsx
index 31a59ed7..c1973376 100644
--- a/src/components/Editor.tsx
+++ b/src/components/Editor.tsx
@@ -429,10 +429,21 @@ export const Editor = memo(function Editor({
     tabPathsRef.current = currentPaths
   }, [tabs])
 
-  // Focus editor when a new note is created (signaled via custom event)
+  // Focus editor when a new note is created (signaled via custom event).
+  // Uses adaptive timing: fast rAF path when editor is already mounted,
+  // short timeout when waiting for first mount.
   useEffect(() => {
-    const handler = () => {
-      setTimeout(() => editor.focus(), 150)
+    const handler = (e: Event) => {
+      const t0 = (e as CustomEvent).detail?.t0 as number | undefined
+      const doFocus = () => {
+        editor.focus()
+        if (t0) console.debug(`[perf] createNote → focus: ${(performance.now() - t0).toFixed(1)}ms`)
+      }
+      if (editorMountedRef.current) {
+        requestAnimationFrame(doFocus)
+      } else {
+        setTimeout(doFocus, 80)
+      }
     }
     window.addEventListener('laputa:focus-editor', handler)
     return () => window.removeEventListener('laputa:focus-editor', handler)
diff --git a/src/hooks/useNoteActions.ts b/src/hooks/useNoteActions.ts
index 568597a4..103b3069 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useNoteActions.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useNoteActions.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,11 @@ function navigateWikilink(entries: VaultEntry[], target: string, selectNote: (e:
   else console.warn(`Navigation target not found: ${target}`)
 }
 
+/** Dispatch focus-editor event with perf timing marker. */
+function signalFocusEditor(): void {
+  window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('laputa:focus-editor', { detail: { t0: performance.now() } }))
+}
+
 /** Persist to disk; on failure, call the revert handler. */
 function persistOptimistic(path: string, content: string, onFail: (p: string) => void): void {
   persistNewNote(path, content).catch(() => onFail(path))
@@ -275,7 +280,7 @@ export function useNoteActions(config: NoteActionsConfig) {
     const title = generateUntitledName(entries, noteType, pendingNamesRef.current)
     pendingNamesRef.current.add(title)
     handleCreateNote(title, noteType)
-    window.dispatchEvent(new CustomEvent('laputa:focus-editor'))
+    signalFocusEditor()
     setTimeout(() => pendingNamesRef.current.delete(title), 500)
   }, [entries, handleCreateNote])