diff --git a/net/ipgate/domains.go b/net/ipgate/domains.go
index c38b389..1c27e11 100644
--- a/net/ipgate/domains.go
+++ b/net/ipgate/domains.go
@@ -47,7 +47,8 @@ func NewDomainSet(ctx context.Context, staticPrefixes []string, domains []string
 }
 
 func (ds *DomainSet) Contains(addr netip.Addr) bool {
-	return ds.cohort.Load().ContainsAddr(addr)
+	cohort := ds.cohort.Load()
+	return cohort != nil && cohort.ContainsAddr(addr)
 }
 
 func (ds *DomainSet) refreshLoop(ctx context.Context) {
@@ -119,4 +120,3 @@ func (ds *DomainSet) rebuildCohort() {
 		ds.cohort.Store(cohort)
 	}
 }
-
diff --git a/net/ipgate/ipprefix.go b/net/ipgate/ipprefix.go
index a6a6f31..8a2fbb7 100644
--- a/net/ipgate/ipprefix.go
+++ b/net/ipgate/ipprefix.go
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ func NewPrefixSet(ctx context.Context, repoURL, dataPath string, files []string)
 }
 
 func (ps *PrefixSet) Contains(addr netip.Addr) bool {
-	return ps.cohort.Load().ContainsAddr(addr)
+	cohort := ps.cohort.Load()
+	return cohort != nil && cohort.ContainsAddr(addr)
 }
 
 func (ps *PrefixSet) reload(ctx context.Context) error {
@@ -53,15 +54,15 @@ func (ps *PrefixSet) reload(ctx context.Context) error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if !updated && ps.cohort.Load().Size() > 0 {
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	paths := make([]string, len(ps.files))
 	for i, f := range ps.files {
 		paths[i] = ps.repo.FilePath(f)
 	}
 
+	if cachedCohortValid(updated, ps.cohort.Load(), paths) {
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	cohort, err := ipcohort.LoadFiles(paths...)
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("load files: %w", err)
@@ -73,6 +74,19 @@ func (ps *PrefixSet) reload(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
+func cachedCohortValid(updated bool, cohort *ipcohort.Cohort, paths []string) bool {
+	return !updated && cohort != nil && cohort.Size() > 0 && filesPresent(paths)
+}
+
+func filesPresent(paths []string) bool {
+	for _, path := range paths {
+		if _, err := os.Stat(path); err != nil {
+			return false
+		}
+	}
+	return true
+}
+
 func (ps *PrefixSet) refreshLoop(ctx context.Context) {
 	if err := ps.reload(ctx); err != nil {
 		log().Warn("prefix set initial load (will retry)", "err", err)
diff --git a/net/ipgate/ipprefix_test.go b/net/ipgate/ipprefix_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3545b24
--- /dev/null
+++ b/net/ipgate/ipprefix_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+package ipgate
+
+import (
+	"net/netip"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/therootcompany/golib/net/ipcohort"
+)
+
+func TestPrefixSetContainsZeroValue(t *testing.T) {
+	var ps PrefixSet
+	if ps.Contains(netip.MustParseAddr("192.0.2.1")) {
+		t.Fatal("zero-value PrefixSet must not contain an address")
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCachedCohortValidRequiresFiles(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	present := filepath.Join(dir, "present")
+	if err := writeFile(present); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	cohort, err := ipcohort.Parse([]string{"192.0.2.0/24"})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	if !cachedCohortValid(false, cohort, []string{present}) {
+		t.Fatal("fresh metadata and present files should use the cache")
+	}
+	if cachedCohortValid(false, cohort, []string{present, filepath.Join(dir, "gone")}) {
+		t.Fatal("missing data file must invalidate the cache")
+	}
+	if cachedCohortValid(false, nil, []string{present}) {
+		t.Fatal("nil cohort must not be used")
+	}
+	if cachedCohortValid(true, cohort, []string{present}) {
+		t.Fatal("updated repo must reload")
+	}
+}
+
+func writeFile(path string) error {
+	return os.WriteFile(path, nil, 0o600)
+}