diff --git a/unstructured/documents/elements.py b/unstructured/documents/elements.py
index dbf4c4d3ef..014aab926d 100644
--- a/unstructured/documents/elements.py
+++ b/unstructured/documents/elements.py
@@ -266,8 +266,15 @@ def __init__(
 
         # -- accommodate pathlib.Path for filename --
         filename = str(filename) if isinstance(filename, pathlib.Path) else filename
-        # -- produces "", "" when filename arg is None --
-        directory_path, file_name = os.path.split(filename or "")
+
+        # -- avoid calling os.path.split when filename is falsy to reduce overhead --
+        if filename:
+            directory_path, file_name = os.path.split(filename)
+        else:
+            directory_path, file_name = "", ""
+
+        # -- prefer `file_directory` arg if specified, otherwise split of file-path passed as
+        # -- `filename` arg, or None if `filename` is the empty string.
         # -- prefer `file_directory` arg if specified, otherwise split of file-path passed as
         # -- `filename` arg, or None if `filename` is the empty string.
         self.file_directory = file_directory or directory_path or None
@@ -334,8 +341,6 @@ def from_dict(cls, meta_dict: dict[str, Any]) -> ElementMetadata:
         """
         from unstructured.staging.base import elements_from_base64_gzipped_json
 
-        # -- avoid unexpected mutation by working on a copy of provided dict --
-        meta_dict = copy.deepcopy(meta_dict)
         self = ElementMetadata()
         for field_name, field_value in meta_dict.items():
             if field_name == "coordinates":
@@ -345,7 +350,11 @@ def from_dict(cls, meta_dict: dict[str, Any]) -> ElementMetadata:
             elif field_name == "orig_elements":
                 self.orig_elements = elements_from_base64_gzipped_json(field_value)
             elif field_name == "key_value_pairs":
-                self.key_value_pairs = _kvform_rehydrate_internal_elements(field_value)
+                # _kvform_rehydrate_internal_elements mutates the kv_pairs argument in-place,
+                # so deepcopy only this portion to avoid mutating the caller's structure.
+                self.key_value_pairs = _kvform_rehydrate_internal_elements(
+                    copy.deepcopy(field_value)
+                )
             else:
                 setattr(self, field_name, field_value)
 
@@ -1036,6 +1045,8 @@ def _kvform_rehydrate_internal_elements(kv_pairs: list[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[
     """
     from unstructured.staging.base import elements_from_dicts
 
+    Points: TypeAlias = "tuple[Point, ...]"
+
     # safe to overwrite - deepcopy already happened
     for kv_pair in kv_pairs:
         if kv_pair["key"]["custom_element"] is not None:
diff --git a/unstructured/staging/base.py b/unstructured/staging/base.py
index aab1b1647f..0b2e22f75a 100644
--- a/unstructured/staging/base.py
+++ b/unstructured/staging/base.py
@@ -58,19 +58,22 @@ def elements_from_dicts(element_dicts: Iterable[dict[str, Any]]) -> list[Element
     """Convert a list of element-dicts to a list of elements."""
     elements: list[Element] = []
 
+    elems_append = elements.append
+    map_ = TYPE_TO_TEXT_ELEMENT_MAP
+
     for item in element_dicts:
-        element_id: str = item.get("element_id", None)
-        metadata = (
-            ElementMetadata()
-            if item.get("metadata") is None
-            else ElementMetadata.from_dict(item["metadata"])
-        )
-
-        if item.get("type") in TYPE_TO_TEXT_ELEMENT_MAP:
-            ElementCls = TYPE_TO_TEXT_ELEMENT_MAP[item["type"]]
-            elements.append(ElementCls(text=item["text"], element_id=element_id, metadata=metadata))
-        elif item.get("type") == "CheckBox":
-            elements.append(
+        # Bind lookups locally to avoid repeated dict.get calls
+        get = item.get
+        element_id: str = get("element_id", None)
+        md = get("metadata")
+        metadata = ElementMetadata() if md is None else ElementMetadata.from_dict(md)
+
+        type_ = get("type")
+        if type_ in map_:
+            ElementCls = map_[type_]
+            elems_append(ElementCls(text=item["text"], element_id=element_id, metadata=metadata))
+        elif type_ == "CheckBox":
+            elems_append(
                 CheckBox(checked=item["checked"], element_id=element_id, metadata=metadata)
             )