diff --git a/packages/react/babel.config.js b/packages/react/babel.config.js
index 5ccad93f9..fa74fd31f 100644
--- a/packages/react/babel.config.js
+++ b/packages/react/babel.config.js
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ module.exports = {
     [
       '@babel/preset-env',
       {
-        modules: false,
+        modules: process.env.NODE_ENV === 'test' ? 'auto' : false,
         bugfixes: true,
         targets: { browsers: '> 0.25%, ie 11, not op_mini all, not dead' },
       },
diff --git a/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatData.js b/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatData.js
index 57a564a18..ee8ae10c5 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatData.js
+++ b/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatData.js
@@ -106,6 +106,7 @@ const useFetchChatData = (showRoles) => {
         const permissionsMap = createPermissionsMap(permissions);
 
         permissionsRef.current = {
+          raw: permissions,
           map: permissionsMap,
         };
 
diff --git a/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatDataPermissions.test.js b/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatDataPermissions.test.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..31db89940
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react/src/hooks/useFetchChatDataPermissions.test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,126 @@
+/**
+ * @jest-environment jsdom
+ */
+/* global describe, test, expect, jest, beforeEach, afterEach, document */
+global.IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
+import React, { act } from 'react';
+import { createRoot } from 'react-dom/client';
+import RCContext from '../context/RCInstance';
+import { useUserStore } from '../store';
+import useFetchChatData from './useFetchChatData';
+
+describe('useFetchChatData permissions caching', () => {
+  let mockRCInstance;
+  let hookResult;
+  let container;
+  let root;
+
+  const TestHarness = ({ showRoles = false }) => {
+    hookResult.current = useFetchChatData(showRoles);
+    return null;
+  };
+
+  const renderWithContext = async (showRoles = false) => {
+    hookResult = { current: null };
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(
+        React.createElement(
+          RCContext.Provider,
+          { value: { RCInstance: mockRCInstance } },
+          React.createElement(TestHarness, { showRoles })
+        )
+      );
+    });
+  };
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+
+    container = document.createElement('div');
+    document.body.appendChild(container);
+    root = createRoot(container);
+
+    mockRCInstance = {
+      permissionInfo: jest.fn(),
+      getStarredMessages: jest.fn(),
+      getPinnedMessages: jest.fn(),
+      getMessages: jest.fn(),
+    };
+
+    useUserStore.setState({
+      isUserAuthenticated: false,
+      viewUserInfoPermissions: {},
+    });
+  });
+
+  afterEach(async () => {
+    if (root) {
+      await act(async () => {
+        root.unmount();
+      });
+    }
+    if (container && container.parentNode) {
+      container.parentNode.removeChild(container);
+    }
+  });
+
+  test('caches permissions raw data and avoids redundant re-processing on unchanged permissions', async () => {
+    const mockPermissions = {
+      update: [
+        { _id: 'view-full-other-user-info', roles: ['admin', 'user'] },
+        { _id: 'delete-message', roles: ['admin'] },
+      ],
+    };
+
+    mockRCInstance.permissionInfo.mockResolvedValue(mockPermissions);
+
+    const spySetViewUserInfo = jest.fn();
+    useUserStore.setState({
+      setViewUserInfoPermissions: spySetViewUserInfo,
+    });
+
+    await renderWithContext();
+
+    // First call: initial fetch and cache
+    await act(async () => {
+      await hookResult.current.fetchAndSetPermissions();
+    });
+
+    expect(mockRCInstance.permissionInfo).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(hookResult.current.permissionsRef.current.raw).toEqual(
+      mockPermissions
+    );
+    expect(spySetViewUserInfo).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    // Second call with same permissions: should use cached raw data without re-applying
+    await act(async () => {
+      await hookResult.current.fetchAndSetPermissions();
+    });
+
+    expect(mockRCInstance.permissionInfo).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    // Setter should not be called again because raw data is identical
+    expect(spySetViewUserInfo).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    // Third call with changed permissions: should update cache and re-apply
+    const updatedPermissions = {
+      update: [
+        {
+          _id: 'view-full-other-user-info',
+          roles: ['admin', 'user', 'guest'],
+        },
+        { _id: 'delete-message', roles: ['admin'] },
+      ],
+    };
+    mockRCInstance.permissionInfo.mockResolvedValue(updatedPermissions);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      await hookResult.current.fetchAndSetPermissions();
+    });
+
+    expect(mockRCInstance.permissionInfo).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(3);
+    expect(hookResult.current.permissionsRef.current.raw).toEqual(
+      updatedPermissions
+    );
+    expect(spySetViewUserInfo).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  });
+});