diff --git a/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go b/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go
index 049937f9..6eb610fb 100644
--- a/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go
+++ b/internal/storage/sqlite/ready.go
@@ -81,47 +81,17 @@ func (s *SQLiteStorage) GetReadyWork(ctx context.Context, filter types.WorkFilte
 	}
 	orderBySQL := buildOrderByClause(sortPolicy)
 
-	// Query with recursive CTE to propagate blocking through parent-child hierarchy
-	// Algorithm:
-	// 1. Find issues directly blocked by 'blocks' dependencies
-	// 2. Recursively propagate blockage to all descendants via 'parent-child' links
-	// 3. Exclude all blocked issues (both direct and transitive) from ready work
+	// Use blocked_issues_cache for performance (bd-5qim)
+	// Cache is maintained by invalidateBlockedCache() called on dependency/status changes
 	// #nosec G201 - safe SQL with controlled formatting
 	query := fmt.Sprintf(`
-		WITH RECURSIVE
-		  -- Step 1: Find issues blocked directly by dependencies
-		  blocked_directly AS (
-		    SELECT DISTINCT d.issue_id
-		    FROM dependencies d
-		    JOIN issues blocker ON d.depends_on_id = blocker.id
-		    WHERE d.type = 'blocks'
-		      AND blocker.status IN ('open', 'in_progress', 'blocked')
-		  ),
-
-		  -- Step 2: Propagate blockage to all descendants via parent-child
-		  blocked_transitively AS (
-		    -- Base case: directly blocked issues
-		    SELECT issue_id, 0 as depth
-		    FROM blocked_directly
-
-		    UNION ALL
-
-		    -- Recursive case: children of blocked issues inherit blockage
-		    SELECT d.issue_id, bt.depth + 1
-		    FROM blocked_transitively bt
-		    JOIN dependencies d ON d.depends_on_id = bt.issue_id
-		    WHERE d.type = 'parent-child'
-		      AND bt.depth < 50
-		  )
-
-		-- Step 3: Select ready issues (excluding all blocked)
 		SELECT i.id, i.content_hash, i.title, i.description, i.design, i.acceptance_criteria, i.notes,
 		i.status, i.priority, i.issue_type, i.assignee, i.estimated_minutes,
 		i.created_at, i.updated_at, i.closed_at, i.external_ref, i.source_repo
 		FROM issues i
 		WHERE %s
 		AND NOT EXISTS (
-		SELECT 1 FROM blocked_transitively WHERE issue_id = i.id
+		  SELECT 1 FROM blocked_issues_cache WHERE issue_id = i.id
 		)
 		%s
 		%s