diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/issue-1680 b/changelog/unreleased/issue-1680
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..8c59d5b19
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/issue-1680
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+Enhancement: Optimize `restic mount`
+
+We've optimized the FUSE implementation used within restic.
+`restic mount` is now more responsive and uses less memory.
+
+https://github.com/restic/restic/issues/1680
+https://github.com/restic/restic/pull/2587
+https://github.com/restic/restic/pull/2787
diff --git a/internal/fuse/dir.go b/internal/fuse/dir.go
index 50094649e..22530ea49 100644
--- a/internal/fuse/dir.go
+++ b/internal/fuse/dir.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ package fuse
 import (
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
 
 	"bazil.org/fuse"
 	"bazil.org/fuse/fs"
@@ -24,6 +25,7 @@ type dir struct {
 	inode       uint64
 	parentInode uint64
 	node        *restic.Node
+	m           sync.Mutex
 }
 
 func cleanupNodeName(name string) string {
@@ -32,20 +34,10 @@ func cleanupNodeName(name string) string {
 
 func newDir(ctx context.Context, root *Root, inode, parentInode uint64, node *restic.Node) (*dir, error) {
 	debug.Log("new dir for %v (%v)", node.Name, node.Subtree)
-	tree, err := root.repo.LoadTree(ctx, *node.Subtree)
-	if err != nil {
-		debug.Log("  error loading tree %v: %v", node.Subtree, err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	items := make(map[string]*restic.Node)
-	for _, node := range tree.Nodes {
-		items[cleanupNodeName(node.Name)] = node
-	}
 
 	return &dir{
 		root:        root,
 		node:        node,
-		items:       items,
 		inode:       inode,
 		parentInode: parentInode,
 	}, nil
@@ -72,24 +64,6 @@ func replaceSpecialNodes(ctx context.Context, repo restic.Repository, node *rest
 
 func newDirFromSnapshot(ctx context.Context, root *Root, inode uint64, snapshot *restic.Snapshot) (*dir, error) {
 	debug.Log("new dir for snapshot %v (%v)", snapshot.ID(), snapshot.Tree)
-	tree, err := root.repo.LoadTree(ctx, *snapshot.Tree)
-	if err != nil {
-		debug.Log("  loadTree(%v) failed: %v", snapshot.ID(), err)
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	items := make(map[string]*restic.Node)
-	for _, n := range tree.Nodes {
-		nodes, err := replaceSpecialNodes(ctx, root.repo, n)
-		if err != nil {
-			debug.Log("  replaceSpecialNodes(%v) failed: %v", n, err)
-			return nil, err
-		}
-
-		for _, node := range nodes {
-			items[cleanupNodeName(node.Name)] = node
-		}
-	}
-
 	return &dir{
 		root: root,
 		node: &restic.Node{
@@ -97,12 +71,42 @@ func newDirFromSnapshot(ctx context.Context, root *Root, inode uint64, snapshot
 			ModTime:    snapshot.Time,
 			ChangeTime: snapshot.Time,
 			Mode:       os.ModeDir | 0555,
+			Subtree:    snapshot.Tree,
 		},
-		items: items,
 		inode: inode,
 	}, nil
 }
 
+func (d *dir) open(ctx context.Context) error {
+	d.m.Lock()
+	defer d.m.Unlock()
+
+	if d.items != nil {
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	debug.Log("open dir %v (%v)", d.node.Name, d.node.Subtree)
+
+	tree, err := d.root.repo.LoadTree(ctx, *d.node.Subtree)
+	if err != nil {
+		debug.Log("  error loading tree %v: %v", d.node.Subtree, err)
+		return err
+	}
+	items := make(map[string]*restic.Node)
+	for _, n := range tree.Nodes {
+		nodes, err := replaceSpecialNodes(ctx, d.root.repo, n)
+		if err != nil {
+			debug.Log("  replaceSpecialNodes(%v) failed: %v", n, err)
+			return err
+		}
+		for _, node := range nodes {
+			items[cleanupNodeName(node.Name)] = node
+		}
+	}
+	d.items = items
+	return nil
+}
+
 func (d *dir) Attr(ctx context.Context, a *fuse.Attr) error {
 	debug.Log("Attr()")
 	a.Inode = d.inode
@@ -133,6 +137,10 @@ func (d *dir) calcNumberOfLinks() uint32 {
 
 func (d *dir) ReadDirAll(ctx context.Context) ([]fuse.Dirent, error) {
 	debug.Log("ReadDirAll()")
+	err := d.open(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	ret := make([]fuse.Dirent, 0, len(d.items)+2)
 
 	ret = append(ret, fuse.Dirent{
@@ -171,6 +179,12 @@ func (d *dir) ReadDirAll(ctx context.Context) ([]fuse.Dirent, error) {
 
 func (d *dir) Lookup(ctx context.Context, name string) (fs.Node, error) {
 	debug.Log("Lookup(%v)", name)
+
+	err := d.open(ctx)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
 	node, ok := d.items[name]
 	if !ok {
 		debug.Log("  Lookup(%v) -> not found", name)
diff --git a/internal/fuse/file.go b/internal/fuse/file.go
index e4ab27010..b680c9004 100644
--- a/internal/fuse/file.go
+++ b/internal/fuse/file.go
@@ -5,11 +5,10 @@ package fuse
 import (
 	"sort"
 
+	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/errors"
 	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/restic"
 
-	"github.com/restic/restic/internal/debug"
-
 	"bazil.org/fuse"
 	"bazil.org/fuse/fs"
 	"golang.org/x/net/context"
@@ -18,43 +17,30 @@ import (
 // The default block size to report in stat
 const blockSize = 512
 
-// Statically ensure that *file implements the given interface
-var _ = fs.HandleReader(&file{})
+// Statically ensure that *file and *openFile implement the given interfaces
+var _ = fs.HandleReader(&openFile{})
+var _ = fs.NodeListxattrer(&file{})
+var _ = fs.NodeGetxattrer(&file{})
+var _ = fs.NodeOpener(&file{})
 
 type file struct {
 	root  *Root
 	node  *restic.Node
 	inode uint64
+}
 
+type openFile struct {
+	file
 	// cumsize[i] holds the cumulative size of blobs[:i].
 	cumsize []uint64
 }
 
 func newFile(ctx context.Context, root *Root, inode uint64, node *restic.Node) (fusefile *file, err error) {
 	debug.Log("create new file for %v with %d blobs", node.Name, len(node.Content))
-	var bytes uint64
-	cumsize := make([]uint64, 1+len(node.Content))
-	for i, id := range node.Content {
-		size, found := root.repo.LookupBlobSize(id, restic.DataBlob)
-		if !found {
-			return nil, errors.Errorf("id %v not found in repository", id)
-		}
-
-		bytes += uint64(size)
-		cumsize[i+1] = bytes
-	}
-
-	if bytes != node.Size {
-		debug.Log("sizes do not match: node.Size %v != size %v, using real size", node.Size, bytes)
-		node.Size = bytes
-	}
-
 	return &file{
 		inode: inode,
 		root:  root,
 		node:  node,
-
-		cumsize: cumsize,
 	}, nil
 }
 
@@ -79,8 +65,36 @@ func (f *file) Attr(ctx context.Context, a *fuse.Attr) error {
 
 }
 
-func (f *file) getBlobAt(ctx context.Context, i int) (blob []byte, err error) {
-	debug.Log("getBlobAt(%v, %v)", f.node.Name, i)
+func (f *file) Open(ctx context.Context, req *fuse.OpenRequest, resp *fuse.OpenResponse) (fs.Handle, error) {
+	debug.Log("open file %v with %d blobs", f.node.Name, len(f.node.Content))
+
+	var bytes uint64
+	cumsize := make([]uint64, 1+len(f.node.Content))
+	for i, id := range f.node.Content {
+		size, found := f.root.repo.LookupBlobSize(id, restic.DataBlob)
+		if !found {
+			return nil, errors.Errorf("id %v not found in repository", id)
+		}
+
+		bytes += uint64(size)
+		cumsize[i+1] = bytes
+	}
+
+	var of = openFile{file: *f}
+
+	if bytes != f.node.Size {
+		debug.Log("sizes do not match: node.Size %v != size %v, using real size", f.node.Size, bytes)
+		// Make a copy of the node with correct size
+		nodenew := *f.node
+		nodenew.Size = bytes
+		of.file.node = &nodenew
+	}
+	of.cumsize = cumsize
+
+	return &of, nil
+}
+
+func (f *openFile) getBlobAt(ctx context.Context, i int) (blob []byte, err error) {
 
 	blob, ok := f.root.blobCache.get(f.node.Content[i])
 	if ok {
@@ -98,18 +112,12 @@ func (f *file) getBlobAt(ctx context.Context, i int) (blob []byte, err error) {
 	return blob, nil
 }
 
-func (f *file) Read(ctx context.Context, req *fuse.ReadRequest, resp *fuse.ReadResponse) error {
+func (f *openFile) Read(ctx context.Context, req *fuse.ReadRequest, resp *fuse.ReadResponse) error {
 	debug.Log("Read(%v, %v, %v), file size %v", f.node.Name, req.Size, req.Offset, f.node.Size)
 	offset := uint64(req.Offset)
 
-	if offset > f.node.Size {
-		debug.Log("Read(%v): offset is greater than file size: %v > %v",
-			f.node.Name, req.Offset, f.node.Size)
-
-		// return no data
-		resp.Data = resp.Data[:0]
-		return nil
-	}
+	// as stated in https://godoc.org/bazil.org/fuse/fs#HandleReader there
+	// is no need to check if offset > size
 
 	// handle special case: file is empty
 	if f.node.Size == 0 {
@@ -126,6 +134,15 @@ func (f *file) Read(ctx context.Context, req *fuse.ReadRequest, resp *fuse.ReadR
 	dst := resp.Data[0:req.Size]
 	readBytes := 0
 	remainingBytes := req.Size
+
+	// The documentation of bazil/fuse actually says that synchronization is
+	// required (see https://godoc.org/bazil.org/fuse#hdr-Service_Methods):
+	//
+	// Multiple goroutines may call service methods simultaneously;
+	// the methods being called are responsible for appropriate synchronization.
+	//
+	// However, no lock needed here as getBlobAt can be called conurrently
+	// (blobCache has it's own locking)
 	for i := startContent; remainingBytes > 0 && i < len(f.cumsize)-1; i++ {
 		blob, err := f.getBlobAt(ctx, i)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/internal/fuse/fuse_test.go b/internal/fuse/fuse_test.go
index ab4ecf89e..05e37b630 100644
--- a/internal/fuse/fuse_test.go
+++ b/internal/fuse/fuse_test.go
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func TestCache(t *testing.T) {
 	rtest.Equals(t, cacheSize, c.free)
 }
 
-func testRead(t testing.TB, f *file, offset, length int, data []byte) {
+func testRead(t testing.TB, f fs.Handle, offset, length int, data []byte) {
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 	defer cancel()
 
@@ -73,7 +73,8 @@ func testRead(t testing.TB, f *file, offset, length int, data []byte) {
 	resp := &fuse.ReadResponse{
 		Data: data,
 	}
-	rtest.OK(t, f.Read(ctx, req, resp))
+	fr := f.(fs.HandleReader)
+	rtest.OK(t, fr.Read(ctx, req, resp))
 }
 
 func firstSnapshotID(t testing.TB, repo restic.Repository) (first restic.ID) {
@@ -156,11 +157,13 @@ func TestFuseFile(t *testing.T) {
 		Size:    filesize,
 		Content: content,
 	}
-	root := NewRoot(repo, Config{})
+	root := &Root{repo: repo, blobCache: newBlobCache(blobCacheSize)}
 
 	inode := fs.GenerateDynamicInode(1, "foo")
 	f, err := newFile(context.TODO(), root, inode, node)
 	rtest.OK(t, err)
+	of, err := f.Open(context.TODO(), nil, nil)
+	rtest.OK(t, err)
 
 	attr := fuse.Attr{}
 	rtest.OK(t, f.Attr(ctx, &attr))
@@ -178,7 +181,7 @@ func TestFuseFile(t *testing.T) {
 
 		buf := make([]byte, length)
 
-		testRead(t, f, offset, length, buf)
+		testRead(t, of, offset, length, buf)
 		if !bytes.Equal(b, buf) {
 			t.Errorf("test %d failed, wrong data returned (offset %v, length %v)", i, offset, length)
 		}