diff --git a/src/asyncSerializer.ts b/src/asyncSerializer.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..98264a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/asyncSerializer.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+/**
+ * AsyncSerializer ensures that async operations are executed serially,
+ * preventing race conditions when the same operation is triggered multiple times rapidly.
+ *
+ * When an operation is already in progress, subsequent calls are coalesced - the operation
+ * will run again after the current execution completes, but only once regardless of how many
+ * times execute() was called during that time.
+ *
+ * Example usage:
+ * ```typescript
+ * const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+ *
+ * // These rapid calls won't overlap - first runs immediately,
+ * // subsequent calls are coalesced into one re-execution
+ * await serializer.execute(async () => {
+ *   await loadConfig();
+ *   refreshUI();
+ * });
+ * ```
+ */
+export class AsyncSerializer {
+  private _isExecuting = false;
+  private _pendingFn: (() => Promise<void>) | undefined = undefined;
+
+  /**
+   * Execute an async operation, ensuring it doesn't overlap with previous calls.
+   *
+   * If an execution is already in progress, this call stores {@link fn} as the next
+   * operation to run and returns immediately. When the current execution finishes, the
+   * most recently stored pending function will be executed. Multiple calls during
+   * execution are coalesced — only the last-queued function runs for the coalesced
+   * re-execution.
+   *
+   * @param fn The async operation to execute
+   * @returns A promise whose meaning depends on whether this call starts a new
+   *          execution cycle. If no execution is in progress, the promise resolves
+   *          after the current execution cycle completes, including any coalesced
+   *          re-execution triggered while it is running, and rejects if the final
+   *          execution of that cycle fails. If an execution is already in progress,
+   *          the promise resolves once this call has been acknowledged and {@link fn}
+   *          has been stored as the latest pending operation; in that case, the
+   *          returned promise does not observe the eventual success or failure of the
+   *          running/coalesced execution and does not guarantee a distinct execution
+   *          of {@link fn}.
+   */
+  async execute(fn: () => Promise<void>): Promise<void> {
+    // If already executing, store latest fn for the coalesced re-run and return immediately
+    if (this._isExecuting) {
+      this._pendingFn = fn;
+      return;
+    }
+
+    this._isExecuting = true;
+    let lastError: unknown | undefined;
+    try {
+      // Keep executing while new requests come in, always using the latest queued fn
+      let nextFn: (() => Promise<void>) | undefined = fn;
+      while (nextFn !== undefined) {
+        const toRun = nextFn;
+        this._pendingFn = undefined;
+        try {
+          await toRun();
+          lastError = undefined; // Clear error if a subsequent execution succeeds
+        } catch (error) {
+          lastError = error;
+        }
+        nextFn = this._pendingFn;
+      }
+    } finally {
+      this._isExecuting = false;
+      this._pendingFn = undefined;
+    }
+
+    if (lastError !== undefined) {
+      throw lastError;
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/extension.ts b/src/extension.ts
index 756d43e..60e1701 100644
--- a/src/extension.ts
+++ b/src/extension.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { PreviewManager } from './previewManager';
 import { SnippetHoverProvider } from './snippetHoverProvider';
 import { DiagnosticManager } from './diagnosticManager';
 import { setLogger } from './mkdocsConfigReader';
+import { AsyncSerializer } from './asyncSerializer';
 
 /**
  * Activates the mkdocs-snippet-lens extension
@@ -44,17 +45,29 @@ export async function activate(context: vscode.ExtensionContext) {
     false  // ignoreDeleteEvents
   );
 
+  // Create serializer to prevent race conditions when mkdocs.yml changes rapidly
+  const configReloadSerializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+
   // Reload config and refresh diagnostics when mkdocs config changes
   const reloadMkdocsConfig = async () => {
-    if (workspaceFolders && workspaceFolders.length > 0) {
-      await diagnosticManager.loadMkdocsConfig(workspaceFolders[0].uri.fsPath);
-
-      // Refresh diagnostics for all open markdown files
-      vscode.window.visibleTextEditors
-        .filter(editor => editor.document.languageId === 'markdown')
-        .forEach(editor => {
-          diagnosticManager.updateDiagnostics(editor.document);
-        });
+    try {
+      await configReloadSerializer.execute(async () => {
+        const currentFolders = vscode.workspace.workspaceFolders;
+        if (currentFolders && currentFolders.length > 0) {
+          await diagnosticManager.loadMkdocsConfig(currentFolders[0].uri.fsPath);
+
+          // Refresh diagnostics for all open markdown files
+          vscode.window.visibleTextEditors
+            .filter(editor => editor.document.languageId === 'markdown')
+            .forEach(editor => {
+              diagnosticManager.updateDiagnostics(editor.document);
+            });
+        }
+      });
+    } catch (error) {
+      const errorMessage = error instanceof Error ? error.message : String(error);
+      outputChannel.appendLine(`Failed to reload MkDocs configuration: ${errorMessage}`);
+      void vscode.window.showErrorMessage('Failed to reload MkDocs configuration. See output for details.');
     }
   };
 
diff --git a/src/test/unit/asyncSerializer.test.ts b/src/test/unit/asyncSerializer.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2187e41
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/unit/asyncSerializer.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,172 @@
+import * as assert from 'assert';
+import { AsyncSerializer } from '../../asyncSerializer';
+
+/**
+ * Unit tests for AsyncSerializer
+ *
+ * AsyncSerializer ensures that async operations are executed serially,
+ * preventing race conditions when the same async operation is triggered
+ * multiple times rapidly.
+ */
+describe('AsyncSerializer', () => {
+  it('should prevent concurrent executions', async () => {
+    const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+    let inFlight = 0;
+    let maxInFlight = 0;
+
+    // A manually controlled barrier holds the operation in-flight until released,
+    // making this test deterministic and free of real-time delays.
+    let release!: () => void;
+    const barrier = new Promise<void>(resolve => { release = resolve; });
+
+    const operation = async () => {
+      inFlight++;
+      if (inFlight > maxInFlight) { maxInFlight = inFlight; }
+      await barrier;
+      inFlight--;
+    };
+
+    // Fire three operations; first executes immediately, the rest are coalesced
+    const promises = [
+      serializer.execute(operation),
+      serializer.execute(operation),
+      serializer.execute(operation),
+    ];
+
+    // Release the barrier so all executions can complete
+    release();
+    await Promise.all(promises);
+
+    assert.strictEqual(maxInFlight, 1, 'At most one execution should be in flight at a time');
+  });
+
+  it('should coalesce multiple pending calls into a single additional execution', async () => {
+    const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+    let executionCount = 0;
+
+    // A manually controlled barrier holds the first execution in-flight while
+    // the remaining calls are dispatched synchronously, ensuring coalescing occurs.
+    let release!: () => void;
+    const barrier = new Promise<void>(resolve => { release = resolve; });
+
+    const countingOperation = async () => {
+      executionCount++;
+      await barrier;
+    };
+
+    // Fire five operations rapidly while first is running
+    const promises = [
+      serializer.execute(countingOperation),
+      serializer.execute(countingOperation),
+      serializer.execute(countingOperation),
+      serializer.execute(countingOperation),
+      serializer.execute(countingOperation),
+    ];
+
+    release();
+    await Promise.all(promises);
+
+    // With coalescing of synchronously scheduled calls, this should be deterministic:
+    // - First call runs immediately.
+    // - Calls 2-5 are all queued while the first is running and are coalesced into
+    //   a single additional execution that services all pending callers.
+    // Therefore we expect exactly 2 executions.
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      executionCount,
+      2,
+      `Expected exactly 2 executions with coalescing, got ${executionCount}`
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should execute immediately if not already running', async () => {
+    const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+    let executed = false;
+
+    await serializer.execute(async () => {
+      executed = true;
+    });
+
+    assert.strictEqual(executed, true, 'Should execute immediately when not busy');
+  });
+
+  it('should handle errors without breaking serialization', async () => {
+    const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+    const executions: number[] = [];
+
+    const failingOperation = async () => {
+      executions.push(1);
+      throw new Error('Operation failed');
+    };
+
+    const successOperation = async () => {
+      executions.push(2);
+    };
+
+    // First operation fails
+    await serializer.execute(failingOperation).catch(() => {});
+
+    // Second operation should still run
+    await serializer.execute(successOperation);
+
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(executions, [1, 2], 'Should execute both operations despite error');
+  });
+
+  it('should execute coalesced pending calls even when an error occurs', async () => {
+    const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+    let executionCount = 0;
+
+    // A manually controlled barrier holds the first execution in-flight so calls
+    // B and C are coalesced before A finishes (and throws).
+    let release!: () => void;
+    const barrier = new Promise<void>(resolve => { release = resolve; });
+
+    const operation = async () => {
+      const id = ++executionCount;
+      await barrier;
+      if (id === 1) {
+        throw new Error('First execution failed');
+      }
+    };
+
+    // Start call A (will error partway through but coalesced re-run succeeds),
+    // then dispatch B and C which get coalesced
+    const promiseA = serializer.execute(operation);
+    const promiseB = serializer.execute(operation);
+    const promiseC = serializer.execute(operation);
+
+    release();
+
+    // promiseA resolves (not rejects) because the coalesced re-run succeeded,
+    // clearing the error from the first execution
+    await promiseA;
+    await promiseB;
+    await promiseC;
+
+    // The pending coalesced work must still have been executed despite A's error
+    assert.strictEqual(
+      executionCount,
+      2,
+      `Expected 2 executions (A + coalesced B/C), got ${executionCount}`
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('should handle rapid sequential calls after completion', async () => {
+    const serializer = new AsyncSerializer();
+    const executions: number[] = [];
+
+    const operation = async (id: number) => {
+      executions.push(id);
+      await Promise.resolve();
+    };
+
+    // First batch
+    await serializer.execute(() => operation(1));
+    await serializer.execute(() => operation(2));
+
+    // Second batch after first completes
+    await serializer.execute(() => operation(3));
+    await serializer.execute(() => operation(4));
+
+    assert.deepStrictEqual(executions, [1, 2, 3, 4], 'Should execute all operations in order');
+  });
+});