diff --git a/src/dune_rules/action_unexpanded.ml b/src/dune_rules/action_unexpanded.ml
index 8cef4693e7e..0d72246536b 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/action_unexpanded.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/action_unexpanded.ml
@@ -285,6 +285,7 @@ end = struct
         Value.L.to_strings v ~dir:(Path.build env.dir)
       ;;
 
+      let project = Expander.project
       let artifacts = Expander.artifacts
       let map_exe = Expander.map_exe
 
@@ -424,16 +425,16 @@ end = struct
              | Relative_to_current_dir | Absolute ->
                Action_builder.return (Ok (Path.relative dir s))
              | In_path ->
-               Action_builder.of_memo
-               @@
-               let open Memo.O in
                let dir = env.dir in
-               let* where =
-                 let+ project = Dune_load.find_project ~dir in
-                 if Dune_project.dune_version project >= (3, 14)
+               let where =
+                 if Dune_project.dune_version (Expander.project env.expander) >= (3, 14)
                  then Artifacts.Original_path
                  else Install_dir
-               and* artifacts = Expander.artifacts env.expander in
+               in
+               Action_builder.of_memo
+               @@
+               let open Memo.O in
+               let* artifacts = Expander.artifacts env.expander in
                let hint =
                  match s with
                  | "refmt" -> Some "opam install reason"
@@ -538,19 +539,16 @@ let rec expand (t : Dune_lang.Action.t) : Action.t Action_expander.t =
     O.Echo l
   | Cat xs ->
     A.with_expander (fun expander ->
-      let open Memo.O in
-      let+ version =
-        let dir = Expander.dir expander in
-        Dune_load.find_project ~dir >>| Dune_project.dune_version
-      in
+      let version = Expander.project expander |> Dune_project.dune_version in
       let open Action_expander.O in
-      if version >= (3, 10)
-      then
-        let+ xs = A.all (List.map xs ~f:E.deps) in
-        O.Cat (List.concat xs)
-      else
-        let+ xs = A.all (List.map xs ~f:E.dep) in
-        O.Cat xs)
+      Memo.return
+        (if version >= (3, 10)
+         then
+           let+ xs = A.all (List.map xs ~f:E.deps) in
+           O.Cat (List.concat xs)
+         else
+           let+ xs = A.all (List.map xs ~f:E.dep) in
+           O.Cat xs))
   | Copy (x, y) ->
     let+ x = E.dep x
     and+ y = E.target y in
@@ -616,15 +614,12 @@ let rec expand (t : Dune_lang.Action.t) : Action.t Action_expander.t =
     Cram_exec.action script
   | Format_dune_file (src, dst) ->
     A.with_expander (fun expander ->
-      let open Memo.O in
-      let+ version =
-        let dir = Expander.dir expander in
-        Dune_load.find_project ~dir >>| Dune_project.dune_version
-      in
+      let version = Expander.project expander |> Dune_project.dune_version in
       let open Action_expander.O in
-      let+ src = E.dep src
-      and+ dst = E.target dst in
-      Format_dune_file.action ~version src dst)
+      Memo.return
+        (let+ src = E.dep src
+         and+ dst = E.target dst in
+         Format_dune_file.action ~version src dst))
   | Withenv _ | Substitute _ | Patch _ | When _ ->
     (* these can only be provided by the package language which isn't expanded here *)
     assert false
diff --git a/src/dune_rules/dep_conf_eval.ml b/src/dune_rules/dep_conf_eval.ml
index e639563c8c9..4f835113682 100644
--- a/src/dune_rules/dep_conf_eval.ml
+++ b/src/dune_rules/dep_conf_eval.ml
@@ -297,13 +297,7 @@ let rec dep expander : Dep_conf.t -> _ = function
          let* pkg_name = expand_package_name expander p in
          let context = Build_context.create ~name:(Expander.context expander) in
          let loc = String_with_vars.loc p in
-         let* dune_version =
-           Action_builder.of_memo
-           @@
-           let open Memo.O in
-           Dune_load.find_project ~dir:(Expander.dir expander)
-           >>| Dune_project.dune_version
-         in
+         let dune_version = Expander.project expander |> Dune_project.dune_version in
          package loc pkg_name context ~dune_version
        in
        [])
@@ -347,19 +341,13 @@ and combined_package_deps_builder expander pkgs =
     then Action_builder.return Env.empty
     else Install_layout.env context.name local_package_names
   in
+  let dune_version = Expander.project expander |> Dune_project.dune_version in
   let+ () =
     Action_builder.List.iter classified ~f:(fun (loc, pkg_name, found) ->
       match found with
       | Some (Local _) -> Action_builder.return ()
       | Some (Build build) -> build
-      | Some (Installed _) | None ->
-        let* dune_version =
-          Action_builder.of_memo
-            (let open Memo.O in
-             Dune_load.find_project ~dir:(Expander.dir expander)
-             >>| Dune_project.dune_version)
-        in
-        package loc pkg_name context ~dune_version)
+      | Some (Installed _) | None -> package loc pkg_name context ~dune_version)
   in
   env