diff --git a/.github/workflows/generate.yml b/.github/workflows/generate.yml
index 4e148b38..c20fb92d 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/generate.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/generate.yml
@@ -36,9 +36,15 @@ jobs:
   generate_test_data:
     name: "Test Data"
     runs-on: ubuntu-latest
+    env:
+      OSBUILD_MPP_CACHEDIR: "/var/tmp/osbuild-mpp-cache"
     steps:
     - name: "Clone Repository"
       uses: actions/checkout@v3
+    - name: Cache metadata
+      uses: actions/cache@v4
+      with:
+        path: /var/tmp/osbuild-mpp-cache
     - name: "Regenerate Test Data"
       uses: osbuild/containers/src/actions/privdocker@552e30cf1b4ed19c6ddaa57f96c342b3dff4227b
       with:
diff --git a/tools/osbuild-mpp b/tools/osbuild-mpp
index 56513038..53ff5064 100755
--- a/tools/osbuild-mpp
+++ b/tools/osbuild-mpp
@@ -1804,8 +1804,11 @@ def main():
 
     m = ManifestFile.load(args.src, overrides, defaults, args.searchdirs)
 
+    cachedir = args.cachedir
+    if cachedir is None:
+        cachedir = os.getenv("OSBUILD_MPP_CACHEDIR")
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as persistdir:
-        m.solver_factory = DepSolverFactory(args.cachedir, persistdir)
+        m.solver_factory = DepSolverFactory(cachedir, persistdir)
         m.process_format()
         m.solver_factory = None