diff --git a/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver-input.js b/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver-input.js
index 7d8cd7e91d..e4fd5bf392 100644
--- a/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver-input.js
+++ b/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver-input.js
@@ -148,7 +148,19 @@ CS.Input.prototype.isEqual = function (otherInput) {
   // This equality test is also overly sensitive to order,
   // missing opportunities to declare two inputs equal when only
   // the order has changed.
-  return _.isEqual(a.toJSONable(), b.toJSONable());
+
+  // Omit `catalogCache` -- it's not actually part of the serialized
+  // input object (it's only in `toJSONable()` for tests).
+  //
+  // Moreover, catalogCache is populated as-needed so their values for
+  // `a` and `b` will very likely be different even if they represent
+  // the same input. So by omitting `catalogCache` we no longer need
+  // to reload the entire relevant part of the catalog from SQLite on
+  // every rebuild!
+  return _.isEqual(
+    _.omit(a.toJSONable(), "catalogCache"),
+    _.omit(b.toJSONable(), "catalogCache")
+  );
 };
 
 CS.Input.prototype.toJSONable = function () {
diff --git a/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver.js b/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver.js
index 17593be080..7f89d69556 100644
--- a/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver.js
+++ b/packages/constraint-solver/constraint-solver.js
@@ -56,11 +56,6 @@ CS.PackagesResolver.prototype.resolve = function (dependencies, constraints,
                                 'upgradeIndirectDepPatchVersions'));
   });
 
-  Profile.time(
-    "Input#loadFromCatalog (sqlite)",
-    function () {
-      input.loadFromCatalog(self.catalogLoader);
-    });
 
   var resultCache = self._options.resultCache;
   if (resultCache && resultCache.lastInput &&
@@ -68,6 +63,12 @@ CS.PackagesResolver.prototype.resolve = function (dependencies, constraints,
     return resultCache.lastOutput;
   }
 
+  Profile.time(
+    "Input#loadFromCatalog (sqlite)",
+    function () {
+      input.loadFromCatalog(self.catalogLoader);
+    });
+
   if (options.previousSolution && options.missingPreviousVersionIsError) {
     Profile.time("check for previous versions in catalog", function () {
       _.each(options.previousSolution, function (version, pkg) {