diff --git a/crates/uv-installer/src/installer.rs b/crates/uv-installer/src/installer.rs
index fb67dbe20113..546bc67278e5 100644
--- a/crates/uv-installer/src/installer.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-installer/src/installer.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-use std::convert;
-
 use anyhow::{Context, Error, Result};
 use install_wheel_rs::{linker::LinkMode, Layout};
 use rayon::iter::{IntoParallelRefIterator, ParallelIterator};
+use std::convert;
 use tokio::sync::oneshot;
 use tracing::instrument;
 
diff --git a/crates/uv-python/src/environment.rs b/crates/uv-python/src/environment.rs
index 3449fc5e7532..45d7d3d5373a 100644
--- a/crates/uv-python/src/environment.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-python/src/environment.rs
@@ -144,6 +144,16 @@ impl PythonEnvironment {
         })))
     }
 
+    /// Create a [`PythonEnvironment`] from an existing [`Interpreter`] with relocatable paths.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn with_relocatable(self) -> Self {
+        let inner = Arc::unwrap_or_clone(self.0);
+        Self(Arc::new(PythonEnvironmentShared {
+            interpreter: inner.interpreter.with_relocatable(),
+            ..inner
+        }))
+    }
+
     /// Returns the root (i.e., `prefix`) of the Python interpreter.
     pub fn root(&self) -> &Path {
         &self.0.root
diff --git a/crates/uv-python/src/interpreter.rs b/crates/uv-python/src/interpreter.rs
index f98b0040aa04..60355c6f81fb 100644
--- a/crates/uv-python/src/interpreter.rs
+++ b/crates/uv-python/src/interpreter.rs
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ pub struct Interpreter {
     prefix: Option<Prefix>,
     pointer_size: PointerSize,
     gil_disabled: bool,
+    relocatable: bool,
 }
 
 impl Interpreter {
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ impl Interpreter {
             tags: OnceLock::new(),
             target: None,
             prefix: None,
+            relocatable: false,
         })
     }
 
@@ -109,6 +111,15 @@ impl Interpreter {
         })
     }
 
+    /// Return a new [`Interpreter`] that should be treated as relocatable.
+    #[must_use]
+    pub fn with_relocatable(self) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            relocatable: true,
+            ..self
+        }
+    }
+
     /// Return the [`Interpreter`] for the base executable, if it's available.
     ///
     /// If no such base executable is available, or if the base executable is the same as the
@@ -426,6 +437,7 @@ impl Interpreter {
                     },
                 }
             },
+            relocatable: self.relocatable,
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/crates/uv/src/commands/project/environment.rs b/crates/uv/src/commands/project/environment.rs
index 484bea8d04d8..13f16190bd34 100644
--- a/crates/uv/src/commands/project/environment.rs
+++ b/crates/uv/src/commands/project/environment.rs
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ use distribution_types::Resolution;
 use uv_cache::{Cache, CacheBucket};
 use uv_client::Connectivity;
 use uv_configuration::{Concurrency, PreviewMode};
-use uv_fs::{LockedFile, Simplified};
 use uv_python::{Interpreter, PythonEnvironment};
 use uv_requirements::RequirementsSpecification;
 
@@ -86,57 +85,26 @@ impl CachedEnvironment {
         // Search in the content-addressed cache.
         let cache_entry = cache.entry(CacheBucket::Environments, interpreter_hash, resolution_hash);
 
-        // Lock at the interpreter level, to avoid concurrent modification across processes.
-        fs_err::tokio::create_dir_all(cache_entry.dir()).await?;
-        let _lock = LockedFile::acquire(
-            cache_entry.dir().join(".lock"),
-            cache_entry.dir().user_display(),
-        )?;
-
-        let ok = cache_entry.path().join(".ok");
-
         if settings.reinstall.is_none() {
-            // If the receipt exists, return the environment.
-            if ok.is_file() {
-                debug!(
-                    "Reusing cached environment at: `{}`",
-                    cache_entry.path().display()
-                );
-                return Ok(Self(PythonEnvironment::from_root(
-                    cache_entry.path(),
-                    cache,
-                )?));
-            }
-        } else {
-            // If the receipt exists, remove it.
-            match fs_err::tokio::remove_file(&ok).await {
-                Ok(()) => {
-                    debug!(
-                        "Removed receipt for environment at: `{}`",
-                        cache_entry.path().display()
-                    );
+            if let Ok(root) = fs_err::read_link(cache_entry.path()) {
+                if let Ok(environment) = PythonEnvironment::from_root(root, cache) {
+                    return Ok(Self(environment));
                 }
-                Err(err) if err.kind() == std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound => {}
-                Err(err) => return Err(err.into()),
             }
         }
 
-        debug!(
-            "Creating cached environment at: `{}`",
-            cache_entry.path().display()
-        );
-
+        // Create the environment in the cache, then relocate it to its content-addressed location.
+        let temp_dir = cache.environment()?;
         let venv = uv_virtualenv::create_venv(
-            cache_entry.path(),
+            temp_dir.path(),
             interpreter,
             uv_virtualenv::Prompt::None,
             false,
             false,
             false,
         )?;
-
-        let venv = sync_environment(
-            venv,
+        sync_environment(
+            venv.with_relocatable(),
             &resolution,
             settings.as_ref().into(),
             state,
@@ -149,10 +117,13 @@ impl CachedEnvironment {
         )
         .await?;
 
-        // Create the receipt, to indicate to future readers that the environment is complete.
-        fs_err::tokio::File::create(ok).await?;
+        // Now that the environment is complete, sync it to its content-addressed location.
+        let id = cache
+            .persist(temp_dir.into_path(), cache_entry.path())
+            .await?;
+        let root = cache.archive(&id);
 
-        Ok(Self(venv))
+        Ok(Self(PythonEnvironment::from_root(root, cache)?))
     }
 
     /// Convert the [`CachedEnvironment`] into an [`Interpreter`].
diff --git a/crates/uv/tests/cache_prune.rs b/crates/uv/tests/cache_prune.rs
index fc1c5aefc29b..8ae2600a6523 100644
--- a/crates/uv/tests/cache_prune.rs
+++ b/crates/uv/tests/cache_prune.rs
@@ -122,6 +122,7 @@ fn prune_cached_env() {
     DEBUG uv [VERSION] ([COMMIT] DATE)
     Pruning cache at: [CACHE_DIR]/
     DEBUG Removing dangling cache entry: [CACHE_DIR]/environments-v1/[ENTRY]
+    DEBUG Removing dangling cache entry: [CACHE_DIR]/archive-v0/[ENTRY]
     Removed [N] files ([SIZE])
     "###);
 }