diff --git a/tests/rptest/services/redpanda_installer.py b/tests/rptest/services/redpanda_installer.py
index d066da71c0cb8..2f5dfba202ce9 100644
--- a/tests/rptest/services/redpanda_installer.py
+++ b/tests/rptest/services/redpanda_installer.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 # by the Apache License, Version 2.0
 
 import errno
+from functools import lru_cache
 import json
 import os
 import re
@@ -445,6 +446,7 @@ def latest_unsupported_line(self) -> tuple[int, int]:
             latest_unsupported_line = (latest_unsupported_line[0] - 1, 3)
         return latest_unsupported_line
 
+    @lru_cache
     def highest_from_prior_feature_version(
             self, version: RedpandaVersion) -> RedpandaVersionTriple:
         """