diff --git a/crates/project-model/src/sysroot.rs b/crates/project-model/src/sysroot.rs
index 8f633d24be..4659d5288b 100644
--- a/crates/project-model/src/sysroot.rs
+++ b/crates/project-model/src/sysroot.rs
@@ -34,14 +34,14 @@ pub struct Sysroot {
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
-pub(crate) enum SysrootWorkspace {
+pub enum SysrootWorkspace {
     Workspace(CargoWorkspace),
     Stitched(Stitched),
     Empty,
 }
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, Eq, PartialEq)]
-pub(crate) struct Stitched {
+pub struct Stitched {
     crates: Arena<SysrootCrateData>,
 }
 
@@ -227,18 +227,21 @@ impl Sysroot {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn load_workspace(&mut self, sysroot_source_config: &SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig) {
+    pub fn load_workspace(
+        &self,
+        sysroot_source_config: &SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig,
+    ) -> Option<SysrootWorkspace> {
         assert!(matches!(self.workspace, SysrootWorkspace::Empty), "workspace already loaded");
-        let Self { root: _, src_root: Some(src_root), workspace, error: _ } = self else { return };
+        let Self { root: _, src_root: Some(src_root), workspace: _, error: _ } = self else {
+            return None;
+        };
         if let SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::CargoMetadata(cargo_config) = sysroot_source_config {
             let library_manifest = ManifestPath::try_from(src_root.join("Cargo.toml")).unwrap();
             if fs::metadata(&library_manifest).is_ok() {
                 if let Some(loaded) =
                     Self::load_library_via_cargo(library_manifest, src_root, cargo_config)
                 {
-                    *workspace = loaded;
-                    self.load_core_check();
-                    return;
+                    return Some(loaded);
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -286,11 +289,11 @@ impl Sysroot {
                 }
             }
         }
-        *workspace = SysrootWorkspace::Stitched(stitched);
-        self.load_core_check();
+        Some(SysrootWorkspace::Stitched(stitched))
     }
 
-    fn load_core_check(&mut self) {
+    pub fn set_workspace(&mut self, workspace: SysrootWorkspace) {
+        self.workspace = workspace;
         if self.error.is_none() {
             if let Some(src_root) = &self.src_root {
                 let has_core = match &self.workspace {
diff --git a/crates/project-model/src/tests.rs b/crates/project-model/src/tests.rs
index 2856086543..6d9e68f004 100644
--- a/crates/project-model/src/tests.rs
+++ b/crates/project-model/src/tests.rs
@@ -125,7 +125,10 @@ fn get_fake_sysroot() -> Sysroot {
     let sysroot_dir = AbsPathBuf::assert(sysroot_path);
     let sysroot_src_dir = sysroot_dir.clone();
     let mut sysroot = Sysroot::new(Some(sysroot_dir), Some(sysroot_src_dir));
-    sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+    let loaded_sysroot = sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+    if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+        sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+    }
     sysroot
 }
 
@@ -271,7 +274,10 @@ fn smoke_test_real_sysroot_cargo() {
         AbsPath::assert(Utf8Path::new(env!("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR"))),
         &Default::default(),
     );
-    sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+    let loaded_sysroot = sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+    if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+        sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+    }
     assert!(matches!(sysroot.workspace(), SysrootWorkspace::Workspace(_)));
     let project_workspace = ProjectWorkspace {
         kind: ProjectWorkspaceKind::Cargo {
diff --git a/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs b/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs
index dcd62753cb..e21c373b75 100644
--- a/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs
+++ b/crates/project-model/src/workspace.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 //! metadata` or `rust-project.json`) into representation stored in the salsa
 //! database -- `CrateGraph`.
 
-use std::{collections::VecDeque, fmt, fs, iter, ops::Deref, sync};
+use std::{collections::VecDeque, fmt, fs, iter, ops::Deref, sync, thread};
 
 use anyhow::Context;
 use base_db::{
@@ -186,7 +186,7 @@ impl ProjectWorkspace {
                 let project_location = project_json.parent().to_path_buf();
                 let project_json: ProjectJson =
                     ProjectJson::new(Some(project_json.clone()), &project_location, data);
-                ProjectWorkspace::load_inline(project_json, config)
+                ProjectWorkspace::load_inline(project_json, config, progress)
             }
             ProjectManifest::CargoScript(rust_file) => {
                 ProjectWorkspace::load_detached_file(rust_file, config)?
@@ -204,14 +204,28 @@ impl ProjectWorkspace {
         config: &CargoConfig,
         progress: &dyn Fn(String),
     ) -> Result<ProjectWorkspace, anyhow::Error> {
-        let mut sysroot = match (&config.sysroot, &config.sysroot_src) {
+        progress("Discovering sysroot".to_owned());
+        let CargoConfig {
+            features,
+            rustc_source,
+            extra_args,
+            extra_env,
+            set_test,
+            cfg_overrides,
+            extra_includes,
+            sysroot,
+            sysroot_src,
+            target,
+            ..
+        } = config;
+        let mut sysroot = match (sysroot, sysroot_src) {
             (Some(RustLibSource::Discover), None) => {
-                Sysroot::discover(cargo_toml.parent(), &config.extra_env)
+                Sysroot::discover(cargo_toml.parent(), extra_env)
             }
             (Some(RustLibSource::Discover), Some(sysroot_src)) => {
                 Sysroot::discover_with_src_override(
                     cargo_toml.parent(),
-                    &config.extra_env,
+                    extra_env,
                     sysroot_src.clone(),
                 )
             }
@@ -224,100 +238,147 @@ impl ProjectWorkspace {
             (None, _) => Sysroot::empty(),
         };
 
-        let rustc_dir = match &config.rustc_source {
-            Some(RustLibSource::Path(path)) => ManifestPath::try_from(path.clone())
-                .map_err(|p| Some(format!("rustc source path is not absolute: {p}"))),
-            Some(RustLibSource::Discover) => sysroot
-                .discover_rustc_src()
-                .ok_or_else(|| Some("Failed to discover rustc source for sysroot.".to_owned())),
-            None => Err(None),
-        };
-
         tracing::info!(workspace = %cargo_toml, src_root = ?sysroot.src_root(), root = ?sysroot.root(), "Using sysroot");
+        progress("Querying project metadata".to_owned());
         let toolchain_config = QueryConfig::Cargo(&sysroot, cargo_toml);
         let targets =
-            target_tuple::get(toolchain_config, config.target.as_deref(), &config.extra_env)
-                .unwrap_or_default();
-        let toolchain = version::get(toolchain_config, &config.extra_env)
-            .inspect_err(|e| {
-                tracing::error!(%e,
-                    "failed fetching toolchain version for {cargo_toml:?} workspace"
-                )
-            })
-            .ok()
-            .flatten();
-        let rustc_cfg =
-            rustc_cfg::get(toolchain_config, targets.first().map(Deref::deref), &config.extra_env);
-        let cfg_overrides = config.cfg_overrides.clone();
-        let data_layout = target_data_layout::get(
-            toolchain_config,
-            targets.first().map(Deref::deref),
-            &config.extra_env,
-        );
-        if let Err(e) = &data_layout {
-            tracing::error!(%e, "failed fetching data layout for {cargo_toml:?} workspace");
-        }
-        sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::CargoMetadata(
-            sysroot_metadata_config(&config.extra_env, &targets),
-        ));
+            target_tuple::get(toolchain_config, target.as_deref(), extra_env).unwrap_or_default();
 
-        let rustc = rustc_dir.and_then(|rustc_dir| {
-            info!(workspace = %cargo_toml, rustc_dir = %rustc_dir, "Using rustc source");
-            match CargoWorkspace::fetch_metadata(
-                &rustc_dir,
-                cargo_toml.parent(),
-                &CargoMetadataConfig {
-                    features: crate::CargoFeatures::default(),
-                    targets: targets.clone(),
-                    extra_args: config.extra_args.clone(),
-                    extra_env: config.extra_env.clone(),
-                },
-                &sysroot,
-                false,
-                progress,
-            ) {
-                Ok((meta, _error)) => {
-                    let workspace = CargoWorkspace::new(meta, cargo_toml.clone(), Env::default());
-                    let build_scripts = WorkspaceBuildScripts::rustc_crates(
-                        &workspace,
-                        cargo_toml.parent(),
-                        &config.extra_env,
+        // We spawn a bunch of processes to query various information about the workspace's
+        // toolchain and sysroot
+        // We can speed up loading a bit by spawning all of these processes in parallel (especially
+        // on systems were process spawning is delayed)
+        let join = thread::scope(|s| {
+            let workspace_dir = cargo_toml.parent();
+            let toolchain = s.spawn(|| {
+                version::get(toolchain_config, extra_env)
+                    .inspect_err(|e| {
+                        tracing::error!(%e,
+                            "failed fetching toolchain version for {cargo_toml:?} workspace"
+                        )
+                    })
+                    .ok()
+                    .flatten()
+            });
+
+            let rustc_cfg = s.spawn(|| {
+                rustc_cfg::get(toolchain_config, targets.first().map(Deref::deref), extra_env)
+            });
+            let data_layout = s.spawn(|| {
+                target_data_layout::get(
+                    toolchain_config,
+                    targets.first().map(Deref::deref),
+                    extra_env,
+                ).inspect_err(|e| {
+                    tracing::error!(%e, "failed fetching data layout for {cargo_toml:?} workspace")
+                })
+            });
+
+            let rustc_dir = s.spawn(|| {
+                let rustc_dir = match rustc_source {
+                    Some(RustLibSource::Path(path)) => ManifestPath::try_from(path.clone())
+                        .map_err(|p| Some(format!("rustc source path is not absolute: {p}"))),
+                    Some(RustLibSource::Discover) => {
+                        sysroot.discover_rustc_src().ok_or_else(|| {
+                            Some("Failed to discover rustc source for sysroot.".to_owned())
+                        })
+                    }
+                    None => Err(None),
+                };
+                rustc_dir.and_then(|rustc_dir| {
+                    info!(workspace = %cargo_toml, rustc_dir = %rustc_dir, "Using rustc source");
+                    match CargoWorkspace::fetch_metadata(
+                        &rustc_dir,
+                        workspace_dir,
+                        &CargoMetadataConfig {
+                            features: crate::CargoFeatures::default(),
+                            targets: targets.clone(),
+                            extra_args: extra_args.clone(),
+                            extra_env: extra_env.clone(),
+                        },
                         &sysroot,
-                    );
-                    Ok(Box::new((workspace, build_scripts)))
-                }
-                Err(e) => {
-                    tracing::error!(
-                        %e,
-                        "Failed to read Cargo metadata from rustc source at {rustc_dir}",
-                    );
-                    Err(Some(format!(
-                        "Failed to read Cargo metadata from rustc source at {rustc_dir}: {e}"
-                    )))
-                }
-            }
+                        false,
+                        &|_| (),
+                    ) {
+                        Ok((meta, _error)) => {
+                            let workspace =
+                                CargoWorkspace::new(meta, cargo_toml.clone(), Env::default());
+                            let build_scripts = WorkspaceBuildScripts::rustc_crates(
+                                &workspace,
+                                workspace_dir,
+                                extra_env,
+                                &sysroot,
+                            );
+                            Ok(Box::new((workspace, build_scripts)))
+                        }
+                        Err(e) => {
+                            tracing::error!(
+                                %e,
+                                "Failed to read Cargo metadata from rustc source at {rustc_dir}",
+                            );
+                            Err(Some(format!(
+                            "Failed to read Cargo metadata from rustc source at {rustc_dir}: {e}"
+                        )))
+                        }
+                    }
+                })
+            });
+
+            let cargo_metadata = s.spawn(|| {
+                CargoWorkspace::fetch_metadata(
+                    cargo_toml,
+                    workspace_dir,
+                    &CargoMetadataConfig {
+                        features: features.clone(),
+                        targets: targets.clone(),
+                        extra_args: extra_args.clone(),
+                        extra_env: extra_env.clone(),
+                    },
+                    &sysroot,
+                    false,
+                    &|_| (),
+                )
+            });
+            let loaded_sysroot = s.spawn(|| {
+                sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::CargoMetadata(
+                    sysroot_metadata_config(extra_env, &targets),
+                ))
+            });
+            let cargo_config_extra_env =
+                s.spawn(|| cargo_config_env(cargo_toml, extra_env, &sysroot));
+            thread::Result::Ok((
+                toolchain.join()?,
+                rustc_cfg.join()?,
+                data_layout.join()?,
+                rustc_dir.join()?,
+                loaded_sysroot.join()?,
+                cargo_metadata.join()?,
+                cargo_config_extra_env.join()?,
+            ))
         });
 
-        let (meta, error) = CargoWorkspace::fetch_metadata(
-            cargo_toml,
-            cargo_toml.parent(),
-            &CargoMetadataConfig {
-                features: config.features.clone(),
-                targets,
-                extra_args: config.extra_args.clone(),
-                extra_env: config.extra_env.clone(),
-            },
-            &sysroot,
-            false,
-            progress,
-        )
-        .with_context(|| {
+        let (
+            toolchain,
+            rustc_cfg,
+            data_layout,
+            rustc,
+            loaded_sysroot,
+            cargo_metadata,
+            cargo_config_extra_env,
+        ) = match join {
+            Ok(it) => it,
+            Err(e) => std::panic::resume_unwind(e),
+        };
+
+        let (meta, error) = cargo_metadata.with_context(|| {
             format!(
                 "Failed to read Cargo metadata from Cargo.toml file {cargo_toml}, {toolchain:?}",
             )
         })?;
-        let cargo_config_extra_env = cargo_config_env(cargo_toml, &config.extra_env, &sysroot);
         let cargo = CargoWorkspace::new(meta, cargo_toml.clone(), cargo_config_extra_env);
+        if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+            sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+        }
 
         Ok(ProjectWorkspace {
             kind: ProjectWorkspaceKind::Cargo {
@@ -325,33 +386,67 @@ impl ProjectWorkspace {
                 build_scripts: WorkspaceBuildScripts::default(),
                 rustc,
                 error: error.map(Arc::new),
-                set_test: config.set_test,
+                set_test: *set_test,
             },
             sysroot,
             rustc_cfg,
-            cfg_overrides,
+            cfg_overrides: cfg_overrides.clone(),
             toolchain,
             target_layout: data_layout.map(Arc::from).map_err(|it| Arc::from(it.to_string())),
-            extra_includes: config.extra_includes.clone(),
+            extra_includes: extra_includes.clone(),
         })
     }
 
-    pub fn load_inline(project_json: ProjectJson, config: &CargoConfig) -> ProjectWorkspace {
+    pub fn load_inline(
+        project_json: ProjectJson,
+        config: &CargoConfig,
+        progress: &dyn Fn(String),
+    ) -> ProjectWorkspace {
+        progress("Discovering sysroot".to_owned());
         let mut sysroot =
             Sysroot::new(project_json.sysroot.clone(), project_json.sysroot_src.clone());
-        sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::Stitched);
-        let query_config = QueryConfig::Rustc(&sysroot, project_json.path().as_ref());
-        let toolchain = version::get(query_config, &config.extra_env).ok().flatten();
+        let loaded_sysroot = sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::Stitched);
+        if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+            sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+        }
+
+        tracing::info!(workspace = %project_json.manifest_or_root(), src_root = ?sysroot.src_root(), root = ?sysroot.root(), "Using sysroot");
+        progress("Querying project metadata".to_owned());
+        let query_config = QueryConfig::Rustc(&sysroot, project_json.path().as_ref());
+        let targets = target_tuple::get(query_config, config.target.as_deref(), &config.extra_env)
+            .unwrap_or_default();
+
+        // We spawn a bunch of processes to query various information about the workspace's
+        // toolchain and sysroot
+        // We can speed up loading a bit by spawning all of these processes in parallel (especially
+        // on systems were process spawning is delayed)
+        let join = thread::scope(|s| {
+            let toolchain =
+                s.spawn(|| version::get(query_config, &config.extra_env).ok().flatten());
+            let rustc_cfg = s.spawn(|| {
+                rustc_cfg::get(query_config, targets.first().map(Deref::deref), &config.extra_env)
+            });
+            let data_layout = s.spawn(|| {
+                target_data_layout::get(
+                    query_config,
+                    targets.first().map(Deref::deref),
+                    &config.extra_env,
+                )
+            });
+            thread::Result::Ok((toolchain.join()?, rustc_cfg.join()?, data_layout.join()?))
+        });
+
+        let (toolchain, rustc_cfg, target_layout) = match join {
+            Ok(it) => it,
+            Err(e) => std::panic::resume_unwind(e),
+        };
 
-        let target = config.target.as_deref();
-        let rustc_cfg = rustc_cfg::get(query_config, target, &config.extra_env);
-        let data_layout = target_data_layout::get(query_config, target, &config.extra_env);
         ProjectWorkspace {
             kind: ProjectWorkspaceKind::Json(project_json),
             sysroot,
             rustc_cfg,
             toolchain,
-            target_layout: data_layout.map(Arc::from).map_err(|it| Arc::from(it.to_string())),
+            target_layout: target_layout.map(Arc::from).map_err(|it| Arc::from(it.to_string())),
             cfg_overrides: config.cfg_overrides.clone(),
             extra_includes: config.extra_includes.clone(),
         }
@@ -374,9 +469,12 @@ impl ProjectWorkspace {
             .unwrap_or_default();
         let rustc_cfg = rustc_cfg::get(query_config, None, &config.extra_env);
         let data_layout = target_data_layout::get(query_config, None, &config.extra_env);
-        sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::CargoMetadata(
+        let loaded_sysroot = sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::CargoMetadata(
             sysroot_metadata_config(&config.extra_env, &targets),
         ));
+        if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+            sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+        }
 
         let cargo_script = CargoWorkspace::fetch_metadata(
             detached_file,
diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/cli/rustc_tests.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/cli/rustc_tests.rs
index 199f61e70f..59dec9a9f3 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/cli/rustc_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/cli/rustc_tests.rs
@@ -75,7 +75,11 @@ impl Tester {
         };
 
         let mut sysroot = Sysroot::discover(tmp_file.parent().unwrap(), &cargo_config.extra_env);
-        sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+        let loaded_sysroot = sysroot.load_workspace(&SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+        if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+            sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+        }
+
         let data_layout = target_data_layout::get(
             QueryConfig::Rustc(&sysroot, tmp_file.parent().unwrap().as_ref()),
             None,
diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/reload.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/reload.rs
index e3c003dbf8..ba72ea35df 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/src/reload.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/src/reload.rs
@@ -316,6 +316,7 @@ impl GlobalState {
                             let workspace = project_model::ProjectWorkspace::load_inline(
                                 it.clone(),
                                 &cargo_config,
+                                &progress,
                             );
                             Ok(workspace)
                         }
diff --git a/crates/rust-analyzer/tests/slow-tests/main.rs b/crates/rust-analyzer/tests/slow-tests/main.rs
index e764bd4770..a33b9e46fe 100644
--- a/crates/rust-analyzer/tests/slow-tests/main.rs
+++ b/crates/rust-analyzer/tests/slow-tests/main.rs
@@ -1152,7 +1152,11 @@ fn resolve_proc_macro() {
         &AbsPathBuf::assert_utf8(std::env::current_dir().unwrap()),
         &Default::default(),
     );
-    sysroot.load_workspace(&project_model::SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+    let loaded_sysroot =
+        sysroot.load_workspace(&project_model::SysrootSourceWorkspaceConfig::default_cargo());
+    if let Some(loaded_sysroot) = loaded_sysroot {
+        sysroot.set_workspace(loaded_sysroot);
+    }
 
     let proc_macro_server_path = sysroot.discover_proc_macro_srv().unwrap();