diff --git a/etl/db.py b/etl/db.py
index cf07e1edc056..aa0d21da2b53 100644
--- a/etl/db.py
+++ b/etl/db.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
+import functools
 import warnings
-from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional, cast
+from typing import Any, Dict, List, Optional
 from urllib.parse import quote
 
 import MySQLdb
@@ -42,17 +43,18 @@ def get_session(**kwargs) -> Session:
     return Session(get_engine(**kwargs))
 
 
+@functools.cache
+def _get_engine_cached(cf: Any) -> Engine:
+    return create_engine(
+        f"mysql://{cf.DB_USER}:{quote(cf.DB_PASS)}@{cf.DB_HOST}:{cf.DB_PORT}/{cf.DB_NAME}",
+        pool_size=30,  # Increase the pool size to allow higher GRAPHER_WORKERS
+        max_overflow=30,  # Increase the max overflow limit to allow higher GRAPHER_WORKERS
+    )
+
+
 def get_engine(conf: Optional[Dict[str, Any]] = None) -> Engine:
     cf: Any = dict_to_object(conf) if conf else config
-
-    return cast(
-        Engine,
-        create_engine(
-            f"mysql://{cf.DB_USER}:{quote(cf.DB_PASS)}@{cf.DB_HOST}:{cf.DB_PORT}/{cf.DB_NAME}",
-            pool_size=30,  # Increase the pool size to allow higher GRAPHER_WORKERS
-            max_overflow=30,  # Increase the max overflow limit to allow higher GRAPHER_WORKERS
-        ),
-    )
+    return _get_engine_cached(cf)
 
 
 def get_dataset_id(
diff --git a/etl/grapher_import.py b/etl/grapher_import.py
index fe4c4fa82a18..5062b30c6526 100644
--- a/etl/grapher_import.py
+++ b/etl/grapher_import.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 )
 from apps.backport.datasync.datasync import upload_gzip_dict
 from etl import config
+from etl.db import get_engine
 
 from . import grapher_helpers as gh
 from . import grapher_model as gm
@@ -333,7 +334,7 @@ def fetch_db_checksum(dataset: catalog.Dataset) -> Optional[str]:
     assert dataset.metadata.version, "Dataset must have a version"
     assert dataset.metadata.namespace, "Dataset must have a namespace"
 
-    with Session(gm.get_engine()) as session:
+    with Session(get_engine()) as session:
         q = select(gm.Dataset).where(
             gm.Dataset.shortName == dataset.metadata.short_name,
             gm.Dataset.version == dataset.metadata.version,
@@ -344,7 +345,7 @@ def fetch_db_checksum(dataset: catalog.Dataset) -> Optional[str]:
 
 
 def set_dataset_checksum_and_editedAt(dataset_id: int, checksum: str) -> None:
-    with Session(gm.get_engine()) as session:
+    with Session(get_engine()) as session:
         q = (
             update(gm.Dataset)
             .where(gm.Dataset.id == dataset_id)
diff --git a/etl/grapher_model.py b/etl/grapher_model.py
index c6df22cebbf8..8f74a52d6c0b 100644
--- a/etl/grapher_model.py
+++ b/etl/grapher_model.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 ```
 It has been slightly modified since then.
 """
+import functools
 import json
 from datetime import date, datetime
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -35,7 +36,6 @@
     VARCHAR,
 )
 from sqlalchemy.exc import NoResultFound
-from sqlalchemy.future import Engine as _FutureEngine
 from sqlmodel import JSON as _JSON
 from sqlmodel import (
     Column,
@@ -43,7 +43,6 @@
     Relationship,
     Session,
     SQLModel,
-    create_engine,
     or_,
     select,
 )
@@ -68,13 +67,6 @@
 JSON = _JSON(none_as_null=True)
 
 
-def get_engine() -> _FutureEngine:
-    return create_engine(
-        f"mysql://{config.DB_USER}:{quote(config.DB_PASS)}@{config.DB_HOST}:{config.DB_PORT}/{config.DB_NAME}",
-        future=False,
-    )
-
-
 t_active_datasets = Table(
     "active_datasets",
     metadata,
diff --git a/etl/steps/__init__.py b/etl/steps/__init__.py
index af9ccda8d60c..d44e897b01e1 100644
--- a/etl/steps/__init__.py
+++ b/etl/steps/__init__.py
@@ -797,11 +797,9 @@ def run(self) -> None:
 
         dataset.metadata = gh._adapt_dataset_metadata_for_grapher(dataset.metadata)
 
-        engine = get_engine()
-
         assert dataset.metadata.namespace
         dataset_upsert_results = gi.upsert_dataset(
-            engine,
+            self.engine,
             dataset,
             dataset.metadata.namespace,
             dataset.metadata.sources,