diff --git a/conftest.py b/conftest.py
index 69be1f6db..060236b99 100644
--- a/conftest.py
+++ b/conftest.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import lib.config as global_config
 
-from lib.common import safe_split, wait_for, vm_image, is_uuid
+from lib.common import wait_for, vm_image, is_uuid
 from lib.common import setup_formatted_and_mounted_disk, teardown_formatted_and_mounted_disk
 from lib.netutil import is_ipv6
 from lib.pool import Pool
@@ -278,28 +278,28 @@ def vm_ref(request):
 
 @pytest.fixture(scope="module")
 def imported_vm(host, vm_ref):
+    # Do we cache VMs?
+    try:
+        from data import CACHE_IMPORTED_VM
+    except ImportError:
+        CACHE_IMPORTED_VM = False
+    assert CACHE_IMPORTED_VM in [True, False]
+
     if is_uuid(vm_ref):
-        vm = VM(vm_ref, host)
-        name = vm.name()
+        vm_orig = VM(vm_ref, host)
+        name = vm_orig.name()
         logging.info(">> Reuse VM %s (%s) on host %s" % (vm_ref, name, host))
     else:
-        # where to import to: default SR, or first local SR
-        try:
-            from data import DEFAULT_SR
-        except ImportError:
-            DEFAULT_SR = 'default'
-        assert DEFAULT_SR in ['default', 'local']
-
-        if DEFAULT_SR == 'default':
-            vm = host.import_vm(vm_ref)
-        elif DEFAULT_SR == 'local':
-            local_sr_uuids = safe_split(
-                # xe sr-list doesn't support filtering by host UUID!
-                host.ssh(['xe sr-list host=$HOSTNAME content-type=user minimal=true']),
-                ','
-            )
-            assert local_sr_uuids, "The first pool master (host A1) MUST have a local SR since DEFAULT_SR=='local'"
-            vm = host.import_vm(vm_ref, local_sr_uuids[0])
+        vm_orig = host.import_vm(vm_ref, host.main_sr(), use_cache=CACHE_IMPORTED_VM)
+
+    if CACHE_IMPORTED_VM:
+        # Clone the VM before running tests, so that the original VM remains untouched
+        logging.info(">> Clone cached VM before running tests")
+        vm = vm_orig.clone()
+        # Remove the description, which may contain a cache identifier
+        vm.param_set('name-description', None, "")
+    else:
+        vm = vm_orig
 
     yield vm
     # teardown
diff --git a/data.py-dist b/data.py-dist
index 94d325bf1..c815ab094 100644
--- a/data.py-dist
+++ b/data.py-dist
@@ -42,6 +42,15 @@ VM_IMAGES = {
 # - 'local': use the first local SR found instead
 DEFAULT_SR = 'default'
 
+# Whether to cache VMs on the test host, that is import them only if not already present
+# This also causes the VM to be cloned at the beginning of each test module, so that
+# the original VM remains untouched.
+# /!\ The VM identifier in cache is merely the URL where it was imported from
+# A cached VM is just a VM which has this URL as its description. Delete it to remove it from cache.
+# A cached VM will only be used if it is present in the target SR for the tentative VM import.
+# This setting affects VMs managed by the `imported_vm` fixture.
+CACHE_IMPORTED_VM = False
+
 # Default NFS device config:
 DEFAULT_NFS_DEVICE_CONFIG = {
 #    'server': '10.0.0.2', # URL/Hostname of NFS server
diff --git a/lib/host.py b/lib/host.py
index e060844dc..bc09d9091 100644
--- a/lib/host.py
+++ b/lib/host.py
@@ -200,7 +200,23 @@ def xo_server_reconnect(self):
         # is not enough to guarantee that the host object exists yet.
         wait_for(lambda: xo_object_exists(self.uuid), "Wait for XO to know about HOST %s" % self.uuid)
 
-    def import_vm(self, uri, sr_uuid=None):
+    def import_vm(self, uri, sr_uuid=None, use_cache=False):
+        if use_cache:
+            assert sr_uuid, "A SR UUID is necessary to use import cache"
+            cache_key = f"[Cache for {uri}]"
+            # Look for an existing cache VM
+            vm_uuids = safe_split(self.xe('vm-list', {'name-description': cache_key}, minimal=True), ',')
+
+            # FIXME potentially too long?
+            for vm_uuid in vm_uuids:
+                vm = VM(vm_uuid, self)
+                # Make sure the VM is on the wanted SR.
+                # Assumption: if the first disk is on the SR, the VM is.
+                # If there's no VDI at all, then it is virtually on any SR.
+                if not vm.vdi_uuids() or vm.get_sr().uuid == sr_uuid:
+                    logging.info(f"Reusing cached VM {vm.uuid} for {uri}")
+                    return vm
+
         params = {}
         msg = "Import VM %s" % uri
         if '://' in uri:
@@ -214,11 +230,14 @@ def import_vm(self, uri, sr_uuid=None):
         vm_uuid = self.xe('vm-import', params)
         logging.info("VM UUID: %s" % vm_uuid)
         vm_name = prefix_object_name(self.xe('vm-param-get', {'uuid': vm_uuid, 'param-name': 'name-label'}))
-        self.xe('vm-param-set', {'uuid': vm_uuid, 'name-label': vm_name})
         vm = VM(vm_uuid, self)
+        vm.param_set('name-label', None, vm_name)
         # Set VM VIF networks to the host's management network
         for vif in vm.vifs():
             vif.move(self.management_network())
+        if use_cache:
+            logging.info(f"Marking VM {vm.uuid} as cached")
+            vm.param_set('name-description', None, cache_key)
         return vm
 
     def pool_has_vm(self, vm_uuid, vm_type='vm'):
@@ -430,6 +449,28 @@ def local_vm_srs(self):
                 srs.append(sr)
         return srs
 
+    def main_sr(self):
+        """ Main SR is either the default SR, or the first local SR, depending on data.py's DEFAULT_SR. """
+        try:
+            from data import DEFAULT_SR
+        except ImportError:
+            DEFAULT_SR = 'default'
+        assert DEFAULT_SR in ['default', 'local']
+
+        sr_uuid = None
+        if DEFAULT_SR == 'local':
+            local_sr_uuids = safe_split(
+                # xe sr-list doesn't support filtering by host UUID!
+                self.ssh(['xe sr-list host=$HOSTNAME content-type=user minimal=true']),
+                ','
+            )
+            assert local_sr_uuids, f"DEFAULT_SR=='local' so there must be a local SR on host {self}"
+            sr_uuid = local_sr_uuids[0]
+        else:
+            sr_uuid = self.pool.param_get('default-SR')
+            assert sr_uuid, f"DEFAULT_SR='default' so there must be a default SR on the pool of host {self}"
+        return sr_uuid
+
     def hostname(self):
         return self.ssh(['hostname'])
 
diff --git a/lib/pool.py b/lib/pool.py
index 46afe4902..92b8a7ac8 100644
--- a/lib/pool.py
+++ b/lib/pool.py
@@ -5,11 +5,13 @@
 
 import lib.commands as commands
 
-from lib.common import safe_split, wait_for, wait_for_not
+from lib.common import safe_split, wait_for, wait_for_not, _param_get, _param_set
 from lib.host import Host
 from lib.sr import SR
 
 class Pool:
+    xe_prefix = "pool"
+
     def __init__(self, master_hostname_or_ip):
         master = Host(self, master_hostname_or_ip)
         assert master.is_master(), f"Host {master_hostname_or_ip} is not a master host. Aborting."
@@ -22,6 +24,12 @@ def __init__(self, master_hostname_or_ip):
         self.uuid = self.master.xe('pool-list', minimal=True)
         self.saved_uefi_certs = None
 
+    def param_get(self, param_name, key=None, accept_unknown_key=False):
+        return _param_get(self.master, Pool.xe_prefix, self.uuid, param_name, key, accept_unknown_key)
+
+    def param_set(self, param_name, value, key=None):
+        _param_set(self.master, Pool.xe_prefix, self.uuid, param_name, value, key)
+
     def exec_on_hosts_on_error_rollback(self, func, rollback_func, host_list=[]):
         """
         Execute a function on all hosts of the pool.