diff --git a/common/git.py b/common/git.py
index bfb18ce25d..4406bf96b1 100644
--- a/common/git.py
+++ b/common/git.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
+from functools import cache
 import subprocess
-from openpilot.common.utils import cache
 from openpilot.common.run import run_cmd, run_cmd_default
 
 
diff --git a/common/utils.py b/common/utils.py
index e37f2448c5..b9de020ee6 100644
--- a/common/utils.py
+++ b/common/utils.py
@@ -1,11 +1,3 @@
-from collections.abc import Callable
-from functools import lru_cache
-from typing import TypeVar
-
-
-_RT = TypeVar("_RT")
-
-
 class Freezable:
   _frozen: bool = False
 
@@ -17,7 +9,3 @@ class Freezable:
     if self._frozen:
       raise Exception("cannot modify frozen object")
     super().__setattr__(*args, **kwargs)
-
-
-def cache(user_function: Callable[..., _RT], /) -> Callable[..., _RT]:
-  return lru_cache(maxsize=None)(user_function)
diff --git a/system/version.py b/system/version.py
index d258fe0492..94964526b3 100755
--- a/system/version.py
+++ b/system/version.py
@@ -1,14 +1,13 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python3
 from dataclasses import dataclass
+from functools import cache
 import json
 import os
 import pathlib
 import subprocess
 
-
 from openpilot.common.basedir import BASEDIR
 from openpilot.common.swaglog import cloudlog
-from openpilot.common.utils import cache
 from openpilot.common.git import get_commit, get_origin, get_branch, get_short_branch, get_commit_date
 
 RELEASE_BRANCHES = ['release3-staging', 'release3', 'nightly']