diff --git a/.github/scripts/tests/test_oci_pve_version_gate.py b/.github/scripts/tests/test_oci_pve_version_gate.py
index 80703fd6..b012197e 100644
--- a/.github/scripts/tests/test_oci_pve_version_gate.py
+++ b/.github/scripts/tests/test_oci_pve_version_gate.py
@@ -14,15 +14,16 @@ class OciPveVersionGateTests(unittest.TestCase):
     @classmethod
     def setUpClass(cls):
         text = LAUNCHER.read_text(encoding='utf-8')
-        cls.function = re.search(r'^pve_supports_oci\(\) \{\n.*?^\}\n', text, re.M | re.S).group(0)
+        cls.function = ''.join(re.search(rf'^{name}\(\) \{{\n.*?^\}}\n', text, re.M | re.S).group(0)
+                               for name in ('pve_manager_version', 'pve_supports_oci'))
         cls.text = text
 
     def supported(self, version):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as folder:
-            fake = Path(folder, 'pveversion')
-            # Without Proxmox the command is missing: a stand-in that fails hides the host's own.
-            fake.write_text('#!/bin/sh\nexit 127\n' if version is None else
-                            f'#!/bin/sh\necho "pve-manager/{version}/b9984c6d90a4bd80 (running kernel: 6.17)"\n')
+            fake = Path(folder, 'dpkg-query')
+            # Without Proxmox the package is not installed: dpkg-query fails.
+            fake.write_text('#!/bin/sh\nexit 1\n' if version is None else
+                            f'#!/bin/sh\nprintf %s "{version}"\n')
             fake.chmod(0o755)
             result = subprocess.run(['bash', '-c', f'PATH={folder}:/usr/bin:/bin\n{self.function}pve_supports_oci'],
                                     capture_output=True, text=True)
@@ -38,6 +39,9 @@ class OciPveVersionGateTests(unittest.TestCase):
             with self.subTest(version=version):
                 self.assertFalse(self.supported(version))
 
+    def test_the_version_is_read_without_the_slow_pveversion(self):
+        self.assertNotIn('pveversion', self.function)
+
     def test_it_is_checked_before_anything_is_installed(self):
         self.assertLess(self.text.index('if ! pve_supports_oci; then'), self.text.index('ensure_oci_dependencies || exit 1'))
 
diff --git a/scripts/oci/oci_manager_apps.sh b/scripts/oci/oci_manager_apps.sh
index 67546cb9..6e6b2143 100755
--- a/scripts/oci/oci_manager_apps.sh
+++ b/scripts/oci/oci_manager_apps.sh
@@ -32,8 +32,11 @@ initialize_cache
 
 ensure_oci_dependencies() {
     local -a missing=()
-    python3 -c 'import yaml' >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing+=("python3-yaml")
-    python3 -c 'import jsonschema' >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing+=("python3-jsonschema")
+    # One Python start when both are present; each is checked only if not.
+    if ! python3 -c 'import yaml, jsonschema' >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+        python3 -c 'import yaml' >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing+=("python3-yaml")
+        python3 -c 'import jsonschema' >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing+=("python3-jsonschema")
+    fi
     command -v skopeo >/dev/null 2>&1 || missing+=("skopeo")
     [[ ${#missing[@]} -eq 0 ]] && return 0
 
@@ -57,12 +60,15 @@ ensure_oci_dependencies() {
     stop_spinner
 }
 
-# Proxmox VE runs OCI images as LXC containers from 9.1 on.
+# Proxmox VE runs OCI images as LXC containers from 9.1 on. The package
+# database answers at once; pveversion takes about half a second.
+pve_manager_version() {
+    dpkg-query -W -f='${Version}' pve-manager 2>/dev/null | grep -oE '^[0-9]+(\.[0-9]+)+' | head -1
+}
+
 pve_supports_oci() {
-    local version major minor
-    version=$(pveversion 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'pve-manager/\K[0-9]+\.[0-9]+' | head -1)
-    major=${version%%.*}
-    minor=${version#*.}
+    local major minor
+    IFS=. read -r major minor _ <<< "$(pve_manager_version)"
     [[ $major =~ ^[0-9]+$ && $minor =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]] || return 1
     (( major > 9 || (major == 9 && minor >= 1) ))
 }
@@ -71,7 +77,7 @@ if ! pve_supports_oci; then
     show_proxmenux_logo
     msg_title "$(translate "OCI manager Apps (Technology Preview)")"
     msg_error "$(translate "OCI containers require Proxmox VE 9.1 or later.")"
-    PVE_VERSION=$(pveversion 2>/dev/null | grep -oP 'pve-manager/\K[0-9.]+' | head -1)
+    PVE_VERSION=$(pve_manager_version)
     [[ -n $PVE_VERSION ]] && msg_info2 "$(translate "Current version:") $PVE_VERSION"
     if [[ -t 0 ]]; then
         echo