diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
index 311381ebdcf..57f656f5922 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences.dm
@@ -93,8 +93,10 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 	/// Used to avoid expensive READ_FILE every time a preference is retrieved.
 	var/value_cache = list()
 
-	/// If set to TRUE, will update character_profiles on the next ui_data tick.
+	/// If set to TRUE, will update cached_character_profiles on the next ui_data tick.
 	var/tainted_character_profiles = FALSE
+	/// The character profiles, saved so we can cheaply recompute them in ui_data only when necessary, without having to use expensive update_static_data calls.
+	var/list/cached_character_profiles
 
 /datum/preferences/Destroy(force)
 	QDEL_NULL(character_preview_view)
@@ -172,10 +174,12 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 /datum/preferences/ui_data(mob/user)
 	var/list/data = list()
 
-	if (tainted_character_profiles)
-		data["character_profiles"] = create_character_profiles()
+	if (tainted_character_profiles || isnull(cached_character_profiles))
+		cached_character_profiles = create_character_profiles()
 		tainted_character_profiles = FALSE
 
+	data["character_profiles"] = cached_character_profiles
+
 	data["character_preferences"] = compile_character_preferences(user)
 
 	data["active_slot"] = default_slot
@@ -289,6 +293,7 @@ GLOBAL_LIST_EMPTY(preferences_datums)
 	save_character()
 	save_preferences()
 	QDEL_NULL(character_preview_view)
+	cached_character_profiles = null
 
 /datum/preferences/Topic(href, list/href_list)
 	. = ..()
diff --git a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
index 2d48f29ce0a..8ed8fd46bb3 100644
--- a/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
+++ b/code/modules/client/preferences_savefile.dm
@@ -340,11 +340,15 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 /datum/preferences/proc/load_character(slot = default_slot)
 	SHOULD_NOT_SLEEP(TRUE)
 	slot = sanitize_integer(slot, 1, max_save_slots, initial(default_slot))
+	var/original_default_slot = default_slot
+	if(slot != default_slot)
+		default_slot = slot
+		savefile.set_entry("default_slot", slot)
 
 	var/tree_key = "character[slot]"
 	var/list/save_data = savefile.get_entry(tree_key)
-	if(isnull(save_data))
-		for (var/datum/preference/preference as anything in get_preferences_in_priority_order())
+	if(isnull(save_data)) // This is the case where we have a new character slot being switched to
+		for (var/datum/preference/preference as anything in get_preferences_in_priority_order()) // clear the cache in this case
 			if (preference.savefile_identifier != PREFERENCE_CHARACTER)
 				continue
 			value_cache -= preference.type
@@ -352,12 +356,10 @@ SAVEFILE UPDATING/VERSIONING - 'Simplified', or rather, more coder-friendly ~Car
 
 	var/data_validity_integer = check_savedata_version(save_data)
 	if(IS_DATA_OBSOLETE(data_validity_integer)) //fatal, can't load any data
+		default_slot = original_default_slot
+		savefile.set_entry("default_slot", original_default_slot)
 		return FALSE
 
-	if(slot != default_slot)
-		default_slot = slot
-		savefile.set_entry("default_slot", slot)
-
 	// Read everything into cache
 	// Uses priority order as some values may rely on others for creating default values
 	for (var/datum/preference/preference as anything in get_preferences_in_priority_order())