diff --git a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/delete.rs b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/delete.rs
index f92183de3..da4b61ecb 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/delete.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/delete.rs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ use cap_std_ext::{cap_std::fs::Dir, dirext::CapStdExtDirExt};
 use crate::{
     bootc_composefs::{
         boot::{BootType, get_efi_uuid_source},
-        gc::composefs_gc,
+        gc::{GCOpts, composefs_gc},
         rollback::{composefs_rollback, rename_exchange_user_cfg},
         status::{get_composefs_status, get_sorted_grub_uki_boot_entries},
     },
@@ -261,7 +261,15 @@ pub(crate) async fn delete_composefs_deployment(
 
     delete_depl_boot_entries(&depl_to_del, &storage, deleting_staged)?;
 
-    composefs_gc(storage, booted_cfs, false, true).await?;
+    composefs_gc(
+        storage,
+        booted_cfs,
+        GCOpts {
+            dry_run: false,
+            prune_repo: true,
+        },
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/finalize.rs b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/finalize.rs
index de7f2dc73..e1d67d99f 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/finalize.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/finalize.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 use std::path::Path;
 
 use crate::bootc_composefs::boot::BootType;
-use crate::bootc_composefs::gc::composefs_gc;
+use crate::bootc_composefs::gc::{GCOpts, composefs_gc};
 use crate::bootc_composefs::rollback::{rename_exchange_bls_entries, rename_exchange_user_cfg};
 use crate::bootc_composefs::status::get_composefs_status;
 use crate::composefs_consts::STATE_DIR_ABS;
@@ -150,7 +150,15 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_backend_finalize(
 
     // Now that we have successfully updated bootloader entires, we can GC the unreferenced ones
     // We do not prune the composefs repository here though
-    composefs_gc(storage, booted_cfs, false, false).await?;
+    composefs_gc(
+        storage,
+        booted_cfs,
+        GCOpts {
+            dry_run: false,
+            prune_repo: false,
+        },
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     Ok(())
 }
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/gc.rs b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/gc.rs
index 828f66278..d8bafd467 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/gc.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/gc.rs
@@ -192,6 +192,11 @@ fn unreferenced_boot_binaries<'a>(
         .collect()
 }
 
+pub(crate) struct GCOpts {
+    pub(crate) dry_run: bool,
+    pub(crate) prune_repo: bool,
+}
+
 /// 1. List all bootloader entries
 /// 2. List all EROFS images
 /// 3. List all state directories
@@ -212,8 +217,7 @@ fn unreferenced_boot_binaries<'a>(
 pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
     storage: &Storage,
     booted_cfs: &BootedComposefs,
-    dry_run: bool,
-    prune_repo: bool,
+    gc_opts: GCOpts,
 ) -> Result<GcResult> {
     const COMPOSEFS_GC_JOURNAL_ID: &str = "3b2a1f0e9d8c7b6a5f4e3d2c1b0a9f8e7";
 
@@ -284,12 +288,14 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
 
     for (ty, verity) in unreferenced_boot_binaries {
         match ty {
-            BootType::Bls => delete_kernel_initrd(storage, &get_type1_dir_name(verity), dry_run)?,
-            BootType::Uki => delete_uki(storage, verity, dry_run)?,
+            BootType::Bls => {
+                delete_kernel_initrd(storage, &get_type1_dir_name(verity), gc_opts.dry_run)?
+            }
+            BootType::Uki => delete_uki(storage, verity, gc_opts.dry_run)?,
         }
     }
 
-    if !prune_repo {
+    if !gc_opts.prune_repo {
         return Ok(GcResult::default());
     }
 
@@ -329,13 +335,13 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
 
     for verity in &orphaned_state_dirs {
         tracing::debug!("Cleaning up orphaned state dir: {verity}");
-        delete_staged(staged, &all_orphans, dry_run)?;
-        delete_state_dir(&sysroot, verity, dry_run)?;
+        delete_staged(staged, &all_orphans, gc_opts.dry_run)?;
+        delete_state_dir(&sysroot, verity, gc_opts.dry_run)?;
     }
 
     for verity in &orphaned_boot_entries {
         tracing::debug!("Cleaning up orphaned bootloader entry: {verity}");
-        delete_staged(staged, &all_orphans, dry_run)?;
+        delete_staged(staged, &all_orphans, gc_opts.dry_run)?;
     }
 
     // Collect the set of manifest digests referenced by live deployments,
@@ -431,7 +437,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
             .any(|(tag_name, _)| tag_name == &expected_tag);
         if !has_tag {
             tracing::info!("Creating missing bootc tag for live deployment: {expected_tag}");
-            if !dry_run {
+            if !gc_opts.dry_run {
                 composefs_oci::tag_image(&*booted_cfs.repo, manifest_digest, &expected_tag)
                     .with_context(|| format!("Creating migration tag {expected_tag}"))?;
             }
@@ -450,7 +456,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
 
         if !live_manifest_digests.iter().any(|d| d == manifest_digest) {
             tracing::debug!("Removing unreferenced bootc tag: {tag_name}");
-            if !dry_run {
+            if !gc_opts.dry_run {
                 composefs_oci::untag_image(&*booted_cfs.repo, tag_name)
                     .with_context(|| format!("Removing tag {tag_name}"))?;
             }
@@ -463,7 +469,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
         .collect::<Vec<_>>();
 
     // Prune containers-storage: remove images not backing any live deployment.
-    if !dry_run && !live_container_images.is_empty() {
+    if !gc_opts.dry_run && !live_container_images.is_empty() {
         let subpath = crate::podstorage::CStorage::subpath();
         if sysroot.try_exists(&subpath).unwrap_or(false) {
             let run = Dir::open_ambient_dir("/run", cap_std_ext::cap_std::ambient_authority())?;
@@ -482,7 +488,7 @@ pub(crate) async fn composefs_gc(
     // images for deployments that predate the manifest→image link;
     // once all deployments have been pulled with the new code, these
     // become redundant.
-    let gc_result = if dry_run {
+    let gc_result = if gc_opts.dry_run {
         booted_cfs.repo.gc_dry_run(&additional_roots)?
     } else {
         booted_cfs.repo.gc(&additional_roots)?
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/status.rs b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/status.rs
index bd8b7a19c..2706b2216 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/status.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/status.rs
@@ -405,22 +405,30 @@ pub(crate) async fn get_container_manifest_and_config(
 
 #[context("Getting bootloader")]
 pub(crate) fn get_bootloader() -> Result<Bootloader> {
-    match read_uefi_var(EFI_LOADER_INFO) {
+    static BOOTLOADER: OnceLock<Bootloader> = OnceLock::new();
+
+    if let Some(bootloader) = BOOTLOADER.get() {
+        return Ok(*bootloader);
+    }
+
+    let bootloader = match read_uefi_var(EFI_LOADER_INFO) {
         Ok(loader) => {
             if loader.to_lowercase().contains("systemd-boot") {
-                return Ok(Bootloader::Systemd);
+                Bootloader::Systemd
+            } else {
+                Bootloader::Grub
             }
-
-            return Ok(Bootloader::Grub);
         }
 
         Err(efi_error) => match efi_error {
-            EfiError::SystemNotUEFI => return Ok(Bootloader::Grub),
-            EfiError::MissingVar => return Ok(Bootloader::Grub),
-
-            e => return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Failed to read EfiLoaderInfo: {e:?}")),
+            EfiError::SystemNotUEFI | EfiError::MissingVar => Bootloader::Grub,
+            e => anyhow::bail!("Failed to read EfiLoaderInfo: {e:?}"),
         },
-    }
+    };
+
+    BOOTLOADER.get_or_init(|| bootloader);
+
+    return Ok(bootloader);
 }
 
 /// Retrieves the OCI manifest and config for a deployment from the composefs repository.
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/update.rs b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/update.rs
index e88d1f3e9..a1fb2722f 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/update.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/bootc_composefs/update.rs
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ use fn_error_context::context;
 use ocidir::cap_std::ambient_authority;
 use ostree_ext::container::ManifestDiff;
 
+use crate::bootc_composefs::gc::GCOpts;
 use crate::{
     bootc_composefs::{
         boot::{BootSetupType, BootType, setup_composefs_bls_boot, setup_composefs_uki_boot},
@@ -324,7 +325,15 @@ pub(crate) async fn do_upgrade(
 
     // We take into account the staged bootloader entries so this won't remove
     // the currently staged entry
-    composefs_gc(storage, booted_cfs, false, true).await?;
+    composefs_gc(
+        storage,
+        booted_cfs,
+        GCOpts {
+            dry_run: false,
+            prune_repo: true,
+        },
+    )
+    .await?;
 
     apply_upgrade(storage, booted_cfs, &id.to_hex(), opts).await
 }
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/cli.rs b/crates/lib/src/cli.rs
index 0be914c46..dd80fd6ad 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/cli.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/cli.rs
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ use schemars::schema_for;
 use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 use crate::bootc_composefs::delete::delete_composefs_deployment;
-use crate::bootc_composefs::gc::composefs_gc;
+use crate::bootc_composefs::gc::{GCOpts, composefs_gc};
 use crate::bootc_composefs::soft_reboot::{prepare_soft_reboot_composefs, reset_soft_reboot};
 use crate::bootc_composefs::{
     digest::{compute_composefs_digest, new_temp_composefs_repo},
@@ -2231,12 +2231,18 @@ async fn run_from_opt(opt: Opt) -> Result<()> {
                     }
 
                     BootedStorageKind::Composefs(booted_cfs) => {
-                        let effective_dry_run = dry_run || assert_no_op;
-                        let gc_result =
-                            composefs_gc(storage, &booted_cfs, effective_dry_run, prune_repo)
-                                .await?;
+                        let dry_run = dry_run || assert_no_op;
+                        let gc_result = composefs_gc(
+                            storage,
+                            &booted_cfs,
+                            GCOpts {
+                                dry_run,
+                                prune_repo,
+                            },
+                        )
+                        .await?;
 
-                        if effective_dry_run {
+                        if dry_run {
                             println!("Dry run (no files deleted)");
                         }
 
diff --git a/crates/lib/src/spec.rs b/crates/lib/src/spec.rs
index 4cc3e234e..ea2c5a77c 100644
--- a/crates/lib/src/spec.rs
+++ b/crates/lib/src/spec.rs
@@ -230,7 +230,7 @@ pub struct BootEntryOstree {
 
 /// Bootloader type to determine whether system was booted via Grub or Systemd
 #[derive(
-    clap::ValueEnum, Debug, Default, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema,
+    clap::ValueEnum, Debug, Default, Copy, Clone, Serialize, Deserialize, PartialEq, Eq, JsonSchema,
 )]
 #[serde(rename_all = "kebab-case")]
 pub enum Bootloader {