diff --git a/vlib/v/builder/compile.v b/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
index 3d99b6779a..ac59121a50 100644
--- a/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
+++ b/vlib/v/builder/compile.v
@@ -83,12 +83,11 @@ fn (mut b Builder) myfree() {
 	// for file in b.parsed_files {
 	// }
 	unsafe { b.parsed_files.free() }
-	unsafe { util.cached_read_source_file('') or {} }
+	util.free_caches()
 }
 
 fn (b &Builder) exit_on_invalid_syntax() {
-	// clear the source file cache, since it will not be needed anymore
-	unsafe { util.cached_read_source_file('') or {} }
+	util.free_caches()
 	// V should exit with an exit code of 1, when there are errors,
 	// even when -silent is passed in combination to -check-syntax:
 	if b.pref.only_check_syntax {
diff --git a/vlib/v/util/errors.v b/vlib/v/util/errors.v
index ba3b0da33d..4fe25f0377 100644
--- a/vlib/v/util/errors.v
+++ b/vlib/v/util/errors.v
@@ -83,9 +83,8 @@ pub fn formatted_error(kind string, omsg string, filepath string, pos token.Posi
 		}
 	}
 	//
-	source := read_file(filepath) or { '' }
 	position := '$path:${pos.line_nr + 1}:${mu.max(1, pos.col + 1)}:'
-	scontext := source_context(kind, source, pos).join('\n')
+	scontext := source_file_context(kind, filepath, pos).join('\n')
 	final_position := bold(position)
 	final_kind := bold(color(kind, kind))
 	final_msg := emsg
@@ -94,12 +93,39 @@ pub fn formatted_error(kind string, omsg string, filepath string, pos token.Posi
 	return '$final_position $final_kind $final_msg$final_context'.trim_space()
 }
 
-pub fn source_context(kind string, source string, pos token.Position) []string {
+[heap]
+struct LinesCache {
+mut:
+	lines map[string][]string
+}
+
+[unsafe]
+pub fn cached_file2sourcelines(path string) []string {
+	mut static cache := &LinesCache(0)
+	if isnil(cache) {
+		cache = &LinesCache{}
+	}
+	if path.len == 0 {
+		unsafe { cache.lines.free() }
+		unsafe { free(cache) }
+		cache = &LinesCache(0)
+		return []string{}
+	}
+	if res := cache.lines[path] {
+		return res
+	}
+	source := read_file(path) or { '' }
+	res := source.split_into_lines()
+	cache.lines[path] = res
+	return res
+}
+
+pub fn source_file_context(kind string, filepath string, pos token.Position) []string {
 	mut clines := []string{}
-	if source.len == 0 {
+	source_lines := unsafe { cached_file2sourcelines(filepath) }
+	if source_lines.len == 0 {
 		return clines
 	}
-	source_lines := source.split_into_lines()
 	bline := mu.max(0, pos.line_nr - util.error_context_before)
 	aline := mu.max(0, mu.min(source_lines.len - 1, pos.line_nr + util.error_context_after))
 	tab_spaces := '    '
diff --git a/vlib/v/util/util.v b/vlib/v/util/util.v
index 593b545bd8..467bd64b5e 100644
--- a/vlib/v/util/util.v
+++ b/vlib/v/util/util.v
@@ -514,3 +514,11 @@ pub fn find_all_v_files(roots []string) ?[]string {
 	}
 	return files
 }
+
+// free_caches knows about all `util` caches and makes sure that they are freed
+// if you add another cached unsafe function using static, do not forget to add
+// a mechanism to clear its cache, and call it here.
+pub fn free_caches() {
+	unsafe { cached_read_source_file('') or {} }
+	unsafe { cached_file2sourcelines('') }
+}