diff --git a/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py b/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py
index 9aef64b..194c627 100644
--- a/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py
+++ b/jeepyb/cmd/manage_projects.py
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@
 }
 
 _gerrit_groups = None
+_gerrit_version = None
 
 
 class FetchConfigException(Exception):
@@ -242,9 +243,11 @@
 
 
 def get_group_uuid(gerrit, group, run_local=True):
-    version = ''.join(gerrit.getVersion().split('.')[:2])
+    global _gerrit_version
+    if _gerrit_version is None:
+        _gerrit_version = ''.join(gerrit.getVersion().split('.')[:2])
 
-    uuid = _get_group_uuid(group, gerrit, version, run_local, retries=1)
+    uuid = _get_group_uuid(group, gerrit, _gerrit_version, run_local, retries=1)
     if uuid:
         return uuid
     if group in GERRIT_SYSTEM_GROUPS:
@@ -255,7 +258,7 @@
             # Gerrit now adds creating user to groups. We don't want that.
             gerrit.removeMember(group, gerrit.username)
             break
-    uuid = _get_group_uuid(group, gerrit, version, run_local)
+    uuid = _get_group_uuid(group, gerrit, _gerrit_version, run_local)
     if uuid:
         return uuid
     return None