diff --git a/pmb/build/_package.py b/pmb/build/_package.py
index 8fce4360..aa46801c 100644
--- a/pmb/build/_package.py
+++ b/pmb/build/_package.py
@@ -30,6 +30,23 @@ import pmb.parse
 import pmb.parse.arch
 
 
+def skip_already_built(args, pkgname, arch):
+    """
+    Check if the package was already built in this session, and add it
+    to the cache in case it was not built yet.
+
+    :returns: True when it can be skipped or False
+    """
+    if arch not in args.cache["built"]:
+        args.cache["built"][arch] = []
+    if pkgname in args.cache["built"][arch]:
+        logging.verbose(pkgname + ": already checked this session,"
+                        " no need to build it or its dependencies")
+        return True
+    args.cache["built"][arch].append(pkgname)
+    return False
+
+
 def get_apkbuild(args, pkgname, arch):
     """
     Find the APKBUILD path for pkgname. When there is none, try to find it in
@@ -276,8 +293,12 @@ def package(args, pkgname, arch=None, force=False, buildinfo=False,
     :returns: None if the build was not necessary
               output path relative to the packages folder ("armhf/ab-1-r2.apk")
     """
-    # Only build when APKBUILD exists
+    # Once per session is enough
     arch = arch or args.arch_native
+    if skip_already_built(args, pkgname, arch):
+        return
+
+    # Only build when APKBUILD exists
     apkbuild = get_apkbuild(args, pkgname, arch)
     if not apkbuild:
         return
diff --git a/pmb/parse/arguments.py b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
index 1e51981a..11e5cfe4 100644
--- a/pmb/parse/arguments.py
+++ b/pmb/parse/arguments.py
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ def arguments():
                             "apk_min_version_checked": [],
                             "apk_repository_list_updated": [],
                             "aports_files_out_of_sync_with_git": None,
+                            "built": {},
                             "find_aport": {}})
 
     # Add and verify the deviceinfo (only after initialization)
diff --git a/test/test_build_package.py b/test/test_build_package.py
index a4c35eeb..032ae531 100644
--- a/test/test_build_package.py
+++ b/test/test_build_package.py
@@ -75,6 +75,14 @@ def args_patched(monkeypatch, argv):
     return pmb.parse.arguments()
 
 
+def test_skip_already_built(args):
+    func = pmb.build._package.skip_already_built
+    assert args.cache["built"] == {}
+    assert func(args, "test-package", "armhf") is False
+    assert args.cache["built"] == {"armhf": ["test-package"]}
+    assert func(args, "test-package", "armhf") is True
+
+
 def test_get_apkbuild(args):
     func = pmb.build._package.get_apkbuild
 
@@ -256,9 +264,11 @@ def test_package(args):
     assert pmb.build.package(args, "hello-world", force=True)
 
     # Package exists
+    args.cache["built"] = {}
     assert pmb.build.package(args, "hello-world") is None
 
     # Force building again
+    args.cache["built"] = {}
     assert pmb.build.package(args, "hello-world", force=True)
 
     # Build for another architecture
@@ -293,6 +303,7 @@ def test_build_depends_high_level(args, monkeypatch):
     # Remove hello-world
     pmb.helpers.run.root(args, ["rm", output_hello_outside])
     pmb.build.index_repo(args, args.arch_native)
+    args.cache["built"] = {}
 
     # Ask to build the wrapper. It should not build the wrapper (it exists, not
     # using force), but build/update its missing dependency "hello-world"
diff --git a/test/test_challenge_build.py b/test/test_challenge_build.py
index 7132f611..cb65bc57 100644
--- a/test/test_challenge_build.py
+++ b/test/test_challenge_build.py
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ def test_challenge_build(args):
                            apk_path + ".buildinfo.json"])
 
     # Challenge, output changes into a file
+    args.cache["built"] = {}
     setattr(args, "output_repo_changes", args.work + "/chroot_native/tmp/"
                   "test_challenge_build_output.txt")
     pmb.challenge.build(args, args.work + "/chroot_native/" + temp_path + "/" +