diff --git a/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc b/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc
index 9c3c1fc4b..defecb008 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/attr-path.cc
@@ -58,23 +58,17 @@ std::pair<Value *, Pos> findAlongAttrPath(EvalState & state, const string & attr
         Value * vNew = state.allocValue();
         state.autoCallFunction(autoArgs, *v, *vNew);
         v = vNew;
-        state.forceValue(*v);
 
         /* It should evaluate to either a set or an expression,
            according to what is specified in the attrPath. */
 
         if (!attrIndex) {
 
-            if (v->type() != nAttrs)
-                throw TypeError(
-                    "the expression selected by the selection path '%1%' should be a set but is %2%",
-                    attrPath,
-                    showType(*v));
             if (attr.empty())
                 throw Error("empty attribute name in selection path '%1%'", attrPath);
 
             auto v2 = state.allocValue();
-            auto gotField = state.getAttrField(*v, {state.symbols.create(attr)}, pos, *v2);
+            auto gotField = state.lazyGetAttrField(*v, {state.symbols.create(attr)}, pos, *v2);
             if (!gotField)
                 throw AttrPathNotFound("attribute '%1%' in selection path '%2%' not found", attr, attrPath);
             v = v2;
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.cc b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
index d38917ab7..9415ab46c 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.cc
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.cc
@@ -1189,6 +1189,54 @@ void EvalState::updateCacheStats(ValueCache::CacheResult cacheResult)
     };
 }
 
+struct ExprCastedVar : Expr
+{
+    Value * v;
+    ExprCastedVar(Value * v) : v(v) {};
+    void show(std::ostream & str) const override {
+        std::set<const Value*> active;
+        printValue(str, active, *v);
+    }
+
+    void bindVars(const StaticEnv & env) override {}
+    void eval(EvalState & state, Env & env, Value & v) override {
+        v = std::move(*this->v);
+    }
+    Value * maybeThunk(EvalState & state, Env & env) override {
+        return v;
+    }
+};
+
+bool EvalState::lazyGetAttrField(Value & attrs, const std::vector<Symbol> & selector, const Pos & pos, Value & dest)
+{
+    forceValue(attrs, pos);
+    auto eval_cache = attrs.getEvalCache();
+    auto [ cacheResult, resultingCursor ] = eval_cache.getValue(*this, selector, dest);
+    updateCacheStats(cacheResult);
+    switch (cacheResult.returnCode) {
+        case ValueCache::CacheHit:
+            if (cacheResult.lastQueriedSymbolIfMissing)
+                return false;
+            return true;
+        case ValueCache::Forward: {
+            auto recordAsVar = new ExprCastedVar(&attrs);
+            auto accessExpr = new ExprSelect(pos, recordAsVar, selector);
+            auto thunk = (Thunk*)allocBytes(sizeof(Thunk));
+            thunk->expr = accessExpr;
+            thunk->env = &baseEnv;
+
+            dest.mkCachedThunk(
+                thunk,
+                new ValueCache(resultingCursor)
+            );
+            return true;
+                                  }
+        default:
+            return getAttrField(attrs, selector, pos, dest);
+            ;
+    }
+
+}
 
 bool EvalState::getAttrField(Value & attrs, const std::vector<Symbol> & selector, const Pos & pos, Value & dest)
 {
@@ -1449,9 +1497,24 @@ void EvalState::incrFunctionCall(ExprLambda * fun)
     functionCalls[fun]++;
 }
 
+std::optional<tree_cache::AttrValue> ValueCache::getRawValue()
+{
+    if (!rawCache)
+        return std::nullopt;
+    return rawCache->getCachedValue();
+}
 
 void EvalState::autoCallFunction(Bindings & args, Value & fun, Value & res)
 {
+    if (auto evalCache = fun.getEvalCache(); !evalCache.isEmpty()) {
+        if (auto cacheValue = evalCache.getRawValue()) {
+            if (std::holds_alternative<tree_cache::attributeSet_t>(*cacheValue)) {
+                res = fun;
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     forceValue(fun);
 
     if (fun.type() == nAttrs) {
diff --git a/src/libexpr/eval.hh b/src/libexpr/eval.hh
index a86585035..b995b3f66 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/eval.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/eval.hh
@@ -356,6 +356,9 @@ private:
 public:
 
     bool getAttrField(Value & attrs, const std::vector<Symbol> & selector, const Pos & pos, Value & dest);
+    // Similar to `getAttrField`, but if the cache says that the result is an
+    // attribute set, just return a thunk to it rather than forcing it.
+    bool lazyGetAttrField(Value & attrs, const std::vector<Symbol> & selector, const Pos & pos, Value & dest);
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
index 51a14cd59..da860e141 100644
--- a/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
+++ b/src/libexpr/nixexpr.hh
@@ -165,7 +165,12 @@ struct ExprSelect : Expr
     Expr * e, * def;
     AttrPath attrPath;
     ExprSelect(const Pos & pos, Expr * e, const AttrPath & attrPath, Expr * def) : pos(pos), e(e), def(def), attrPath(attrPath) { };
-    ExprSelect(const Pos & pos, Expr * e, const Symbol & name) : pos(pos), e(e), def(0) { attrPath.push_back(AttrName(name)); };
+    ExprSelect(const Pos & pos, Expr * e, const Symbol & name)
+        : ExprSelect(pos, e, std::vector{name}) {};
+    ExprSelect(const Pos & pos, Expr * e, const std::vector<Symbol> & symbolicAttrPath) : pos(pos), e(e), def(0) {
+        for (auto & name : symbolicAttrPath)
+            attrPath.push_back(AttrName(name));
+    };
     COMMON_METHODS
 };