diff --git a/crates/loader/src/lib.rs b/crates/loader/src/lib.rs
index 86e625d79..9b5d5f72b 100644
--- a/crates/loader/src/lib.rs
+++ b/crates/loader/src/lib.rs
@@ -30,10 +30,11 @@ pub(crate) const MAX_FILE_LOADING_CONCURRENCY: usize = 16;
 pub async fn from_file(
     manifest_path: impl AsRef<Path>,
     files_mount_strategy: FilesMountStrategy,
+    cache_root: Option<PathBuf>,
 ) -> Result<LockedApp> {
     let path = manifest_path.as_ref();
     let app_root = parent_dir(path)?;
-    let loader = LocalLoader::new(&app_root, files_mount_strategy).await?;
+    let loader = LocalLoader::new(&app_root, files_mount_strategy, cache_root).await?;
     loader.load_file(path).await
 }
 
diff --git a/crates/loader/src/local.rs b/crates/loader/src/local.rs
index e0114c166..ddea5ab7a 100644
--- a/crates/loader/src/local.rs
+++ b/crates/loader/src/local.rs
@@ -25,14 +25,18 @@ pub struct LocalLoader {
 }
 
 impl LocalLoader {
-    pub async fn new(app_root: &Path, files_mount_strategy: FilesMountStrategy) -> Result<Self> {
+    pub async fn new(
+        app_root: &Path,
+        files_mount_strategy: FilesMountStrategy,
+        cache_root: Option<PathBuf>,
+    ) -> Result<Self> {
         let app_root = app_root
             .canonicalize()
             .with_context(|| format!("Invalid manifest dir `{}`", app_root.display()))?;
         Ok(Self {
             app_root,
             files_mount_strategy,
-            cache: Cache::new(None).await?,
+            cache: Cache::new(cache_root).await?,
             // Limit concurrency to avoid hitting system resource limits
             file_loading_permits: Semaphore::new(crate::MAX_FILE_LOADING_CONCURRENCY),
         })
diff --git a/crates/loader/tests/ui.rs b/crates/loader/tests/ui.rs
index 8dc80d285..2debf2820 100644
--- a/crates/loader/tests/ui.rs
+++ b/crates/loader/tests/ui.rs
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ fn run_test(input: &Path, normalizer: &mut Normalizer) -> Result<String, Failed>
         let locked = spin_loader::from_file(
             input,
             spin_loader::FilesMountStrategy::Copy(files_mount_root),
+            None,
         )
         .await
         .map_err(|err| format!("{err:?}"))?;
diff --git a/crates/oci/src/client.rs b/crates/oci/src/client.rs
index ffa1ce86c..8bdb58a43 100644
--- a/crates/oci/src/client.rs
+++ b/crates/oci/src/client.rs
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ impl Client {
         let locked = spin_loader::from_file(
             manifest_path,
             FilesMountStrategy::Copy(working_dir.path().into()),
+            None,
         )
         .await?;
 
diff --git a/src/commands/up.rs b/src/commands/up.rs
index 05bfe88c9..a36e10d5a 100644
--- a/src/commands/up.rs
+++ b/src/commands/up.rs
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ impl UpCommand {
                 } else {
                     FilesMountStrategy::Copy(working_dir.join("assets"))
                 };
-                spin_loader::from_file(&manifest_path, files_mount_strategy)
+                spin_loader::from_file(&manifest_path, files_mount_strategy, None)
                     .await
                     .with_context(|| format!("Failed to load manifest from {manifest_path:?}"))
             }