diff --git a/src/lib/PnP.Framework/Provisioning/ObjectHandlers/ObjectFiles.cs b/src/lib/PnP.Framework/Provisioning/ObjectHandlers/ObjectFiles.cs
index f596364bf..32893c6b9 100644
--- a/src/lib/PnP.Framework/Provisioning/ObjectHandlers/ObjectFiles.cs
+++ b/src/lib/PnP.Framework/Provisioning/ObjectHandlers/ObjectFiles.cs
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 using System.Collections.Generic;
 using System.IO;
 using System.Linq;
+using System.Linq.Expressions;
 using System.Net;
 using File = Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.File;
 
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ public override TokenParser ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate templ
 
                 var currentFileIndex = 0;
                 var originalWeb = web; // Used to store and re-store context in case files are deployed to masterpage gallery
+                // PERFORMANCE NOTE: save already retrieved folder info to speed up uploading files to the same folders
+                var knownFolders = new Dictionary<string, Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.Folder>();
                 foreach (var file in filesToProcess)
                 {
                     file.Src = parser.ParseString(file.Src);
@@ -88,16 +91,27 @@ public override TokenParser ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate templ
                         continue;
                     }
 
-                    var folder = web.EnsureFolderPath(folderName);
+                    if (!knownFolders.TryGetValue(folderName, out var folder))
+                    {
+                        folder = web.EnsureFolderPath(folderName);
+
+                        folder.EnsureProperties(p => p.UniqueId, p => p.ServerRelativeUrl);
+                        parser.AddToken(new FileUniqueIdToken(web, folder.ServerRelativeUrl.Substring(web.ServerRelativeUrl.Length).TrimStart("/".ToCharArray()), folder.UniqueId));
+                        parser.AddToken(new FileUniqueIdEncodedToken(web, folder.ServerRelativeUrl.Substring(web.ServerRelativeUrl.Length).TrimStart("/".ToCharArray()), folder.UniqueId));
+                        knownFolders.Add(folderName, folder);
+                    }
 
-                    folder.EnsureProperties(p => p.UniqueId, p => p.ServerRelativeUrl);
-                    parser.AddToken(new FileUniqueIdToken(web, folder.ServerRelativeUrl.Substring(web.ServerRelativeUrl.Length).TrimStart("/".ToCharArray()), folder.UniqueId));
-                    parser.AddToken(new FileUniqueIdEncodedToken(web, folder.ServerRelativeUrl.Substring(web.ServerRelativeUrl.Length).TrimStart("/".ToCharArray()), folder.UniqueId));
-                    
                     var checkedOut = false;
 
                     var targetFile = folder.GetFile(template.Connector.GetFilenamePart(targetFileName));
 
+                    var additionalRetrievals = new List<Expression<Func<File, object>>>()
+                    {
+                        f => f.UniqueId,
+                        f => f.ServerRelativePath,
+                        f => f.ListItemAllFields.Id,
+                        f => f.Level
+                    };
                     if (targetFile != null)
                     {
                         if (file.Overwrite)
@@ -112,7 +126,7 @@ public override TokenParser ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate templ
                         }
                         else
                         {
-                            checkedOut = CheckOutIfNeeded(web, targetFile);
+                            checkedOut = CheckOutIfNeeded(web, targetFile, additionalRetrievals.ToArray());
                         }
                     }
                     else
@@ -130,19 +144,21 @@ public override TokenParser ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate templ
                             }
                         }
 
-                        checkedOut = CheckOutIfNeeded(web, targetFile);
+                        checkedOut = CheckOutIfNeeded(web, targetFile, additionalRetrievals.ToArray());
                     }
 
                     if (targetFile != null)
                     {
                         // Add the fileuniqueid tokens
-                        targetFile.EnsureProperties(p => p.UniqueId, p => p.ServerRelativePath);
+                        // PERFORMANCE NOTE: next call not needed; already loaded in CheckOutIfNeeded via additionalRetrievals (save API calls)
+                        // targetFile.EnsureProperties(p => p.UniqueId, p => p.ServerRelativePath);
 
                         // Add ListItemId token, given that a file can live outside of a library ensure this does not break provisioning
                         try
                         {
-                            web.Context.Load(targetFile, p => p.ListItemAllFields.Id);
-                            web.Context.ExecuteQueryRetry();
+                            // PERFORMANCE NOTE: next 2 calls not needed; already loaded in CheckOutIfNeeded via additionalRetrievals (save API calls)
+                            // web.Context.Load(targetFile, p => p.ListItemAllFields.Id);
+                            // web.Context.ExecuteQueryRetry();
                             if (targetFile.ListItemAllFields.ServerObjectIsNull.HasValue
                                 && !targetFile.ListItemAllFields.ServerObjectIsNull.Value)
                             {
@@ -210,12 +226,18 @@ public override TokenParser ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate templ
                         {
                             case Model.FileLevel.Published:
                                 {
-                                    targetFile.PublishFileToLevel(Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileLevel.Published);
+                                    if (targetFile.Level != Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileLevel.Published)
+                                    {
+                                        targetFile.PublishFileToLevel(Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileLevel.Published);
+                                    }
                                     break;
                                 }
                             case Model.FileLevel.Draft:
                                 {
-                                    targetFile.PublishFileToLevel(Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileLevel.Draft);
+                                    if (targetFile.Level != Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileLevel.Draft)
+                                    {
+                                        targetFile.PublishFileToLevel(Microsoft.SharePoint.Client.FileLevel.Draft);
+                                    }
                                     break;
                                 }
                             default:
@@ -244,12 +266,19 @@ public override TokenParser ProvisionObjects(Web web, ProvisioningTemplate templ
             return parser;
         }
 
-        private static bool CheckOutIfNeeded(Web web, File targetFile)
+        private static bool CheckOutIfNeeded(Web web, File targetFile, params Expression<Func<File, object>>[] additionalRetrievals)
         {
             var checkedOut = false;
             try
             {
-                web.Context.Load(targetFile, f => f.CheckOutType, f => f.CheckedOutByUser, f => f.ListItemAllFields.ParentList.ForceCheckout);
+                var retrievals = new List<Expression<Func<File, object>>>
+                {
+                    f => f.CheckOutType,
+                    f => f.CheckedOutByUser,
+                    f => f.ListItemAllFields.ParentList.ForceCheckout
+                };
+                retrievals.AddRange(additionalRetrievals);
+                web.Context.Load(targetFile, retrievals.ToArray());
                 web.Context.ExecuteQueryRetry();
 
                 if (targetFile.ListItemAllFields.ServerObjectIsNull.HasValue