diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 2a2ba4efc..3b5c52bc0 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 
 ### New features
 
+* [#956](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/pull/956): Use `load-file` (again) for interactive evaluation commands.
 * Trigger Grimoire doc lookup from doc buffers by pressing <kbd>g</kbd> (in Emacs) and <kbd>G</kbd> (in browser).
 * [#903](https://github.com/clojure-emacs/cider/pull/903): Isolate
   `nrepl-client` connection logic from CIDER. New hooks `cider-connected-hook`
diff --git a/cider-interaction.el b/cider-interaction.el
index 91d13247e..96439b2e3 100644
--- a/cider-interaction.el
+++ b/cider-interaction.el
@@ -1269,12 +1269,11 @@ otherwise fall back to \"user\"."
     #'identity)
   "Function to translate Emacs filenames to nREPL namestrings.")
 
-(defun cider-interactive-source-tracking-eval (form &optional start-pos callback)
+(defun cider-interactive-eval (form &optional start-pos callback)
   "Evaluate FORM and dispatch the response to CALLBACK.
-START-POS is a starting position of the form in the original context.
-Unlike `cider-interactive-eval' this command will set proper metadata for var
-definitions.  If CALLBACK
-is nil use `cider-interactive-eval-handler'."
+START-POS is a starting position of the form in the original context with
+the default of 1.  If CALLBACK is nil use
+`cider-interactive-eval-handler'."
   (cider--clear-compilation-highlights)
   (-when-let (error-win (get-buffer-window cider-error-buffer))
     (quit-window nil error-win))
@@ -1286,36 +1285,25 @@ is nil use `cider-interactive-eval-handler'."
      (file-name-nondirectory filename)
      (or callback (cider-interactive-eval-handler)))))
 
-(defun cider-interactive-eval (form &optional callback)
-  "Evaluate FORM and dispatch the response to CALLBACK.
-This function is the main entry point in CIDER's interactive evaluation
-API.  Most other interactive eval functions should rely on this function.
-If CALLBACK is nil use `cider-interactive-eval-handler'."
-  (cider--clear-compilation-highlights)
-  (-when-let (error-win (get-buffer-window cider-error-buffer))
-    (quit-window nil error-win))
-  ;; always eval ns forms in the user namespace
-  ;; otherwise trying to eval ns form for the first time will produce an error
-  (let ((ns (if (cider-ns-form-p form)
-                "user"
-              (cider-current-ns))))
-    (nrepl-request:eval
-     form
-     (or callback (cider-interactive-eval-handler))
-     ns)))
+(defvar-local cider--cached-ns-form nil
+  "Cached ns-form for the current buffer.")
 
-(defun cider--dummy-file-contents (form start-pos)
+(defun cider--dummy-file-contents (form &optional start-pos)
   "Wrap FORM to make it suitable for `cider-request:load-file'.
 START-POS is a starting position of the form in the original context."
-  (let* ((ns-form (if (cider-ns-form-p form)
-                      ""
-                    (or (-when-let (form (cider-ns-form))
-                          (replace-regexp-in-string ":reload\\(-all\\)?\\>" "" form))
-                        (format "(ns %s)" (cider-current-ns)))))
+  (let* ((cur-ns-form (cider-ns-form))
+         (ns-form (cond
+                   ((or (null cur-ns-form)
+                        (cider-ns-form-p form))
+                    "")
+                   ((string= cur-ns-form cider--cached-ns-form)
+                    (format "(ns %s)" (cider-current-ns)))
+                   (t (replace-regexp-in-string ":reload\\(-all\\)?\\>" "" cur-ns-form))))
          (ns-form-lines (length (split-string ns-form "\n")))
          (start-pos (or start-pos 1))
          (start-line (line-number-at-pos start-pos))
          (start-column (save-excursion (goto-char start-pos) (current-column))))
+    (setq cider--cached-ns-form cur-ns-form)
     (concat
      ns-form
      (make-string (max 0 (- start-line ns-form-lines)) ?\n)
@@ -1326,7 +1314,7 @@ START-POS is a starting position of the form in the original context."
   "Evaluate the region between START and END."
   (interactive "r")
   (let ((code (buffer-substring-no-properties start end)))
-    (cider-interactive-source-tracking-eval code start)))
+    (cider-interactive-eval code start)))
 
 (defun cider-eval-buffer ()
   "Evaluate the current buffer."
@@ -1337,7 +1325,7 @@ START-POS is a starting position of the form in the original context."
   "Evaluate the expression preceding point.
 If invoked with a PREFIX argument, print the result in the current buffer."
   (interactive "P")
-  (cider-interactive-eval (cider-last-sexp)
+  (cider-interactive-eval (cider-last-sexp) (cider-last-sexp-start-pos)
                           (when prefix (cider-eval-print-handler))))
 
 (defun cider-eval-last-sexp-and-replace ()
@@ -1349,13 +1337,13 @@ If invoked with a PREFIX argument, print the result in the current buffer."
     (nrepl-sync-request:eval last-sexp)
     ;; seems like the sexp is valid, so we can safely kill it
     (backward-kill-sexp)
-    (cider-interactive-eval last-sexp (cider-eval-print-handler))))
+    (cider-interactive-eval last-sexp start-pos (cider-eval-print-handler))))
 
 (defun cider-eval-last-sexp-to-repl (&optional prefix)
   "Evaluate the expression preceding point and insert its result in the REPL.
 If invoked with a PREFIX argument, switch to the REPL buffer."
   (interactive "P")
-  (cider-interactive-eval (cider-last-sexp)
+  (cider-interactive-eval (cider-last-sexp) (cider-last-sexp-start-pos)
                           (cider-insert-eval-handler (cider-current-repl-buffer)))
   (when prefix
     (cider-switch-to-repl-buffer)))
@@ -1364,27 +1352,27 @@ If invoked with a PREFIX argument, switch to the REPL buffer."
   "Evaluate the expression preceding point.
 Print its value into the current buffer."
   (interactive)
-  (cider-interactive-eval (cider-last-sexp)
+  (cider-interactive-eval (cider-last-sexp) (cider-last-sexp-start-pos)
                           (cider-eval-print-handler)))
 
-(defun cider--pprint-eval-form (form)
-  "Pretty print FORM in popup buffer."
+(defun cider--pprint-eval-form (form start-pos)
+  "Pretty print FORM starting at START-POS in popup buffer."
   (let* ((result-buffer (cider-popup-buffer cider-result-buffer nil 'clojure-mode))
          (right-margin (max fill-column
                             (1- (window-width (get-buffer-window result-buffer))))))
-    (cider-interactive-eval (cider-format-pprint-eval form right-margin)
+    (cider-interactive-eval (cider-format-pprint-eval form right-margin) start-pos
                             (cider-popup-eval-out-handler result-buffer))))
 
 (defun cider-pprint-eval-last-sexp ()
   "Evaluate the sexp preceding point and pprint its value in a popup buffer."
   (interactive)
-  (cider--pprint-eval-form (cider-last-sexp)))
+  (cider--pprint-eval-form (cider-last-sexp) (cider-last-sexp-start-pos)))
 
 (defun cider-eval-defun-at-point (&optional prefix)
   "Evaluate the current toplevel form, and print result in the minibuffer.
 With a PREFIX argument, print the result in the current buffer."
   (interactive "P")
-  (cider-interactive-source-tracking-eval
+  (cider-interactive-eval
    (cider-defun-at-point)
    (cider-defun-at-point-start-pos)
    (when prefix (cider-eval-print-handler))))
@@ -1412,8 +1400,9 @@ With a PREFIX argument, print the result in the current buffer."
       (clojure-mode)
       (unless (string= "" ns-form)
         (insert ns-form "\n\n"))
-      (insert form)
-      (cider-interactive-eval form))))
+      (let ((start-pos (point)))
+        (insert form)
+        (cider-interactive-eval form start-pos)))))
 
 
 ;; Connection and REPL
@@ -1700,6 +1689,7 @@ under point, prompts for a var."
   (cider--clear-compilation-highlights)
   (-when-let (error-win (get-buffer-window cider-error-buffer))
     (quit-window nil error-win))
+  (setq cider--cached-ns-form (cider-ns-form))
   (cider-request:load-file
    (cider-file-string filename)
    (funcall cider-to-nrepl-filename-function (cider--server-filename filename))