diff --git a/lib/_emerge/depgraph.py b/lib/_emerge/depgraph.py
index 28acfed9d..4ce7beef3 100644
--- a/lib/_emerge/depgraph.py
+++ b/lib/_emerge/depgraph.py
@@ -1872,6 +1872,24 @@ class depgraph:
         if self._dynamic_config._allow_backtracking:
             self._slot_operator_trigger_reinstalls()
 
+        # When there needs to be additional slot operator rebuilds,
+        # _solve_non_slot_operator_slot_conflicts is not aware of them,
+        # so it ends up pulling in subslot dependencies according to the
+        # installed subslots. This causes "slot conflict" entries to be added
+        # to backtrack infos, and portage would backtrack by masking each
+        # version. This is not ideal because portage now have to do multiple
+        # backtracks, for each version masked. It also implies that portage
+        # is attempting to pull in those versions, and this may cause issues
+        # during subslot rebuild pruning. Instead of that, let portage solve
+        # slot operator rebuilds first, then backtrack on slot conflicts, if
+        # they are truly necessary after slot operator rebuilds are considered.
+        if self._dynamic_config._backtrack_infos.setdefault("config", {}).get(
+            "slot_operator_replace_installed", set()
+        ):
+            if "slot conflict" in self._dynamic_config._backtrack_infos:
+                del self._dynamic_config._backtrack_infos["slot conflict"]
+            return
+
     def _process_slot_conflict(self, conflict):
         """
         Process slot conflict data to identify specific atoms which