diff --git a/ci/publish-crate.sh b/ci/publish-crate.sh
index 8d0448be4a..2b3a8fddb0 100755
--- a/ci/publish-crate.sh
+++ b/ci/publish-crate.sh
@@ -4,6 +4,8 @@ cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 source ci/semver_bash/semver.sh
 source ci/rust-version.sh stable
 
+cargo="$(readlink -f ./cargo)"
+
 # shellcheck disable=SC2086
 is_crate_version_uploaded() {
   name=$1
@@ -66,11 +68,11 @@ for Cargo_toml in $Cargo_tomls; do
       (
         set -x
         rm -rf crate-test
-        cargo +"$rust_stable" init crate-test
+        "$cargo" stable init crate-test
         cd crate-test/
         echo "${crate_name} = \"${expectedCrateVersion}\"" >> Cargo.toml
         echo "[workspace]" >> Cargo.toml
-        cargo +"$rust_stable" check
+        "$cargo" stable check
       ) && really_uploaded=1
       if ((really_uploaded)); then
         break;
diff --git a/ci/test-bench.sh b/ci/test-bench.sh
index d72cc8e58c..50d0e6babf 100755
--- a/ci/test-bench.sh
+++ b/ci/test-bench.sh
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@ source ci/_
 source ci/upload-ci-artifact.sh
 
 eval "$(ci/channel-info.sh)"
-source ci/rust-version.sh all
+
+cargo="$(readlink -f "./cargo")"
 
 set -o pipefail
 export RUST_BACKTRACE=1
@@ -27,35 +28,35 @@ test -d target/debug/bpf && find target/debug/bpf -name '*.d' -delete
 test -d target/release/bpf && find target/release/bpf -name '*.d' -delete
 
 # Ensure all dependencies are built
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly build --release
+_ "$cargo" nightly build --release
 
 # Remove "BENCH_FILE", if it exists so that the following commands can append
 rm -f "$BENCH_FILE"
 
 # Run sdk benches
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly bench --manifest-path sdk/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} \
+_ "$cargo" nightly bench --manifest-path sdk/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} \
   -- -Z unstable-options --format=json | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
 
 # Run runtime benches
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly bench --manifest-path runtime/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} \
+_ "$cargo" nightly bench --manifest-path runtime/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} \
   -- -Z unstable-options --format=json | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
 
 # Run core benches
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly bench --manifest-path core/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} \
+_ "$cargo" nightly bench --manifest-path core/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} \
   -- -Z unstable-options --format=json | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
 
 # Run bpf benches
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly bench --manifest-path programs/bpf/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} --features=bpf_c \
+_ "$cargo" nightly bench --manifest-path programs/bpf/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} --features=bpf_c \
   -- -Z unstable-options --format=json --nocapture | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
 
 # Run banking/accounts bench. Doesn't require nightly, but use since it is already built.
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly run --release --manifest-path banking-bench/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly run --release --manifest-path accounts-bench/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} -- --num_accounts 10000 --num_slots 4 | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
+_ "$cargo" nightly run --release --manifest-path banking-bench/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
+_ "$cargo" nightly run --release --manifest-path accounts-bench/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} -- --num_accounts 10000 --num_slots 4 | tee -a "$BENCH_FILE"
 
 # `solana-upload-perf` disabled as it can take over 30 minutes to complete for some
 # reason
 exit 0
-_ cargo +$rust_nightly run --release --package solana-upload-perf \
+_ "$cargo" nightly run --release --package solana-upload-perf \
   -- "$BENCH_FILE" "$TARGET_BRANCH" "$UPLOAD_METRICS" | tee "$BENCH_ARTIFACT"
 
 upload-ci-artifact "$BENCH_FILE"
diff --git a/ci/test-checks.sh b/ci/test-checks.sh
index 1d73d51341..9c30eb86cb 100755
--- a/ci/test-checks.sh
+++ b/ci/test-checks.sh
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ source ci/_
 source ci/rust-version.sh stable
 source ci/rust-version.sh nightly
 eval "$(ci/channel-info.sh)"
+cargo="$(readlink -f "./cargo")"
 
 echo --- build environment
 (
@@ -16,14 +17,14 @@ echo --- build environment
   rustup run "$rust_stable" rustc --version --verbose
   rustup run "$rust_nightly" rustc --version --verbose
 
-  cargo +"$rust_stable" --version --verbose
-  cargo +"$rust_nightly" --version --verbose
+  "$cargo" stable --version --verbose
+  "$cargo" nightly --version --verbose
 
-  cargo +"$rust_stable" clippy --version --verbose
-  cargo +"$rust_nightly" clippy --version --verbose
+  "$cargo" stable clippy --version --verbose
+  "$cargo" nightly clippy --version --verbose
 
   # audit is done only with stable
-  cargo +"$rust_stable" audit --version
+  "$cargo" stable audit --version
 )
 
 export RUST_BACKTRACE=1
@@ -49,11 +50,11 @@ else
 fi
 
 _ ci/order-crates-for-publishing.py
-_ cargo +"$rust_stable" fmt --all -- --check
+_ "$cargo" stable fmt --all -- --check
 
 # -Z... is needed because of clippy bug: https://github.com/rust-lang/rust-clippy/issues/4612
 # run nightly clippy for `sdk/` as there's a moderate amount of nightly-only code there
-_ cargo +"$rust_nightly" clippy \
+_ "$cargo" nightly clippy \
   -Zunstable-options --workspace --all-targets \
   -- --deny=warnings --allow=clippy::stable_sort_primitive
 
@@ -77,14 +78,14 @@ _ scripts/cargo-for-all-lock-files.sh +"$rust_stable" audit "${cargo_audit_ignor
 
 {
   cd programs/bpf
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" audit
+  _ "$cargo" stable audit
   for project in rust/*/ ; do
     echo "+++ do_bpf_checks $project"
     (
       cd "$project"
-      _ cargo +"$rust_stable" fmt -- --check
-      _ cargo +"$rust_nightly" test
-      _ cargo +"$rust_nightly" clippy -- --deny=warnings \
+      _ "$cargo" stable fmt -- --check
+      _ "$cargo" nightly test
+      _ "$cargo" nightly clippy -- --deny=warnings \
         --allow=clippy::missing_safety_doc \
         --allow=clippy::stable_sort_primitive
     )
diff --git a/ci/test-stable.sh b/ci/test-stable.sh
index 2064bd034b..b9ee39b10d 100755
--- a/ci/test-stable.sh
+++ b/ci/test-stable.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 set -e
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 
+cargo="$(readlink -f "./cargo")"
+
 source ci/_
 
 annotate() {
@@ -34,7 +36,7 @@ NPROC=$((NPROC>14 ? 14 : NPROC))
 echo "Executing $testName"
 case $testName in
 test-stable)
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" test --jobs "$NPROC" --all --exclude solana-local-cluster ${V:+--verbose} -- --nocapture
+  _ "$cargo" stable test --jobs "$NPROC" --all --exclude solana-local-cluster ${V:+--verbose} -- --nocapture
   ;;
 test-stable-perf)
   # BPF solana-sdk legacy compile test
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ test-stable-perf)
 
   # BPF program tests
   _ make -C programs/bpf/c tests
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" test \
+  _ "$cargo" stable test \
     --manifest-path programs/bpf/Cargo.toml \
     --no-default-features --features=bpf_c,bpf_rust -- --nocapture
 
@@ -62,13 +64,13 @@ test-stable-perf)
     export SOLANA_CUDA=1
   fi
 
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" build --bins ${V:+--verbose}
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" test --package solana-perf --package solana-ledger --package solana-core --lib ${V:+--verbose} -- --nocapture
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" run --manifest-path poh-bench/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} -- --hashes-per-tick 10
+  _ "$cargo" stable build --bins ${V:+--verbose}
+  _ "$cargo" stable test --package solana-perf --package solana-ledger --package solana-core --lib ${V:+--verbose} -- --nocapture
+  _ "$cargo" stable run --manifest-path poh-bench/Cargo.toml ${V:+--verbose} -- --hashes-per-tick 10
   ;;
 test-local-cluster)
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" build --release --bins ${V:+--verbose}
-  _ cargo +"$rust_stable" test --release --package solana-local-cluster ${V:+--verbose} -- --nocapture --test-threads=1
+  _ "$cargo" stable build --release --bins ${V:+--verbose}
+  _ "$cargo" stable test --release --package solana-local-cluster ${V:+--verbose} -- --nocapture --test-threads=1
   exit 0
   ;;
 *)
diff --git a/docs/build-cli-usage.sh b/docs/build-cli-usage.sh
index 4fb5cb6de7..91ebbb4c1f 100755
--- a/docs/build-cli-usage.sh
+++ b/docs/build-cli-usage.sh
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@
 set -e
 
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"
+cargo="$(readlink -f "./cargo")"
 
 # shellcheck source=ci/rust-version.sh
 source ../ci/rust-version.sh stable
 
 : "${rust_stable:=}" # Pacify shellcheck
 
-usage=$(cargo +"$rust_stable" -q run -p solana-cli -- -C ~/.foo --help | sed -e 's|'"$HOME"'|~|g' -e 's/[[:space:]]\+$//')
+usage=$("$cargo" stable -q run -p solana-cli -- -C ~/.foo --help | sed -e 's|'"$HOME"'|~|g' -e 's/[[:space:]]\+$//')
 
 out=${1:-src/cli/usage.md}
 
@@ -36,6 +37,6 @@ in_subcommands=0
 while read -r subcommand rest; do
   [[ $subcommand == "SUBCOMMANDS:" ]] && in_subcommands=1 && continue
   if ((in_subcommands)); then
-      section "$(cargo +"$rust_stable" -q run -p solana-cli -- help "$subcommand" | sed -e 's|'"$HOME"'|~|g' -e 's/[[:space:]]\+$//')" "####" >> "$out"
+      section "$("$cargo" stable -q run -p solana-cli -- help "$subcommand" | sed -e 's|'"$HOME"'|~|g' -e 's/[[:space:]]\+$//')" "####" >> "$out"
   fi
 done <<<"$usage">>"$out"
diff --git a/install/install-help.sh b/install/install-help.sh
index 0927f727ab..9fb08afa6d 100755
--- a/install/install-help.sh
+++ b/install/install-help.sh
@@ -2,8 +2,9 @@
 set -e
 
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"/..
+cargo="$(readlink -f "./cargo")"
 
-cargo build --package solana-install
+"$cargo" build --package solana-install
 export PATH=$PWD/target/debug:$PATH
 
 echo "\`\`\`manpage"
diff --git a/scripts/cargo-for-all-lock-files.sh b/scripts/cargo-for-all-lock-files.sh
index 52aa5c5bbf..c2cbd1c4ec 100755
--- a/scripts/cargo-for-all-lock-files.sh
+++ b/scripts/cargo-for-all-lock-files.sh
@@ -1,5 +1,8 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 
+here="$(dirname "$0")"
+cargo="$(readlink -f "${here}/../cargo")"
+
 set -e
 
 shifted_args=()
@@ -37,7 +40,7 @@ for lock_file in $files; do
     echo "--- [$lock_file]: cargo " "${shifted_args[@]}" "$@"
   fi
 
-  if (set -x && cd "$(dirname "$lock_file")" && cargo "${shifted_args[@]}" "$@"); then
+  if (set -x && cd "$(dirname "$lock_file")" && "$cargo" "${shifted_args[@]}" "$@"); then
     # noop
     true
   else
diff --git a/scripts/cargo-install-all.sh b/scripts/cargo-install-all.sh
index 8990f8761e..18f683f3f0 100755
--- a/scripts/cargo-install-all.sh
+++ b/scripts/cargo-install-all.sh
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@
 #
 # |cargo install| of the top-level crate will not install binaries for
 # other workspace crates or native program crates.
+here="$(dirname "$0")"
+cargo="$(readlink -f "${here}../cargo")"
+
 set -e
 
 usage() {
@@ -46,7 +49,6 @@ fi
 
 installDir="$(mkdir -p "$installDir"; cd "$installDir"; pwd)"
 mkdir -p "$installDir/bin/deps"
-cargo=cargo
 
 echo "Install location: $installDir ($buildVariant)"
 
@@ -112,9 +114,9 @@ mkdir -p "$installDir/bin"
 (
   set -x
   # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # Don't want to double quote $rust_version
-  $cargo $maybeRustVersion build $maybeReleaseFlag "${binArgs[@]}"
+  "$cargo" $maybeRustVersion build $maybeReleaseFlag "${binArgs[@]}"
   # shellcheck disable=SC2086 # Don't want to double quote $rust_version
-  $cargo $maybeRustVersion install spl-token-cli --root "$installDir"
+  "$cargo" $maybeRustVersion install spl-token-cli --root "$installDir"
 )
 
 for bin in "${BINS[@]}"; do
diff --git a/scripts/coverage.sh b/scripts/coverage.sh
index 466d54c2b2..8bfa5831f1 100755
--- a/scripts/coverage.sh
+++ b/scripts/coverage.sh
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ set -e
 cd "$(dirname "$0")/.."
 source ci/_
 
+cargo="$(readlink -f "./cargo")"
+
 : "${CI_COMMIT:=local}"
 reportName="lcov-${CI_COMMIT:0:9}"
 
@@ -40,8 +42,6 @@ mkdir -p target/cov
 # Mark the base time for a clean room dir
 touch target/cov/before-test
 
-source ci/rust-version.sh nightly
-
 # Force rebuild of possibly-cached proc macro crates and build.rs because
 # we always want stable coverage for them
 # Don't support odd file names in our repo ever
@@ -52,8 +52,8 @@ if [[ -n $CI || -z $1 ]]; then
     $(git grep -l "proc-macro.*true" :**/Cargo.toml | sed 's|Cargo.toml|src/lib.rs|')
 fi
 
-RUST_LOG=solana=trace _ cargo +$rust_nightly test --target-dir target/cov --no-run "${packages[@]}"
-if RUST_LOG=solana=trace _ cargo +$rust_nightly test --target-dir target/cov "${packages[@]}" 2> target/cov/coverage-stderr.log; then
+RUST_LOG=solana=trace _ "$cargo" nightly test --target-dir target/cov --no-run "${packages[@]}"
+if RUST_LOG=solana=trace _ "$cargo" nightly test --target-dir target/cov "${packages[@]}" 2> target/cov/coverage-stderr.log; then
   test_status=0
 else
   test_status=$?
diff --git a/storage-bigtable/build-proto/build.sh b/storage-bigtable/build-proto/build.sh
index dfc2843727..24e2b54340 100755
--- a/storage-bigtable/build-proto/build.sh
+++ b/storage-bigtable/build-proto/build.sh
@@ -3,8 +3,10 @@
 set -ex
 cd "$(dirname "$0")"
 
+cargo="$(readlink -f "../../cargo")"
+
 if [[ ! -d googleapis ]]; then
   git clone https://github.com/googleapis/googleapis.git
 fi
 
-exec cargo run
+exec "$cargo" run