diff --git a/.github/workflows/main.yml b/.github/workflows/main.yml
index cf94f7d8..ac0ff69e 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/main.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/main.yml
@@ -4,8 +4,11 @@ on:
   merge_group:
   push:
     branches-ignore:
-    # disabled for jaraco/skeleton#103
-    # - gh-readonly-queue/**  # Temporary merge queue-related GH-made branches
+    # temporary GH branches relating to merge queues (jaraco/skeleton#93)
+    - gh-readonly-queue/**
+    tags:
+    # required if branches-ignore is supplied (jaraco/skeleton#103)
+    - '**'
   pull_request:
 
 permissions:
@@ -28,10 +31,10 @@ env:
 jobs:
   test:
     strategy:
+      # https://blog.jaraco.com/efficient-use-of-ci-resources/
       matrix:
         python:
         - "3.8"
-        - "3.11"
         - "3.12"
         platform:
         - ubuntu-latest
@@ -42,6 +45,8 @@ jobs:
           platform: ubuntu-latest
         - python: "3.10"
           platform: ubuntu-latest
+        - python: "3.11"
+          platform: ubuntu-latest
         - python: pypy3.10
           platform: ubuntu-latest
     runs-on: ${{ matrix.platform }}
diff --git a/.readthedocs.yaml b/.readthedocs.yaml
index 68489063..dc8516ac 100644
--- a/.readthedocs.yaml
+++ b/.readthedocs.yaml
@@ -3,10 +3,14 @@ python:
   install:
   - path: .
     extra_requirements:
-      - docs
+      - doc
 
 # required boilerplate readthedocs/readthedocs.org#10401
 build:
   os: ubuntu-lts-latest
   tools:
     python: latest
+  # post-checkout job to ensure the clone isn't shallow jaraco/skeleton#114
+  jobs:
+    post_checkout:
+    - git fetch --unshallow || true
diff --git a/NEWS.rst b/NEWS.rst
index 850e8f00..70f1eb38 100644
--- a/NEWS.rst
+++ b/NEWS.rst
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+v7.2.0
+======
+
+Features
+--------
+
+- Deferred select imports in for speedup (python/cpython#109829).
+- Updated fixtures for python/cpython#120801.
+
+
 v7.1.0
 ======
 
diff --git a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
index 32ee3b4d..f4c75941 100644
--- a/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
+++ b/importlib_metadata/__init__.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 import posixpath
 import collections
 
-from . import _adapters, _meta
+from . import _meta
 from .compat import py39
 from ._collections import FreezableDefaultDict, Pair
 from ._compat import (
@@ -461,6 +461,9 @@ def metadata(self) -> _meta.PackageMetadata:
         Custom providers may provide the METADATA file or override this
         property.
         """
+        # deferred for performance (python/cpython#109829)
+        from . import _adapters
+
         opt_text = (
             self.read_text('METADATA')
             or self.read_text('PKG-INFO')
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index a853c578..e85fc4ce 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -1,5 +1,62 @@
 [build-system]
-requires = ["setuptools>=56", "setuptools_scm[toml]>=3.4.1"]
+requires = ["setuptools>=61.2", "setuptools_scm[toml]>=3.4.1"]
 build-backend = "setuptools.build_meta"
 
+[project]
+name = "importlib_metadata"
+authors = [
+	{ name = "Jason R. Coombs", email = "jaraco@jaraco.com" },
+]
+description = "Read metadata from Python packages"
+readme = "README.rst"
+classifiers = [
+	"Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable",
+	"Intended Audience :: Developers",
+	"License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License",
+	"Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
+	"Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only",
+]
+requires-python = ">=3.8"
+dependencies = [
+	"zipp>=0.5",
+	'typing-extensions>=3.6.4; python_version < "3.8"',
+]
+dynamic = ["version"]
+
+[project.urls]
+Homepage = "https://github.com/python/importlib_metadata"
+
+[project.optional-dependencies]
+test = [
+	# upstream
+	"pytest >= 6, != 8.1.*",
+	"pytest-checkdocs >= 2.4",
+	"pytest-cov",
+	"pytest-mypy",
+	"pytest-enabler >= 2.2",
+	"pytest-ruff >= 0.2.1",
+
+	# local
+	'importlib_resources>=1.3; python_version < "3.9"',
+	"packaging",
+	"pyfakefs",
+	"flufl.flake8",
+	"pytest-perf >= 0.9.2",
+	"jaraco.test >= 5.4",
+]
+doc = [
+	# upstream
+	"sphinx >= 3.5",
+	"jaraco.packaging >= 9.3",
+	"rst.linker >= 1.9",
+	"furo",
+	"sphinx-lint",
+
+	# tidelift
+	"jaraco.tidelift >= 1.4",
+
+	# local
+]
+perf = ["ipython"]
+
 [tool.setuptools_scm]
diff --git a/pytest.ini b/pytest.ini
index 022a723e..9a0f3bce 100644
--- a/pytest.ini
+++ b/pytest.ini
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 [pytest]
 norecursedirs=dist build .tox .eggs
-addopts=--doctest-modules
+addopts=
+	--doctest-modules
+	--import-mode importlib
+consider_namespace_packages=true
 filterwarnings=
 	## upstream
 
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
deleted file mode 100644
index 02d3c7e8..00000000
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,58 +0,0 @@
-[metadata]
-name = importlib_metadata
-author = Jason R. Coombs
-author_email = jaraco@jaraco.com
-description = Read metadata from Python packages
-long_description = file:README.rst
-url = https://github.com/python/importlib_metadata
-classifiers =
-	Development Status :: 5 - Production/Stable
-	Intended Audience :: Developers
-	License :: OSI Approved :: Apache Software License
-	Programming Language :: Python :: 3
-	Programming Language :: Python :: 3 :: Only
-
-[options]
-include_package_data = true
-python_requires = >=3.8
-install_requires =
-	zipp>=0.5
-	typing-extensions>=3.6.4; python_version < "3.8"
-
-[options.extras_require]
-testing =
-	# upstream
-	pytest >= 6
-	pytest-checkdocs >= 2.4
-	pytest-cov
-	pytest-mypy; \
-		# workaround for jaraco/skeleton#22
-		python_implementation != "PyPy"
-	pytest-enabler >= 2.2
-	pytest-ruff >= 0.2.1
-
-	# local
-	importlib_resources>=1.3; python_version < "3.9"
-	packaging
-	pyfakefs
-	flufl.flake8
-	pytest-perf >= 0.9.2
-	jaraco.test >= 5.4
-
-docs =
-	# upstream
-	sphinx >= 3.5
-	jaraco.packaging >= 9.3
-	rst.linker >= 1.9
-	furo
-	sphinx-lint
-
-	# tidelift
-	jaraco.tidelift >= 1.4
-
-	# local
-
-perf =
-	ipython
-
-[options.entry_points]
diff --git a/tests/compat/py39.py b/tests/compat/py39.py
index 16c8b574..9476eb35 100644
--- a/tests/compat/py39.py
+++ b/tests/compat/py39.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 
 os_helper = try_import('os_helper') or from_test_support(
-    'FS_NONASCII', 'skip_unless_symlink'
+    'FS_NONASCII', 'skip_unless_symlink', 'temp_dir'
 )
 import_helper = try_import('import_helper') or from_test_support(
     'modules_setup', 'modules_cleanup'
diff --git a/tests/fixtures.py b/tests/fixtures.py
index f8082df0..1bf9a803 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures.py
+++ b/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -1,10 +1,8 @@
-import os
 import sys
 import copy
 import json
 import shutil
 import pathlib
-import tempfile
 import textwrap
 import functools
 import contextlib
@@ -26,29 +24,12 @@
 
 
 @contextlib.contextmanager
-def tempdir():
-    tmpdir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-    try:
-        yield pathlib.Path(tmpdir)
-    finally:
-        shutil.rmtree(tmpdir)
-
-
-@contextlib.contextmanager
-def save_cwd():
-    orig = os.getcwd()
-    try:
-        yield
-    finally:
-        os.chdir(orig)
-
-
-@contextlib.contextmanager
-def tempdir_as_cwd():
-    with tempdir() as tmp:
-        with save_cwd():
-            os.chdir(str(tmp))
-            yield tmp
+def tmp_path():
+    """
+    Like os_helper.temp_dir, but yields a pathlib.Path.
+    """
+    with os_helper.temp_dir() as path:
+        yield pathlib.Path(path)
 
 
 @contextlib.contextmanager
@@ -69,7 +50,7 @@ def setUp(self):
 class SiteDir(Fixtures):
     def setUp(self):
         super().setUp()
-        self.site_dir = self.fixtures.enter_context(tempdir())
+        self.site_dir = self.fixtures.enter_context(tmp_path())
 
 
 class OnSysPath(Fixtures):
diff --git a/tests/test_api.py b/tests/test_api.py
index a85c62ad..a93065cb 100644
--- a/tests/test_api.py
+++ b/tests/test_api.py
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ def test_entry_points_unique_packages_normalized(self):
         Entry points should only be exposed for the first package
         on sys.path with a given name (even when normalized).
         """
-        alt_site_dir = self.fixtures.enter_context(fixtures.tempdir())
+        alt_site_dir = self.fixtures.enter_context(fixtures.tmp_path())
         self.fixtures.enter_context(self.add_sys_path(alt_site_dir))
         alt_pkg = {
             "DistInfo_pkg-1.1.0.dist-info": {
diff --git a/tests/test_main.py b/tests/test_main.py
index af79e698..32241c00 100644
--- a/tests/test_main.py
+++ b/tests/test_main.py
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ def test_unique_distributions(self):
         fixtures.build_files(self.make_pkg('abc'), self.site_dir)
         before = list(_unique(distributions()))
 
-        alt_site_dir = self.fixtures.enter_context(fixtures.tempdir())
+        alt_site_dir = self.fixtures.enter_context(fixtures.tmp_path())
         self.fixtures.enter_context(self.add_sys_path(alt_site_dir))
         fixtures.build_files(self.make_pkg('ABC'), alt_site_dir)
         after = list(_unique(distributions()))
diff --git a/tox.ini b/tox.ini
index 3604f01f..71fd05f6 100644
--- a/tox.ini
+++ b/tox.ini
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ passenv =
 	HOME
 usedevelop = True
 extras =
-	testing
+	test
 
 [testenv:diffcov]
 description = run tests and check that diff from main is covered
@@ -24,8 +24,8 @@ commands =
 [testenv:docs]
 description = build the documentation
 extras =
-	docs
-	testing
+	doc
+	test
 changedir = docs
 commands =
 	python -m sphinx -W --keep-going . {toxinidir}/build/html