diff --git a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
index ac4345cc85..13e0f621f2 100644
--- a/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
+++ b/easybuild/framework/easyconfig/easyconfig.py
@@ -2234,6 +2234,22 @@ def resolve_template(value, tmpl_dict, expect_resolved=True):
     return value
 
 
+def _copy_ec_dict(easyconfig):
+    """Copy an easyconfig dict as (initially) parsed"""
+    ec = easyconfig.pop('ec')  # Don't copy this via deepcopy
+    try:
+        new_easyconfig = copy.deepcopy(easyconfig)  # Copy the rest of the dict
+    finally:
+        easyconfig['ec'] = ec  # Put back
+    new_easyconfig['ec'] = ec.copy()
+    return new_easyconfig
+
+
+def _copy_ec_dicts(easyconfigs):
+    """Copy list of easyconfig dicts as (initially) parsed"""
+    return [_copy_ec_dict(ec) for ec in easyconfigs]
+
+
 def process_easyconfig(path, build_specs=None, validate=True, parse_only=False, hidden=None):
     """
     Process easyconfig, returning some information for each block
@@ -2253,7 +2269,7 @@ def process_easyconfig(path, build_specs=None, validate=True, parse_only=False,
     if not build_specs:
         cache_key = (path, validate, hidden, parse_only)
         if cache_key in _easyconfigs_cache:
-            return [e.copy() for e in _easyconfigs_cache[cache_key]]
+            return _copy_ec_dicts(_easyconfigs_cache[cache_key])
 
     easyconfigs = []
     for spec in blocks:
@@ -2308,7 +2324,7 @@ def process_easyconfig(path, build_specs=None, validate=True, parse_only=False,
                 easyconfig['dependencies'].append(tc)
 
     if cache_key is not None:
-        _easyconfigs_cache[cache_key] = [e.copy() for e in easyconfigs]
+        _easyconfigs_cache[cache_key] = _copy_ec_dicts(easyconfigs)
 
     return easyconfigs
 
diff --git a/test/framework/easyconfig.py b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
index 7a07eab449..8c76831283 100644
--- a/test/framework/easyconfig.py
+++ b/test/framework/easyconfig.py
@@ -5276,6 +5276,24 @@ def test_easyconfigs_caches(self):
         self.assertIsInstance(ec2['ec'].toolchain, SystemToolchain)
         self.assertTrue(os.path.samefile(ec2['ec'].path, toy_ec))
 
+        # Returned easyconfigs are independent as-if there was no caching
+        ec3 = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
+        ec3['ec']['name'] = 'newname'
+        ec3['ec']['version'] = '99.1234'
+        ec3['spec'] = 'non-existing.eb'
+        ec3['dependencies'].append('Dummy')
+        self.assertEqual(ec3['ec'].name, 'newname')
+        self.assertEqual(ec3['ec'].version, '99.1234')
+        self.assertEqual(ec3['spec'], 'non-existing.eb')
+        self.assertEqual(ec3['dependencies'], ['Dummy'])
+        # Neither the previously returned nor newly requested ECs are modified by the above
+        ec2_2 = process_easyconfig(toy_ec)[0]
+        for orig_ec in (ec2, ec2_2):
+            self.assertEqual(orig_ec['ec'].name, 'toy')
+            self.assertEqual(orig_ec['ec'].version, '0.0')
+            self.assertEqual(orig_ec['spec'], toy_ec)
+            self.assertEqual(orig_ec['dependencies'], [])
+
         # also check whether easyconfigs cache works with end-to-end test
         args = [libtoy_ec, '--trace']
         self.mock_stdout(True)
diff --git a/test/framework/toy_build.py b/test/framework/toy_build.py
index f9adda1df9..f42205d304 100644
--- a/test/framework/toy_build.py
+++ b/test/framework/toy_build.py
@@ -3663,7 +3663,7 @@ def start_hook():
                print('start hook triggered')
 
             def parse_hook(ec):
-               print('%s %s' % (ec.name, ec.version))
+               print('Parse Hook %s %s' % (ec.name, ec.version))
                # print sources value to check that raw untemplated strings are exposed in parse_hook
                print(ec['sources'])
                # try appending to postinstallcmd to see whether the modification is actually picked up
@@ -3762,7 +3762,10 @@ def post_build_and_install_loop_hook(ecs):
         # - for devel module file
         expected_output = textwrap.dedent(f"""
             start hook triggered
-            toy 0.0
+            Parse Hook toy 0.0
+            ['%(name)s-%(version)s.tar.gz']
+            echo toy
+            Parse Hook toy 0.0
             ['%(name)s-%(version)s.tar.gz']
             echo toy
             installing 1 easyconfigs: toy/0.0
@@ -3773,10 +3776,10 @@ def post_build_and_install_loop_hook(ecs):
             ' gcc toy.c -o toy  && copy_toy_file toy copy_of_toy' command failed (exit code 127), but I fixed it!
             in post-install hook for toy v0.0
             bin, lib
-            toy 0.0
+            Parse Hook toy 0.0
             ['%(name)s-%(version)s.tar.gz']
             echo toy
-            toy 0.0
+            Parse Hook toy 0.0
             ['%(name)s-%(version)s.tar.gz']
             echo toy
             in module-write hook hook for {mod_name}