diff --git a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptConfigurationLoader.kt b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptConfigurationLoader.kt
index 1094712002b..4cd806916ff 100644
--- a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptConfigurationLoader.kt
+++ b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptConfigurationLoader.kt
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class GradleScriptConfigurationLoader(project: Project) : DefaultScriptConfigura
             return true
         }
 
-        if (!isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(ktFile.project, ktFile.originalFile.virtualFile)) {
+        if (!isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(ktFile.project, ktFile.originalFile.virtualFile.path)) {
             // todo: provide an action to load configuration through scripting API: KT-34625, KT-35268
         }
 
diff --git a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptInputsWatcher.kt b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptInputsWatcher.kt
index a80dae808b6..a1ffe481f28 100644
--- a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptInputsWatcher.kt
+++ b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptInputsWatcher.kt
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ class GradleScriptInputsWatcher(val project: Project) : PersistentStateComponent
                     val files = getAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project)
                     for (event in events) {
                         val file = event.file ?: return
-                        if (isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(files, file)) {
+                        if (isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(files, event.path)) {
                             storage.fileChanged(file, file.timeStamp)
                         }
                     }
diff --git a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptListener.kt b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptListener.kt
index 8c65f66a58a..9238fb13e8c 100644
--- a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptListener.kt
+++ b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/GradleScriptListener.kt
@@ -37,6 +37,6 @@ open class GradleScriptListener(project: Project) : ScriptChangeListener(project
     override fun isApplicable(vFile: VirtualFile): Boolean {
         if (!isGradleKotlinScript(vFile)) return false
 
-        return isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project, vFile)
+        return isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project, vFile.path)
     }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/utils.kt b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/utils.kt
index d46d52ec31e..841a4f56dee 100644
--- a/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/utils.kt
+++ b/idea/idea-gradle/src/org/jetbrains/kotlin/idea/scripting/gradle/utils.kt
@@ -6,9 +6,7 @@
 package org.jetbrains.kotlin.idea.scripting.gradle
 
 import com.intellij.openapi.application.ApplicationManager
-import com.intellij.openapi.components.service
 import com.intellij.openapi.externalSystem.util.ExternalSystemApiUtil
-import com.intellij.openapi.components.service
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
 import com.intellij.openapi.util.registry.Registry
 import com.intellij.openapi.vfs.VirtualFile
@@ -24,33 +22,39 @@ import org.jetbrains.kotlin.psi.psiUtil.getChildrenOfType
 import org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.GradleManager
 import org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.settings.GradleProjectSettings
 import org.jetbrains.plugins.gradle.util.GradleConstants
-import java.io.File
 
 private val sections = arrayListOf("buildscript", "plugins", "initscript", "pluginManagement")
 
 fun isGradleKotlinScript(virtualFile: VirtualFile) = virtualFile.name.endsWith(".gradle.kts")
 
-fun isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project: Project, file: VirtualFile): Boolean {
+fun isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project: Project, filePath: String): Boolean {
+    // fast path
+    if (!filePath.contains("gradle")) return false
+
     val affectedFiles = getAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project)
-    return isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(affectedFiles, file)
+    return isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(affectedFiles, filePath)
 }
 
-fun isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(files: List<File>, file: VirtualFile): Boolean {
+fun isInAffectedGradleProjectFiles(files: Set<String>, filePath: String): Boolean {
     // todo: avoid isUnitTestMode usage
     if (ApplicationManager.getApplication().isUnitTestMode) return true
 
-    return files.any { it.toPath().systemIndependentPath == file.path }
+    return filePath in files
 }
 
-fun getAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project: Project): List<File> {
+fun getAffectedGradleProjectFiles(project: Project): Set<String> {
     val gradleSettings = ExternalSystemApiUtil.getSettings(project, GradleConstants.SYSTEM_ID)
-    if (gradleSettings.getLinkedProjectsSettings().isEmpty()) return emptyList()
+    if (gradleSettings.getLinkedProjectsSettings().isEmpty()) return setOf()
 
     val projectSettings = gradleSettings.getLinkedProjectsSettings().filterIsInstance<GradleProjectSettings>().firstOrNull()
-        ?: return emptyList()
+        ?: return setOf()
 
-    return ExternalSystemApiUtil.getAllManagers().filterIsInstance<GradleManager>().firstOrNull()
-        ?.getAffectedExternalProjectFiles(projectSettings.externalProjectPath, project) ?: emptyList()
+    return ExternalSystemApiUtil.getAllManagers()
+        .filterIsInstance<GradleManager>()
+        .firstOrNull()
+        ?.getAffectedExternalProjectFiles(projectSettings.externalProjectPath, project)
+        ?.mapTo(mutableSetOf()) { it.toPath().systemIndependentPath }
+        ?: setOf()
 }
 
 fun getGradleScriptInputsStamp(