--- vertical_tabs.module.orig	2009-12-09 01:23:00.000000000 +0100
+++ vertical_tabs.module	2009-12-10 13:28:45.281250000 +0100
@@ -23,7 +23,12 @@ function vertical_tabs_theme() {
  * Implement hook_form_alter().
  */
 function vertical_tabs_form_alter(&$form, $form_state, $form_id) {
-  $config = vertical_tabs_get_config($form_id);
+  //get all the vertical tabs config just once for all the forms in the page
+  static $vertical_tabs_config;
+  if (!isset($vertical_tabs_config)) {
+    $vertical_tabs_config = vertical_tabs_get_config();
+  }
+  $config = $vertical_tabs_config[$form_id];
 
   // Skip programmed or excluded forms.
   if ($form['#programmed'] || $config === FALSE) {