diff --git a/sphinx_needs/api/need.py b/sphinx_needs/api/need.py
index 3518bdb88..9de22f526 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/api/need.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/api/need.py
@@ -353,7 +353,6 @@ def run():
         "doctype": doctype,
         "target_id": need_id,
         "content": "\n".join(content) if isinstance(content, StringList) else content,
-        "content_node": None,
         "type": need_type,
         "type_name": type_name,
         "type_prefix": type_prefix,
@@ -579,8 +578,7 @@ def _create_need_node(
     need_parts = find_parts(node_need)
     update_need_with_parts(env, data, need_parts)
 
-    # Create a copy of the content
-    data["content_node"] = node_need.deepcopy()
+    SphinxNeedsData(env).set_need_node(data["id"], node_need)
 
     return_nodes.append(node_need)
 
@@ -605,10 +603,11 @@ def del_need(app: Sphinx, need_id: str) -> None:
     :param app: Sphinx application object.
     :param need_id: Sphinx need id.
     """
-    env = app.env
-    needs = SphinxNeedsData(env).get_or_create_needs()
+    data = SphinxNeedsData(app.env)
+    needs = data.get_or_create_needs()
     if need_id in needs:
         del needs[need_id]
+        data.remove_need_node(need_id)
     else:
         log_warning(logger, f"Given need id {need_id} not exists!", None, None)
 
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/data.py b/sphinx_needs/data.py
index 8f2bbbebd..5a0ee79a2 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/data.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/data.py
@@ -11,11 +11,12 @@
 from sphinx_needs.logging import log_warning
 
 if TYPE_CHECKING:
-    from docutils.nodes import Element, Text
+    from docutils.nodes import Text
     from sphinx.application import Sphinx
     from sphinx.environment import BuildEnvironment
     from typing_extensions import NotRequired, Required
 
+    from sphinx_needs.nodes import Need
     from sphinx_needs.services.manager import ServiceManager
 
 
@@ -236,11 +237,6 @@ class CoreFieldParameters(TypedDict):
         "description": "Post-content of the need.",
         "schema": {"type": "string", "default": ""},
     },
-    "content_node": {
-        "description": "Deep copy of the content node.",
-        "schema": {},
-        "exclude_json": True,
-    },
     "has_dead_links": {
         "description": "True if any links reference need ids that are not found in the need list.",
         "schema": {"type": "boolean", "default": False},
@@ -374,8 +370,6 @@ class NeedsInfoType(TypedDict, total=False):
     content: Required[str]
     pre_content: str
     post_content: str
-    content_node: Required[None | Element]
-    """Deep copy of the content node."""
 
     # these default to False and are updated in check_links post-process
     has_dead_links: Required[bool]
@@ -781,6 +775,32 @@ def get_or_create_umls(self) -> dict[str, NeedsUmlType]:
             self.env.needs_all_needumls = {}
         return self.env.needs_all_needumls
 
+    @property
+    def _needs_all_nodes(self) -> dict[str, Need]:
+        try:
+            return self.env.needs_all_nodes
+        except AttributeError:
+            self.env.needs_all_nodes = {}
+        return self.env.needs_all_nodes
+
+    def set_need_node(self, need_id: str, node: Need) -> None:
+        """Set a need node in the cache."""
+        self._needs_all_nodes[need_id] = node.deepcopy()
+
+    def remove_need_node(self, need_id: str) -> None:
+        """Remove a need node from the cache, if it exists."""
+        if need_id in self._needs_all_nodes:
+            del self._needs_all_nodes[need_id]
+
+    def get_need_node(self, need_id: str) -> Need | None:
+        """Get a need node from the cache, if it exists."""
+        if need_id in self._needs_all_nodes:
+            # We must create a copy of the node, as it may be reused several time
+            # (multiple needextract for the same need) and the Sphinx ImageTransformator add location specific
+            # uri to some nodes, which are not valid for all locations.
+            return self._needs_all_nodes[need_id].deepcopy()
+        return None
+
 
 def merge_data(
     _app: Sphinx, env: BuildEnvironment, docnames: list[str], other: BuildEnvironment
@@ -852,5 +872,6 @@ def _merge(name: str, is_complex_dict: bool = False) -> None:
                 )
 
     _merge("needs_all_docs", is_complex_dict=True)
+    _merge("needs_all_nodes")
     _merge("need_all_needextend")
     _merge("needs_all_needumls")
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/directives/need.py b/sphinx_needs/directives/need.py
index f69444fdb..c18c86655 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/directives/need.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/directives/need.py
@@ -284,10 +284,12 @@ def purge_needs(app: Sphinx, env: BuildEnvironment, docname: str) -> None:
     Gets executed, if a doc file needs to be purged/ read in again.
     So this code delete all found needs for the given docname.
     """
-    needs = SphinxNeedsData(env).get_or_create_needs()
+    data = SphinxNeedsData(env)
+    needs = data.get_or_create_needs()
     for need_id in list(needs):
         if needs[need_id]["docname"] == docname:
             del needs[need_id]
+            data.remove_need_node(need_id)
 
 
 def analyse_need_locations(app: Sphinx, doctree: nodes.document) -> None:
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py b/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py
index 2295d4cd5..9d2c89511 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/functions/functions.py
@@ -199,7 +199,6 @@ def resolve_dynamic_values(needs: dict[str, NeedsInfoType], app: Sphinx) -> None
                 "docname",
                 "lineno",
                 "content",
-                "content_node",
             ]:
                 # dynamic values in this data are not allowed.
                 continue
diff --git a/sphinx_needs/layout.py b/sphinx_needs/layout.py
index 3f696614e..9018efcb6 100644
--- a/sphinx_needs/layout.py
+++ b/sphinx_needs/layout.py
@@ -76,12 +76,8 @@ def create_need(
     node_container = nodes.container()
     # node_container += needs[need_id]["need_node"].children
 
-    # We must create a standalone copy of the content_node, as it may be reused several time
-    # (multiple needextract for the same need) and the Sphinx ImageTransformator add location specific
-    # uri to some nodes, which are not valid for all locations.
-    content_node = needs[need_id]["content_node"]
-    assert content_node is not None, f"Need {need_id} has no content node."
-    node_inner = content_node.deepcopy()
+    node_inner = SphinxNeedsData(env).get_need_node(need_id)
+    assert node_inner is not None, f"Need {need_id} has no content node."
 
     # Rerun some important Sphinx collectors for need-content coming from "needsexternal".
     # This is needed, as Sphinx needs to know images and download paths.
diff --git a/tests/test_import.py b/tests/test_import.py
index f393a21f2..90be273c4 100644
--- a/tests/test_import.py
+++ b/tests/test_import.py
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ def test_needimport_needs_json_download(test_app, snapshot):
         app.build()
 
     needs_all_needs = app.env.needs_all_needs
-    assert needs_all_needs == snapshot(exclude=props("content_node"))
+    assert needs_all_needs == snapshot()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
diff --git a/tests/test_needuml.py b/tests/test_needuml.py
index 8f6130aba..c04a4fe34 100644
--- a/tests/test_needuml.py
+++ b/tests/test_needuml.py
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 from pathlib import Path
 
 import pytest
-from syrupy.filters import props
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -17,7 +16,7 @@ def test_doc_build_html(test_app, snapshot):
     assert Path(app.outdir, "index.html").read_text(encoding="utf8")
 
     all_needs = app.env.needs_all_needs
-    assert all_needs == snapshot(exclude=props("content_node"))
+    assert all_needs == snapshot()
 
     all_needumls = app.env.needs_all_needumls
     assert all_needumls == snapshot