diff --git a/Cargo.lock b/Cargo.lock
index a617219c..1c78ec74 100644
--- a/Cargo.lock
+++ b/Cargo.lock
@@ -341,34 +341,13 @@ dependencies = [
  "wyz",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "block-buffer"
-version = "0.7.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c0940dc441f31689269e10ac70eb1002a3a1d3ad1390e030043662eb7fe4688b"
-dependencies = [
- "block-padding",
- "byte-tools",
- "byteorder",
- "generic-array 0.12.3",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "block-buffer"
 version = "0.9.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4152116fd6e9dadb291ae18fc1ec3575ed6d84c29642d97890f4b4a3417297e4"
 dependencies = [
- "generic-array 0.14.4",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "block-padding"
-version = "0.1.5"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "fa79dedbb091f449f1f39e53edf88d5dbe95f895dae6135a8d7b881fb5af73f5"
-dependencies = [
- "byte-tools",
+ "generic-array",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -409,12 +388,6 @@ version = "3.4.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "2e8c087f005730276d1096a652e92a8bacee2e2472bcc9715a74d2bec38b5820"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "byte-tools"
-version = "0.3.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e3b5ca7a04898ad4bcd41c90c5285445ff5b791899bb1b0abdd2a2aa791211d7"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "byteorder"
 version = "1.3.4"
@@ -433,30 +406,6 @@ version = "1.1.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "631ae5198c9be5e753e5cc215e1bd73c2b466a3565173db433f52bb9d3e66dba"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "cargo_metadata"
-version = "0.10.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "b8de60b887edf6d74370fc8eb177040da4847d971d6234c7b13a6da324ef0caf"
-dependencies = [
- "semver 0.9.0",
- "serde",
- "serde_derive",
- "serde_json",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "cargo_metadata"
-version = "0.12.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "83f95cf4bf0dda0ac2e65371ae7215d0dce3c187613a9dbf23aaa9374186f97a"
-dependencies = [
- "semver 0.11.0",
- "semver-parser 0.10.0",
- "serde",
- "serde_json",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "cast"
 version = "0.2.3"
@@ -730,7 +679,7 @@ version = "0.10.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "4857fd85a0c34b3c3297875b747c1e02e06b6a0ea32dd892d8192b9ce0813ea6"
 dependencies = [
- "generic-array 0.14.4",
+ "generic-array",
  "subtle",
 ]
 
@@ -785,22 +734,13 @@ version = "2.0.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "524cbf6897b527295dff137cec09ecf3a05f4fddffd7dfcd1585403449e74198"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "digest"
-version = "0.8.1"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f3d0c8c8752312f9713efd397ff63acb9f85585afbf179282e720e7704954dd5"
-dependencies = [
- "generic-array 0.12.3",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "digest"
 version = "0.9.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "d3dd60d1080a57a05ab032377049e0591415d2b31afd7028356dbf3cc6dcb066"
 dependencies = [
- "generic-array 0.14.4",
+ "generic-array",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -864,12 +804,6 @@ version = "2.5.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "f7531096570974c3a9dcf9e4b8e1cede1ec26cf5046219fb3b9d897503b9be59"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "fake-simd"
-version = "0.1.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "e88a8acf291dafb59c2d96e8f59828f3838bb1a70398823ade51a84de6a6deed"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "fastrand"
 version = "1.4.0"
@@ -1057,15 +991,6 @@ dependencies = [
  "slab",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "generic-array"
-version = "0.12.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "c68f0274ae0e023facc3c97b2e00f076be70e254bc851d972503b328db79b2ec"
-dependencies = [
- "typenum",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "generic-array"
 version = "0.14.4"
@@ -1185,7 +1110,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "c1441c6b1e930e2817404b5046f1f989899143a12bf92de603b69f4e0aee1e15"
 dependencies = [
  "crypto-mac",
- "digest 0.9.0",
+ "digest",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1414,9 +1339,9 @@ version = "0.9.1"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "7b5a279bb9607f9f53c22d496eade00d138d1bdcccd07d74650387cf94942a15"
 dependencies = [
- "block-buffer 0.9.0",
- "digest 0.9.0",
- "opaque-debug 0.3.0",
+ "block-buffer",
+ "digest",
+ "opaque-debug",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -1675,12 +1600,6 @@ version = "11.1.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "0ab1bc2a289d34bd04a330323ac98a1b4bc82c9d9fcb1e66b63caa84da26b575"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "opaque-debug"
-version = "0.2.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "2839e79665f131bdb5782e51f2c6c9599c133c6098982a54c794358bf432529c"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "opaque-debug"
 version = "0.3.0"
@@ -1817,49 +1736,6 @@ version = "2.1.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "d4fd5641d01c8f18a23da7b6fe29298ff4b55afcccdf78973b24cf3175fee32e"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "pest"
-version = "2.1.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "10f4872ae94d7b90ae48754df22fd42ad52ce740b8f370b03da4835417403e53"
-dependencies = [
- "ucd-trie",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "pest_derive"
-version = "2.1.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "833d1ae558dc601e9a60366421196a8d94bc0ac980476d0b67e1d0988d72b2d0"
-dependencies = [
- "pest",
- "pest_generator",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "pest_generator"
-version = "2.1.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "99b8db626e31e5b81787b9783425769681b347011cc59471e33ea46d2ea0cf55"
-dependencies = [
- "pest",
- "pest_meta",
- "proc-macro2",
- "quote",
- "syn",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "pest_meta"
-version = "2.1.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "54be6e404f5317079812fc8f9f5279de376d8856929e21c184ecf6bbd692a11d"
-dependencies = [
- "maplit",
- "pest",
- "sha-1 0.8.2",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "pin-project"
 version = "1.0.2"
@@ -2172,7 +2048,7 @@ source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "3648b669b10afeab18972c105e284a7b953a669b0be3514c27f9b17acab2f9cd"
 dependencies = [
  "byteorder",
- "digest 0.9.0",
+ "digest",
  "lazy_static",
  "num-bigint-dig",
  "num-integer",
@@ -2203,7 +2079,7 @@ version = "0.2.3"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "138e3e0acb6c9fb258b19b67cb8abd63c00679d2851805ea151465464fe9030a"
 dependencies = [
- "semver 0.9.0",
+ "semver",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2289,18 +2165,7 @@ version = "0.9.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "1d7eb9ef2c18661902cc47e535f9bc51b78acd254da71d375c2f6720d9a40403"
 dependencies = [
- "semver-parser 0.7.0",
- "serde",
-]
-
-[[package]]
-name = "semver"
-version = "0.11.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f301af10236f6df4160f7c3f04eec6dbc70ace82d23326abad5edee88801c6b6"
-dependencies = [
- "semver-parser 0.10.0",
- "serde",
+ "semver-parser",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2309,16 +2174,6 @@ version = "0.7.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "388a1df253eca08550bef6c72392cfe7c30914bf41df5269b68cbd6ff8f570a3"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "semver-parser"
-version = "0.10.0"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "0e012c6c5380fb91897ba7b9261a0f565e624e869d42fe1a1d03fa0d68a083d5"
-dependencies = [
- "pest",
- "pest_derive",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "serde"
 version = "1.0.118"
@@ -2361,29 +2216,17 @@ dependencies = [
  "serde",
 ]
 
-[[package]]
-name = "sha-1"
-version = "0.8.2"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "f7d94d0bede923b3cea61f3f1ff57ff8cdfd77b400fb8f9998949e0cf04163df"
-dependencies = [
- "block-buffer 0.7.3",
- "digest 0.8.1",
- "fake-simd",
- "opaque-debug 0.2.3",
-]
-
 [[package]]
 name = "sha-1"
 version = "0.9.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "ce3cdf1b5e620a498ee6f2a171885ac7e22f0e12089ec4b3d22b84921792507c"
 dependencies = [
- "block-buffer 0.9.0",
+ "block-buffer",
  "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "cpuid-bool",
- "digest 0.9.0",
- "opaque-debug 0.3.0",
+ "digest",
+ "opaque-debug",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2398,11 +2241,11 @@ version = "0.9.2"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "6e7aab86fe2149bad8c507606bdb3f4ef5e7b2380eb92350f56122cca72a42a8"
 dependencies = [
- "block-buffer 0.9.0",
+ "block-buffer",
  "cfg-if 1.0.0",
  "cpuid-bool",
- "digest 0.9.0",
- "opaque-debug 0.3.0",
+ "digest",
+ "opaque-debug",
 ]
 
 [[package]]
@@ -2516,7 +2359,6 @@ version = "0.2.0"
 dependencies = [
  "anyhow",
  "async-trait",
- "cargo_metadata 0.10.0",
  "chrono",
  "clap 3.0.0-beta.2",
  "console 0.11.3",
@@ -2551,13 +2393,13 @@ dependencies = [
  "crossbeam-channel",
  "crossbeam-queue",
  "crossbeam-utils",
- "digest 0.9.0",
+ "digest",
  "either",
  "encoding_rs",
  "futures-channel",
  "futures-core",
  "futures-util",
- "generic-array 0.14.4",
+ "generic-array",
  "git2",
  "hashlink",
  "hex",
@@ -2580,7 +2422,7 @@ dependencies = [
  "rustls",
  "serde",
  "serde_json",
- "sha-1 0.9.2",
+ "sha-1",
  "sha2",
  "smallvec",
  "sqlformat",
@@ -2660,7 +2502,6 @@ dependencies = [
 name = "sqlx-macros"
 version = "0.4.2"
 dependencies = [
- "cargo_metadata 0.12.1",
  "dotenv",
  "either",
  "futures",
@@ -3116,12 +2957,6 @@ version = "1.12.0"
 source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
 checksum = "373c8a200f9e67a0c95e62a4f52fbf80c23b4381c05a17845531982fa99e6b33"
 
-[[package]]
-name = "ucd-trie"
-version = "0.1.3"
-source = "registry+https://github.com/rust-lang/crates.io-index"
-checksum = "56dee185309b50d1f11bfedef0fe6d036842e3fb77413abef29f8f8d1c5d4c1c"
-
 [[package]]
 name = "unicode-bidi"
 version = "0.3.4"
diff --git a/sqlx-cli/Cargo.toml b/sqlx-cli/Cargo.toml
index 7547a4e0..a7ac3df4 100644
--- a/sqlx-cli/Cargo.toml
+++ b/sqlx-cli/Cargo.toml
@@ -37,9 +37,8 @@ async-trait = "0.1.30"
 console = "0.11.3"
 dialoguer = "0.7.1"
 serde_json = { version = "1.0.53", features = ["preserve_order"] }
-serde = "1.0.110"
+serde = { version = "1.0.110", features = ["derive"] }
 glob = "0.3.0"
-cargo_metadata = "0.10.0"
 openssl = { version = "0.10.30", optional = true }
 # workaround for https://github.com/rust-lang/rust/issues/29497
 remove_dir_all = "0.6.0"
diff --git a/sqlx-cli/src/prepare.rs b/sqlx-cli/src/prepare.rs
index 2eba3084..7d643ee2 100644
--- a/sqlx-cli/src/prepare.rs
+++ b/sqlx-cli/src/prepare.rs
@@ -1,11 +1,12 @@
 use anyhow::{bail, Context};
-use cargo_metadata::MetadataCommand;
 use console::style;
 use remove_dir_all::remove_dir_all;
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use sqlx::any::{AnyConnectOptions, AnyKind};
 use std::collections::BTreeMap;
 use std::fs::File;
 use std::io::{BufReader, BufWriter};
+use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::process::Command;
 use std::str::FromStr;
 use std::time::SystemTime;
@@ -86,10 +87,18 @@ fn run_prepare_step(merge: bool, cargo_args: Vec<String>) -> anyhow::Result<Quer
     let cargo = env::var("CARGO")
         .context("`prepare` subcommand may only be invoked as `cargo sqlx prepare`")?;
 
-    let metadata = MetadataCommand::new()
-        .cargo_path(&cargo)
-        .exec()
-        .context("failed to execute `cargo metadata`")?;
+    let output = Command::new(&cargo)
+        .args(&["metadata", "--format-version=1"])
+        .output()
+        .context("Could not fetch metadata")?;
+
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct Metadata {
+        target_directory: PathBuf,
+    }
+
+    let metadata: Metadata =
+        serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).context("Invalid `cargo metadata` output")?;
 
     // try removing the target/sqlx directory before running, as stale files
     // have repeatedly caused issues in the past.
diff --git a/sqlx-macros/Cargo.toml b/sqlx-macros/Cargo.toml
index 9437065f..cc128123 100644
--- a/sqlx-macros/Cargo.toml
+++ b/sqlx-macros/Cargo.toml
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ _rt-async-std = []
 _rt-tokio = []
 
 # offline building support
-offline = ["sqlx-core/offline", "serde", "serde_json", "hex", "sha2"]
+offline = ["sqlx-core/offline", "hex", "sha2"]
 
 # database
 mysql = [ "sqlx-core/mysql" ]
@@ -50,10 +50,9 @@ time = [ "sqlx-core/time" ]
 ipnetwork = [ "sqlx-core/ipnetwork" ]
 uuid = [ "sqlx-core/uuid" ]
 bit-vec = [ "sqlx-core/bit-vec" ]
-json = [ "sqlx-core/json", "serde_json" ]
+json = [ "sqlx-core/json" ]
 
 [dependencies]
-cargo_metadata = "0.12.1"
 dotenv = { version = "0.15.0", default-features = false }
 futures = { version = "0.3.4", default-features = false, features = [ "executor" ] }
 hex = { version = "0.4.2", optional = true }
@@ -63,8 +62,8 @@ once_cell = "1.5.2"
 proc-macro2 = { version = "1.0.9", default-features = false }
 sqlx-core = { version = "0.4.2", default-features = false, path = "../sqlx-core" }
 sqlx-rt = { version = "0.2.0", default-features = false, path = "../sqlx-rt" }
-serde = { version = "1.0.111", optional = true }
-serde_json = { version = "1.0.30", features = [ "preserve_order" ], optional = true }
+serde = { version = "1.0.111", features = ["derive"] }
+serde_json = { version = "1.0.30", features = [ "preserve_order" ] }
 sha2 = { version = "0.9.1", optional = true }
 syn = { version = "1.0.30", default-features = false, features = [ "full" ] }
 quote = { version = "1.0.6", default-features = false }
diff --git a/sqlx-macros/src/query/mod.rs b/sqlx-macros/src/query/mod.rs
index 11514fcf..0e06b460 100644
--- a/sqlx-macros/src/query/mod.rs
+++ b/sqlx-macros/src/query/mod.rs
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 use std::borrow::Cow;
 use std::env;
 use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::process::Command;
 
 use proc_macro2::{Span, TokenStream};
+use serde::Deserialize;
 use syn::Type;
 use url::Url;
 
@@ -29,11 +31,22 @@ mod output;
 static CRATE_ROOT: Lazy<PathBuf> = Lazy::new(|| {
     let manifest_dir = env::var("CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR").expect("`CARGO_MANIFEST_DIR` must be set");
 
-    let metadata = cargo_metadata::MetadataCommand::new()
+    let cargo = env::var_os("CARGO").expect("`CARGO` must be set");
+
+    let output = Command::new(&cargo)
+        .args(&["metadata", "--format-version=1"])
         .current_dir(manifest_dir)
-        .exec()
+        .output()
         .expect("Could not fetch metadata");
 
+    #[derive(Deserialize)]
+    struct Metadata {
+        workspace_root: PathBuf,
+    }
+
+    let metadata: Metadata =
+        serde_json::from_slice(&output.stdout).expect("Invalid `cargo metadata` output");
+
     metadata.workspace_root
 });