diff --git a/news/10479.feature.rst b/news/10479.feature.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e070c0e163a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/10479.feature.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+New resolver: When backtracking prefer the dependencies which caused the most recent backtracking. In some cases this will significantly reduce the amount of backtracking required.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py
index c2203933e40..f1d295aeb6a 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ def get_preference(
         identifier: str,
         resolutions: Mapping[str, Candidate],
         candidates: Mapping[str, Iterator[Candidate]],
-        information: Mapping[str, Iterable["PreferenceInformation"]],
+        information: Mapping[str, Iterator["PreferenceInformation"]],
+        backtrack_causes: Sequence["RequirementInformation"],
     ) -> "Preference":
         """Produce a sort key for given requirement based on preference.
 
@@ -112,9 +113,9 @@ def get_preference(
                 for _, parent in information[identifier]
             )
             inferred_depth = min(d for d in parent_depths) + 1.0
+            self._known_depths[identifier] = inferred_depth
         else:
             inferred_depth = 1.0
-        self._known_depths[identifier] = inferred_depth
 
         requested_order = self._user_requested.get(identifier, math.inf)
 
@@ -132,11 +133,17 @@ def get_preference(
         # while we work on "proper" branch pruning techniques.
         delay_this = identifier == "setuptools"
 
+        # Prefer the causes of backtracking on the assumption that the problem
+        # resolving the dependency tree is related to the failures that caused
+        # the backtracking
+        backtrack_cause = self.is_backtrack_cause(identifier, backtrack_causes)
+
         return (
             not requires_python,
             delay_this,
             not direct,
             not pinned,
+            not backtrack_cause,
             inferred_depth,
             requested_order,
             not unfree,
@@ -195,3 +202,14 @@ def is_satisfied_by(self, requirement: Requirement, candidate: Candidate) -> boo
     def get_dependencies(self, candidate: Candidate) -> Sequence[Requirement]:
         with_requires = not self._ignore_dependencies
         return [r for r in candidate.iter_dependencies(with_requires) if r is not None]
+
+    @staticmethod
+    def is_backtrack_cause(
+        identifier: str, backtrack_causes: Sequence["RequirementInformation"]
+    ) -> bool:
+        for backtrack_cause in backtrack_causes:
+            if identifier == backtrack_cause.requirement.name:
+                return True
+            if backtrack_cause.parent and identifier == backtrack_cause.parent.name:
+                return True
+        return False