diff --git a/news/11142.bugfix.rst b/news/11142.bugfix.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9828b666daf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/news/11142.bugfix.rst
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+Fix a regression that causes dependencies to be checked *before* ``Requires-Python``
+project metadata is checked, leading to wasted cycles when the Python version is
+unsupported.
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/candidates.py b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/candidates.py
index 6617644fe53..4ecc2059c2d 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/candidates.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/candidates.py
@@ -249,10 +249,10 @@ def _prepare(self) -> BaseDistribution:
         return dist
 
     def iter_dependencies(self, with_requires: bool) -> Iterable[Optional[Requirement]]:
+        yield self._factory.make_requires_python_requirement(self.dist.requires_python)
         requires = self.dist.iter_dependencies() if with_requires else ()
         for r in requires:
             yield from self._factory.make_requirements_from_spec(str(r), self._ireq)
-        yield self._factory.make_requires_python_requirement(self.dist.requires_python)
 
     def get_install_requirement(self) -> Optional[InstallRequirement]:
         return self._ireq
diff --git a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py
index fb0dd85f112..93df4fd01af 100644
--- a/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py
+++ b/src/pip/_internal/resolution/resolvelib/provider.py
@@ -242,9 +242,9 @@ def _eligible_for_upgrade(identifier: str) -> bool:
     def is_satisfied_by(self, requirement: Requirement, candidate: Candidate) -> bool:
         return requirement.is_satisfied_by(candidate)
 
-    def get_dependencies(self, candidate: Candidate) -> Sequence[Requirement]:
+    def get_dependencies(self, candidate: Candidate) -> Iterable[Requirement]:
         with_requires = not self._ignore_dependencies
-        return [r for r in candidate.iter_dependencies(with_requires) if r is not None]
+        return (r for r in candidate.iter_dependencies(with_requires) if r is not None)
 
     @staticmethod
     def is_backtrack_cause(
diff --git a/tests/functional/test_new_resolver_errors.py b/tests/functional/test_new_resolver_errors.py
index 5976de52e39..f1983a5dc58 100644
--- a/tests/functional/test_new_resolver_errors.py
+++ b/tests/functional/test_new_resolver_errors.py
@@ -101,32 +101,33 @@ def test_new_resolver_checks_requires_python_before_dependencies(
 ) -> None:
     incompatible_python = f"<{sys.version_info.major}.{sys.version_info.minor}"
 
-    pkg_dep = create_basic_wheel_for_package(
+    pkgdep = create_basic_wheel_for_package(
         script,
-        name="pkg-dep",
+        name="pkgdep",
         version="1",
     )
     create_basic_wheel_for_package(
         script,
-        name="pkg-root",
+        name="pkgroot",
         version="1",
-        # Refer the dependency by URL to prioritise it as much as possible,
-        # to test that Requires-Python is *still* inspected first.
-        depends=[f"pkg-dep@{pathlib.Path(pkg_dep).as_uri()}"],
+        depends=[
+            f"pkgdep@{pathlib.Path(pkgdep).as_uri()}",
+        ],
         requires_python=incompatible_python,
     )
 
-    result = script.pip(
+    r = script.pip(
         "install",
         "--no-cache-dir",
         "--no-index",
         "--find-links",
         script.scratch_path,
-        "pkg-root",
+        "pkgroot",
         expect_error=True,
     )
 
-    # Resolution should fail because of pkg-a's Requires-Python.
-    # This check should be done before pkg-b, so pkg-b should never be pulled.
-    assert incompatible_python in result.stderr, str(result)
-    assert "pkg-b" not in result.stderr, str(result)
+    # Resolution should fail because of pkgroot's Requires-Python.
+    # This is done before dependencies so pkgdep should never be pulled.
+    assert incompatible_python in r.stderr, str(r)
+    assert "pkgdep" not in r.stderr, str(r)
+    assert "pkgdep" not in r.stdout, str(r)