diff --git a/cmd/podman-wslkerninst/main.go b/cmd/podman-wslkerninst/main.go
index 76154b8cbd..9a7d36a28d 100644
--- a/cmd/podman-wslkerninst/main.go
+++ b/cmd/podman-wslkerninst/main.go
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ func installWslKernel() error {
 	)
 	backoff := 500 * time.Millisecond
 	for i := 1; i < 6; i++ {
-		err = wutil.SilentExec(wutil.FindWSL(), "--update")
+		err = wutil.SilentExec("wsl", "--update")
 		if err == nil {
 			break
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/config_windows_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/config_windows_test.go
index 82442ab640..0e80883a70 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/config_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/config_windows_test.go
@@ -38,7 +38,8 @@ func getOtherProvider() string {
 	return ""
 }
 
-func runSystemCommand(binary string, cmdArgs []string) (*machineSession, error) {
+func runWslCommand(cmdArgs []string) (*machineSession, error) {
+	binary := "wsl"
 	GinkgoWriter.Println(binary + " " + strings.Join(cmdArgs, " "))
 	c := exec.Command(binary, cmdArgs...)
 	session, err := Start(c, GinkgoWriter, GinkgoWriter)
diff --git a/pkg/machine/e2e/init_windows_test.go b/pkg/machine/e2e/init_windows_test.go
index d09e2477ad..4ffc950061 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/e2e/init_windows_test.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/e2e/init_windows_test.go
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/Microsoft/go-winio/vhd"
 	"github.com/containers/libhvee/pkg/hypervctl"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/define"
-	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil"
 	. "github.com/onsi/ginkgo/v2"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega"
 	. "github.com/onsi/gomega/gexec"
@@ -28,12 +27,12 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine init - windows only", func() {
 		Expect(session).To(Exit(0))
 
 		defer func() {
-			_, err := runSystemCommand(wutil.FindWSL(), []string{"--terminate", "podman-net-usermode"})
+			_, err := runWslCommand([]string{"--terminate", "podman-net-usermode"})
 			if err != nil {
 				fmt.Println("unable to terminate podman-net-usermode")
 			}
 
-			_, err = runSystemCommand(wutil.FindWSL(), []string{"--unregister", "podman-net-usermode"})
+			_, err = runWslCommand([]string{"--unregister", "podman-net-usermode"})
 			if err != nil {
 				fmt.Println("unable to unregister podman-net-usermode")
 			}
@@ -106,17 +105,17 @@ var _ = Describe("podman machine init - windows only", func() {
 		// a vm outside the context of podman-machine and also
 		// so we dont have to download a distribution from microsoft
 		// servers
-		exportSession, err := runSystemCommand(wutil.FindWSL(), []string{"--export", "podman-foobarexport", exportedPath})
+		exportSession, err := runWslCommand([]string{"--export", "podman-foobarexport", exportedPath})
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(exportSession).To(Exit(0))
 
 		// importing the machine and creating a vm
-		importSession, err := runSystemCommand(wutil.FindWSL(), []string{"--import", distName, distrDir, exportedPath})
+		importSession, err := runWslCommand([]string{"--import", distName, distrDir, exportedPath})
 		Expect(err).ToNot(HaveOccurred())
 		Expect(importSession).To(Exit(0))
 
 		defer func() {
-			_, err := runSystemCommand(wutil.FindWSL(), []string{"--unregister", distName})
+			_, err := runWslCommand([]string{"--unregister", distName})
 			if err != nil {
 				fmt.Println("unable to remove bogus wsl instance")
 			}
diff --git a/pkg/machine/wsl/machine.go b/pkg/machine/wsl/machine.go
index 73650c18ea..d840ed3193 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/wsl/machine.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/wsl/machine.go
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ func provisionWSLDist(name string, imagePath string, prompt string) (string, err
 
 	dist := env.WithPodmanPrefix(name)
 	fmt.Println(prompt)
-	if err = runCmdPassThrough(wutil.FindWSL(), "--import", dist, distTarget, imagePath, "--version", "2"); err != nil {
+	if err = runCmdPassThrough("wsl", "--import", dist, distTarget, imagePath, "--version", "2"); err != nil {
 		return "", fmt.Errorf("the WSL import of guest OS failed: %w", err)
 	}
 
@@ -427,7 +427,7 @@ func installWslKernel() error {
 
 	backoff := 500 * time.Millisecond
 	for i := 0; i < 5; i++ {
-		err = runCmdPassThroughTee(log, wutil.FindWSL(), "--update")
+		err = runCmdPassThroughTee(log, "wsl", "--update")
 		if err == nil {
 			break
 		}
@@ -537,18 +537,18 @@ func withUser(s string, user string) string {
 func wslInvoke(dist string, arg ...string) error {
 	newArgs := []string{"-u", "root", "-d", dist}
 	newArgs = append(newArgs, arg...)
-	return runCmdPassThrough(wutil.FindWSL(), newArgs...)
+	return runCmdPassThrough("wsl", newArgs...)
 }
 
 func wslPipe(input string, dist string, arg ...string) error {
 	newArgs := []string{"-u", "root", "-d", dist}
 	newArgs = append(newArgs, arg...)
-	return pipeCmdPassThrough(wutil.FindWSL(), input, newArgs...)
+	return pipeCmdPassThrough("wsl", input, newArgs...)
 }
 
 //nolint:unused
 func wslCreateKeys(identityPath string, dist string) (string, error) {
-	return machine.CreateSSHKeysPrefix(identityPath, true, true, wutil.FindWSL(), "-u", "root", "-d", dist)
+	return machine.CreateSSHKeysPrefix(identityPath, true, true, "wsl", "-u", "root", "-d", dist)
 }
 
 func runCmdPassThrough(name string, arg ...string) error {
@@ -645,7 +645,7 @@ func getAllWSLDistros(running bool) (map[string]struct{}, error) {
 	if running {
 		args = append(args, "--running")
 	}
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), args...)
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", args...)
 	out, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -674,7 +674,7 @@ func getAllWSLDistros(running bool) (map[string]struct{}, error) {
 }
 
 func isSystemdRunning(dist string) (bool, error) {
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "sh")
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "sh")
 	cmd.Stdin = strings.NewReader(sysdpid + "\necho $SYSDPID\n")
 	out, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
@@ -704,7 +704,7 @@ func isSystemdRunning(dist string) (bool, error) {
 }
 
 func terminateDist(dist string) error {
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "--terminate", dist)
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", "--terminate", dist)
 	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("command %s %v failed: %w (%s)", cmd.Path, cmd.Args, err, strings.TrimSpace(string(out)))
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@ func terminateDist(dist string) error {
 }
 
 func unregisterDist(dist string) error {
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "--unregister", dist)
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", "--unregister", dist)
 	out, err := cmd.CombinedOutput()
 	if err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("command %s %v failed: %w (%s)", cmd.Path, cmd.Args, err, strings.TrimSpace(string(out)))
@@ -761,7 +761,7 @@ func getCPUs(name string) (uint64, error) {
 	if run, _ := isWSLRunning(dist); !run {
 		return 0, nil
 	}
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "nproc")
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "nproc")
 	out, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
@@ -791,7 +791,7 @@ func getMem(name string) (strongunits.MiB, error) {
 	if run, _ := isWSLRunning(dist); !run {
 		return 0, nil
 	}
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "cat", "/proc/meminfo")
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "cat", "/proc/meminfo")
 	out, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 	if err != nil {
 		return 0, err
diff --git a/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go b/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go
index 75b12fad03..9759512cbe 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/wsl/stubber.go
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/env"
-	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil"
 
 	gvproxy "github.com/containers/gvisor-tap-vsock/pkg/types"
 	"github.com/containers/podman/v5/pkg/machine"
@@ -105,7 +104,7 @@ func (w WSLStubber) Remove(mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig) ([]string, func() error,
 	// below if we wanted to hard error on the wsl unregister
 	// of the vm
 	wslRemoveFunc := func() error {
-		if err := runCmdPassThrough(wutil.FindWSL(), "--unregister", env.WithPodmanPrefix(mc.Name)); err != nil {
+		if err := runCmdPassThrough("wsl", "--unregister", env.WithPodmanPrefix(mc.Name)); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
 		return nil
@@ -250,7 +249,7 @@ func (w WSLStubber) StopVM(mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig, hardStop bool) error {
 		fmt.Fprintf(os.Stderr, "Could not stop API forwarding service (win-sshproxy.exe): %s\n", err.Error())
 	}
 
-	cmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "sh")
+	cmd := exec.Command("wsl", "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "sh")
 	cmd.Stdin = strings.NewReader(waitTerm)
 	out := &bytes.Buffer{}
 	cmd.Stderr = out
@@ -260,7 +259,7 @@ func (w WSLStubber) StopVM(mc *vmconfigs.MachineConfig, hardStop bool) error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("executing wait command: %w", err)
 	}
 
-	exitCmd := exec.Command(wutil.FindWSL(), "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "/usr/local/bin/enterns", "systemctl", "exit", "0")
+	exitCmd := exec.Command("wsl", "-u", "root", "-d", dist, "/usr/local/bin/enterns", "systemctl", "exit", "0")
 	if err = exitCmd.Run(); err != nil {
 		return fmt.Errorf("stopping systemd: %w", err)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil/wutil.go b/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil/wutil.go
index 49bc638ac4..b452d691d1 100644
--- a/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil/wutil.go
+++ b/pkg/machine/wsl/wutil/wutil.go
@@ -6,21 +6,17 @@ import (
 	"bufio"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"os"
 	"os/exec"
-	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"syscall"
 
-	"github.com/containers/storage/pkg/fileutils"
 	"golang.org/x/text/encoding/unicode"
 	"golang.org/x/text/transform"
 )
 
 var (
-	onceFind, onceStatus    sync.Once
-	wslPath                 string
+	onceStatus              sync.Once
 	status                  wslStatus
 	wslNotInstalledMessages = []string{"kernel file is not found", "The Windows Subsystem for Linux is not installed"}
 	vmpDisabledMessages     = []string{"enable the Virtual Machine Platform Windows feature", "Enable \"Virtual Machine Platform\""}
@@ -33,53 +29,6 @@ type wslStatus struct {
 	wslFeatureEnabled bool
 }
 
-func FindWSL() string {
-	// At the time of this writing, a defect appeared in the OS preinstalled WSL executable
-	// where it no longer reliably locates the preferred Windows App Store variant.
-	//
-	// Manually discover (and cache) the wsl.exe location to bypass the problem
-	onceFind.Do(func() {
-		var locs []string
-
-		// Prefer Windows App Store version
-		if localapp := getLocalAppData(); localapp != "" {
-			locs = append(locs, filepath.Join(localapp, "Microsoft", "WindowsApps", "wsl.exe"))
-		}
-
-		// Otherwise, the common location for the legacy system version
-		root := os.Getenv("SystemRoot")
-		if root == "" {
-			root = `C:\Windows`
-		}
-		locs = append(locs, filepath.Join(root, "System32", "wsl.exe"))
-
-		for _, loc := range locs {
-			if err := fileutils.Exists(loc); err == nil {
-				wslPath = loc
-				return
-			}
-		}
-
-		// Hope for the best
-		wslPath = "wsl"
-	})
-
-	return wslPath
-}
-
-func getLocalAppData() string {
-	localapp := os.Getenv("LOCALAPPDATA")
-	if localapp != "" {
-		return localapp
-	}
-
-	if user := os.Getenv("USERPROFILE"); user != "" {
-		return filepath.Join(user, "AppData", "Local")
-	}
-
-	return localapp
-}
-
 func SilentExec(command string, args ...string) error {
 	cmd := exec.Command(command, args...)
 	cmd.SysProcAttr = &syscall.SysProcAttr{CreationFlags: 0x08000000}
@@ -104,7 +53,7 @@ func parseWSLStatus() wslStatus {
 			vmpFeatureEnabled: false,
 			wslFeatureEnabled: false,
 		}
-		cmd := SilentExecCmd(FindWSL(), "--status")
+		cmd := SilentExecCmd("wsl", "--status")
 		out, err := cmd.StdoutPipe()
 		cmd.Stderr = nil
 		if err != nil {
@@ -130,7 +79,7 @@ func IsWSLInstalled() bool {
 }
 
 func IsWSLFeatureEnabled() bool {
-	if SilentExec(FindWSL(), "--set-default-version", "2") != nil {
+	if SilentExec("wsl", "--set-default-version", "2") != nil {
 		return false
 	}
 	status := parseWSLStatus()
@@ -138,7 +87,7 @@ func IsWSLFeatureEnabled() bool {
 }
 
 func IsWSLStoreVersionInstalled() bool {
-	cmd := SilentExecCmd(FindWSL(), "--version")
+	cmd := SilentExecCmd("wsl", "--version")
 	cmd.Stdout = nil
 	cmd.Stderr = nil
 	if err := cmd.Run(); err != nil {