diff --git a/src/robot/parsing/model/visitor.py b/src/robot/parsing/model/visitor.py
index fb176459fb5..8d4b8e25d34 100644
--- a/src/robot/parsing/model/visitor.py
+++ b/src/robot/parsing/model/visitor.py
@@ -13,30 +13,48 @@
 #  See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 #  limitations under the License.
 
-import ast
+from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
+from ast import AST, NodeTransformer, NodeVisitor
 
 from .statements import Node
 
 
-class VisitorFinder:
+class VisitorFinder(ABC):
+    def __init_subclass__(cls, **kwargs):
+        super().__init_subclass__(**kwargs)
+        cls.__visitor_finder_cache = {}
 
-    def _find_visitor(self, cls):
-        if cls is ast.AST:
+    @classmethod
+    def _find_visitor_class_method(cls, node_cls):
+        if node_cls is AST:
             return None
-        method = 'visit_' + cls.__name__
-        if hasattr(self, method):
-            return getattr(self, method)
-        # Forward-compatibility.
-        if method == 'visit_Return' and hasattr(self, 'visit_ReturnSetting'):
-            return getattr(self, 'visit_ReturnSetting')
-        for base in cls.__bases__:
-            visitor = self._find_visitor(base)
-            if visitor:
-                return visitor
+        method_name = "visit_" + node_cls.__name__
+        method = getattr(cls, method_name, None)
+        if callable(method):
+            return method
+        if method_name == "visit_Return":
+            method = getattr(cls, "visit_ReturnSetting", None)
+            if callable(method):
+                return method
+        for base in node_cls.__bases__:
+            method = cls._find_visitor_class_method(base)
+            if method:
+                return method
         return None
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _find_visitor(cls, node_cls):
+        if node_cls in cls.__visitor_finder_cache:
+            return cls.__visitor_finder_cache[node_cls]
+        result = cls.__visitor_finder_cache[node_cls] = cls._find_visitor_class_method(node_cls) or cls.generic_visit
+        return result
 
-class ModelVisitor(ast.NodeVisitor, VisitorFinder):
+    @abstractmethod
+    def generic_visit(self, node):
+        ...
+
+
+class ModelVisitor(NodeVisitor, VisitorFinder):
     """NodeVisitor that supports matching nodes based on their base classes.
 
     In other ways identical to the standard `ast.NodeVisitor
@@ -49,12 +67,12 @@ def visit_Statement(self, node):
             ...
     """
 
-    def visit(self, node: Node):
-        visitor = self._find_visitor(type(node)) or self.generic_visit
-        visitor(node)
+    def visit(self, node: Node) -> None:
+        visitor = self._find_visitor(type(node))
+        visitor(self, node)
 
 
-class ModelTransformer(ast.NodeTransformer, VisitorFinder):
+class ModelTransformer(NodeTransformer, VisitorFinder):
     """NodeTransformer that supports matching nodes based on their base classes.
 
     See :class:`ModelVisitor` for explanation how this is different compared
@@ -62,6 +80,6 @@ class ModelTransformer(ast.NodeTransformer, VisitorFinder):
     <https://docs.python.org/library/ast.html#ast.NodeTransformer>`__.
     """
 
-    def visit(self, node: Node):
-        visitor = self._find_visitor(type(node)) or self.generic_visit
-        return visitor(node)
+    def visit(self, node: Node) -> "Node|list[Node]|None":
+        visitor = self._find_visitor(type(node))
+        return visitor(self, node)