diff --git a/datasette/app.py b/datasette/app.py
index d4ea9287..70704eeb 100644
--- a/datasette/app.py
+++ b/datasette/app.py
@@ -147,6 +147,12 @@ class ConnectedDatabase:
             p = Path(path)
             self.hash = inspect_hash(p)
             self.cached_size = p.stat().st_size
+            # Maybe use self.ds.inspect_data to populate cached_table_counts
+            if self.ds.inspect_data and self.ds.inspect_data.get(self.name):
+                self.cached_table_counts = {
+                    key: value["count"]
+                    for key, value in self.ds.inspect_data[self.name]["tables"].items()
+                }
 
     @property
     def size(self):
@@ -310,6 +316,7 @@ class Datasette:
         elif memory:
             self.files = (MEMORY,) + self.files
         self.databases = {}
+        self.inspect_data = inspect_data
         for file in self.files:
             path = file
             is_memory = False
@@ -325,7 +332,6 @@ class Datasette:
             self.databases[db.name] = db
         self.cache_headers = cache_headers
         self.cors = cors
-        self._inspect = inspect_data
         self._metadata = metadata or {}
         self.sqlite_functions = []
         self.sqlite_extensions = sqlite_extensions or []
diff --git a/tests/fixtures.py b/tests/fixtures.py
index bc6d55b2..d85aef95 100644
--- a/tests/fixtures.py
+++ b/tests/fixtures.py
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ def make_app_client(
     filename="fixtures.db",
     is_immutable=False,
     extra_databases=None,
+    inspect_data=None,
 ):
     with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
         filepath = os.path.join(tmpdir, filename)
@@ -71,6 +72,7 @@ def make_app_client(
             metadata=METADATA,
             plugins_dir=plugins_dir,
             config=config,
+            inspect_data=inspect_data,
         )
         ds.sqlite_functions.append(("sleep", 1, lambda n: time.sleep(float(n))))
         client = TestClient(ds.app().test_client)
diff --git a/tests/test_cli.py b/tests/test_cli.py
index cd85c4d4..d1ab6522 100644
--- a/tests/test_cli.py
+++ b/tests/test_cli.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-from .fixtures import app_client
+from .fixtures import app_client, make_app_client
 from datasette.cli import cli
 from click.testing import CliRunner
 import pathlib
@@ -31,6 +31,14 @@ def test_inspect_cli_writes_to_file(app_client):
     assert ["fixtures"] == list(data.keys())
 
 
+def test_serve_with_inspect_file_prepopulates_table_counts_cache():
+    inspect_data = {"fixtures": {"tables": {"hithere": {"count": 44}}}}
+    for client in make_app_client(inspect_data=inspect_data, is_immutable=True):
+        assert inspect_data == client.ds.inspect_data
+        db = client.ds.databases["fixtures"]
+        assert {"hithere": 44} == db.cached_table_counts
+
+
 def test_spatialite_error_if_attempt_to_open_spatialite():
     runner = CliRunner()
     result = runner.invoke(