diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs
index 2090791cd..d36480ea0 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/embedded.rs
@@ -6,8 +6,6 @@ use crate::util::restricted_names;
 use crate::CargoResult;
 use crate::GlobalContext;
 
-const DEFAULT_EDITION: crate::core::features::Edition =
-    crate::core::features::Edition::LATEST_STABLE;
 const AUTO_FIELDS: &[&str] = &[
     "autolib",
     "autobins",
@@ -64,24 +62,20 @@ pub(super) fn expand_manifest(
         }
         cargo_util::paths::write_if_changed(&hacked_path, hacked_source)?;
 
-        let manifest = expand_manifest_(&frontmatter, &hacked_path, gctx)
+        let manifest = expand_manifest_(&frontmatter, &hacked_path)
             .with_context(|| format!("failed to parse manifest at `{}`", path.display()))?;
         let manifest = toml::to_string_pretty(&manifest)?;
         Ok(manifest)
     } else {
         let frontmatter = "";
-        let manifest = expand_manifest_(frontmatter, path, gctx)
+        let manifest = expand_manifest_(frontmatter, path)
             .with_context(|| format!("failed to parse manifest at `{}`", path.display()))?;
         let manifest = toml::to_string_pretty(&manifest)?;
         Ok(manifest)
     }
 }
 
-fn expand_manifest_(
-    manifest: &str,
-    path: &std::path::Path,
-    gctx: &GlobalContext,
-) -> CargoResult<toml::Table> {
+fn expand_manifest_(manifest: &str, path: &std::path::Path) -> CargoResult<toml::Table> {
     let mut manifest: toml::Table = toml::from_str(&manifest)?;
 
     for key in ["workspace", "lib", "bin", "example", "test", "bench"] {
@@ -117,13 +111,6 @@ fn expand_manifest_(
     package
         .entry("name".to_owned())
         .or_insert(toml::Value::String(name));
-    package.entry("edition".to_owned()).or_insert_with(|| {
-        let _ = gctx.shell().warn(format_args!(
-            "`package.edition` is unspecified, defaulting to `{}`",
-            DEFAULT_EDITION
-        ));
-        toml::Value::String(DEFAULT_EDITION.to_string())
-    });
 
     let mut bin = toml::Table::new();
     bin.insert("name".to_owned(), toml::Value::String(bin_name));
@@ -558,7 +545,6 @@ name = "test-"
 path = "/home/me/test.rs"
 
 [package]
-edition = "2024"
 name = "test-"
 
 [workspace]
@@ -587,7 +573,6 @@ path = [..]
 time = "0.1.25"
 
 [package]
-edition = "2024"
 name = "test-"
 
 [workspace]
diff --git a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
index 688d8c184..8491e2ae7 100644
--- a/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
+++ b/src/cargo/util/toml/mod.rs
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ fn normalize_toml(
 
     if let Some(original_package) = original_toml.package() {
         let normalized_package =
-            normalize_package_toml(original_package, manifest_file, is_embedded, &inherit)?;
+            normalize_package_toml(original_package, manifest_file, is_embedded, gctx, &inherit)?;
         let package_name = &normalized_package.name.clone();
         let edition = normalized_package
             .normalized_edition()
@@ -550,6 +550,7 @@ fn normalize_package_toml<'a>(
     original_package: &manifest::TomlPackage,
     manifest_file: &Path,
     is_embedded: bool,
+    gctx: &GlobalContext,
     inherit: &dyn Fn() -> CargoResult<&'a InheritableFields>,
 ) -> CargoResult<Box<manifest::TomlPackage>> {
     let package_root = manifest_file.parent().unwrap();
@@ -559,7 +560,22 @@ fn normalize_package_toml<'a>(
         .clone()
         .map(|value| field_inherit_with(value, "edition", || inherit()?.edition()))
         .transpose()?
-        .map(manifest::InheritableField::Value);
+        .map(manifest::InheritableField::Value)
+        .or_else(|| {
+            if is_embedded {
+                const DEFAULT_EDITION: crate::core::features::Edition =
+                    crate::core::features::Edition::LATEST_STABLE;
+                let _ = gctx.shell().warn(format_args!(
+                    "`package.edition` is unspecified, defaulting to `{}`",
+                    DEFAULT_EDITION
+                ));
+                Some(manifest::InheritableField::Value(
+                    DEFAULT_EDITION.to_string(),
+                ))
+            } else {
+                None
+            }
+        });
     let rust_version = original_package
         .rust_version
         .clone()