diff --git a/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/FieldGrammar/Class.hs b/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/FieldGrammar/Class.hs
index fa815a49a5e..85d0204e51d 100644
--- a/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/FieldGrammar/Class.hs
+++ b/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/FieldGrammar/Class.hs
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 {-# LANGUAGE ConstraintKinds #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE FunctionalDependencies #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE KindSignatures #-}
+{-# LANGUAGE QuantifiedConstraints #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE RankNTypes #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE ScopedTypeVariables #-}
 {-# LANGUAGE UndecidableSuperClasses #-}
@@ -13,6 +15,7 @@ module Distribution.FieldGrammar.Class
   , defaultFreeTextFieldDefST
   ) where
 
+import Data.Kind (Constraint, Type)
 import Distribution.Compat.Lens
 import Distribution.Compat.Prelude
 import Prelude ()
@@ -23,14 +26,12 @@ import Distribution.FieldGrammar.Newtypes
 import Distribution.Fields.Field
 import Distribution.Utils.ShortText
 
--- | 'FieldGrammar' is parametrised by
+-- | @g@ is parametrised by
 --
 -- * @s@ which is a structure we are parsing. We need this to provide prettyprinter
 -- functionality
 --
 -- * @a@ type of the field.
---
--- /Note:/ We'd like to have @forall s. Applicative (f s)@ context.
 class
   ( c SpecVersion
   , c TestedWith
@@ -38,8 +39,9 @@ class
   , c Token
   , c Token'
   , c FilePathNT
+  , forall s. Applicative (g s)
   ) =>
-  FieldGrammar c g
+  FieldGrammar (c :: Type -> Constraint) (g :: Type -> Type -> Type)
     | g -> c
   where
   -- | Unfocus, zoom out, /blur/ 'FieldGrammar'.
@@ -209,7 +211,7 @@ optionalField fn l = optionalFieldAla fn Identity l
 
 -- | Optional field with default value.
 optionalFieldDef
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Functor (g s), c (Identity a), Eq a)
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (Identity a), Eq a)
   => FieldName
   -- ^ field name
   -> ALens' s a
@@ -231,7 +233,7 @@ monoidalField fn l = monoidalFieldAla fn Identity l
 
 -- | Default implementation for 'freeTextFieldDefST'.
 defaultFreeTextFieldDefST
-  :: (Functor (g s), FieldGrammar c g)
+  :: FieldGrammar c g
   => FieldName
   -> ALens' s ShortText
   -- ^ lens into the field
diff --git a/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/PackageDescription/FieldGrammar.hs b/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/PackageDescription/FieldGrammar.hs
index e9081256a2a..788625b94c9 100644
--- a/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/PackageDescription/FieldGrammar.hs
+++ b/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/PackageDescription/FieldGrammar.hs
@@ -95,8 +95,6 @@ import qualified Distribution.Types.Lens as L
 
 packageDescriptionFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g PackageDescription)
-     , Applicative (g PackageIdentifier)
      , c (Identity BuildType)
      , c (Identity PackageName)
      , c (Identity Version)
@@ -166,8 +164,6 @@ packageDescriptionFieldGrammar =
 
 libraryFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g Library)
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (Identity LibraryVisibility)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity ExeDependency) ExeDependency)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity LegacyExeDependency) LegacyExeDependency)
@@ -220,8 +216,6 @@ libraryFieldGrammar n =
 
 foreignLibFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g ForeignLib)
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (Identity ForeignLibType)
      , c (Identity LibVersionInfo)
      , c (Identity Version)
@@ -267,8 +261,6 @@ foreignLibFieldGrammar n =
 
 executableFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g Executable)
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (Identity ExecutableScope)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity ExeDependency) ExeDependency)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity LegacyExeDependency) LegacyExeDependency)
@@ -343,8 +335,6 @@ testStanzaCodeGenerators f s = fmap (\x -> s{_testStanzaCodeGenerators = x}) (f
 
 testSuiteFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g TestSuiteStanza)
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (Identity ModuleName)
      , c (Identity TestType)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity ExeDependency) ExeDependency)
@@ -493,8 +483,6 @@ benchmarkStanzaBuildInfo f s = fmap (\x -> s{_benchmarkStanzaBuildInfo = x}) (f
 
 benchmarkFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g BenchmarkStanza)
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (Identity BenchmarkType)
      , c (Identity ModuleName)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity ExeDependency) ExeDependency)
@@ -603,7 +591,6 @@ unvalidateBenchmark b =
 
 buildInfoFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity ExeDependency) ExeDependency)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity LegacyExeDependency) LegacyExeDependency)
      , c (List CommaFSep (Identity PkgconfigDependency) PkgconfigDependency)
@@ -717,7 +704,6 @@ buildInfoFieldGrammar =
 
 hsSourceDirsGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g BuildInfo)
      , c (List FSep (SymbolicPathNT Pkg (Dir Source)) (SymbolicPath Pkg (Dir Source)))
      )
   => g BuildInfo [SymbolicPath Pkg (Dir Source)]
@@ -734,7 +720,7 @@ hsSourceDirsGrammar =
     wrongLens f bi = (\fps -> set L.hsSourceDirs fps bi) <$> f []
 
 optionsFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Applicative (g BuildInfo), c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
   => g BuildInfo (PerCompilerFlavor [String])
 optionsFieldGrammar =
   PerCompilerFlavor
@@ -751,7 +737,7 @@ optionsFieldGrammar =
     extract flavor = L.options . lookupLens flavor
 
 profOptionsFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Applicative (g BuildInfo), c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
   => g BuildInfo (PerCompilerFlavor [String])
 profOptionsFieldGrammar =
   PerCompilerFlavor
@@ -762,7 +748,7 @@ profOptionsFieldGrammar =
     extract flavor = L.profOptions . lookupLens flavor
 
 sharedOptionsFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Applicative (g BuildInfo), c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
   => g BuildInfo (PerCompilerFlavor [String])
 sharedOptionsFieldGrammar =
   PerCompilerFlavor
@@ -773,7 +759,7 @@ sharedOptionsFieldGrammar =
     extract flavor = L.sharedOptions . lookupLens flavor
 
 profSharedOptionsFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Applicative (g BuildInfo), c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (List NoCommaFSep Token' String))
   => g BuildInfo (PerCompilerFlavor [String])
 profSharedOptionsFieldGrammar =
   PerCompilerFlavor
@@ -796,7 +782,7 @@ lookupLens k f p@(PerCompilerFlavor ghc ghcjs)
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 flagFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Applicative (g PackageFlag))
+  :: FieldGrammar c g
   => FlagName
   -> g PackageFlag PackageFlag
 flagFieldGrammar name =
@@ -812,7 +798,7 @@ flagFieldGrammar name =
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 sourceRepoFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Applicative (g SourceRepo), c (Identity RepoType), c Token, c FilePathNT)
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (Identity RepoType), c Token, c FilePathNT)
   => RepoKind
   -> g SourceRepo SourceRepo
 sourceRepoFieldGrammar kind =
@@ -831,7 +817,7 @@ sourceRepoFieldGrammar kind =
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 setupBInfoFieldGrammar
-  :: (FieldGrammar c g, Functor (g SetupBuildInfo), c (List CommaVCat (Identity Dependency) Dependency))
+  :: (FieldGrammar c g, c (List CommaVCat (Identity Dependency) Dependency))
   => Bool
   -> g SetupBuildInfo SetupBuildInfo
 setupBInfoFieldGrammar def =
diff --git a/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/Types/InstalledPackageInfo/FieldGrammar.hs b/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/Types/InstalledPackageInfo/FieldGrammar.hs
index 6d2849c5142..fe4d435b8ed 100644
--- a/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/Types/InstalledPackageInfo/FieldGrammar.hs
+++ b/Cabal-syntax/src/Distribution/Types/InstalledPackageInfo/FieldGrammar.hs
@@ -55,8 +55,6 @@ f <@> x = f <*> x
 
 ipiFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g InstalledPackageInfo)
-     , Applicative (g Basic)
      , c (Identity AbiHash)
      , c (Identity LibraryVisibility)
      , c (Identity PackageName)
@@ -301,7 +299,6 @@ basicLibVisibility f b =
 
 basicFieldGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g Basic)
      , c (Identity LibraryVisibility)
      , c (Identity PackageName)
      , c (Identity UnqualComponentName)
diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/BuildReports/Anonymous.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/BuildReports/Anonymous.hs
index 5a274dd42c1..bc6c0fa170a 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/BuildReports/Anonymous.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/BuildReports/Anonymous.hs
@@ -111,8 +111,7 @@ cabalInstallID =
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 fieldDescrs
-  :: ( Applicative (g BuildReport)
-     , FieldGrammar c g
+  :: ( FieldGrammar c g
      , c (Identity Arch)
      , c (Identity CompilerId)
      , c (Identity FlagAssignment)
diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdInstall/ClientInstallFlags.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdInstall/ClientInstallFlags.hs
index a19e7b38fcd..81e3b72eed5 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdInstall/ClientInstallFlags.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/CmdInstall/ClientInstallFlags.hs
@@ -123,7 +123,6 @@ clientInstallOptions _ =
 
 clientInstallFlagsGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g ClientInstallFlags)
      , c (Identity (Flag Bool))
      , c (Flag' FilePathNT FilePath)
      , c (Identity (Flag OverwritePolicy))
diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs
index fc4faa6a64a..755cedd087b 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/ProjectConfig/Legacy.hs
@@ -1805,7 +1805,6 @@ legacyPackageConfigFieldDescrs =
 
 legacyPackageConfigFGSectionDescrs
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g SourceRepoList)
      , c (Identity RepoType)
      , c (List NoCommaFSep FilePathNT String)
      , c (NonEmpty' NoCommaFSep Token String)
@@ -1837,7 +1836,6 @@ legacyPackageConfigSectionDescrs =
 
 packageRepoSectionDescr
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g SourceRepoList)
      , c (Identity RepoType)
      , c (List NoCommaFSep FilePathNT String)
      , c (NonEmpty' NoCommaFSep Token String)
diff --git a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Types/SourceRepo.hs b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Types/SourceRepo.hs
index 69767645cfc..3e30ed20bd0 100644
--- a/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Types/SourceRepo.hs
+++ b/cabal-install/src/Distribution/Client/Types/SourceRepo.hs
@@ -102,7 +102,6 @@ srpCommandLensNE f s = fmap (\x -> s{srpCommand = maybe [] toList x}) (f (nonEmp
 
 sourceRepositoryPackageGrammar
   :: ( FieldGrammar c g
-     , Applicative (g SourceRepoList)
      , c (Identity RepoType)
      , c (List NoCommaFSep FilePathNT String)
      , c (NonEmpty' NoCommaFSep Token String)
diff --git a/changelog.d/pr-11821.md b/changelog.d/pr-11821.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..1851112e955
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/pr-11821.md
@@ -0,0 +1,7 @@
+---
+synopsis: Require `Applicative (g s)` as a superclass of `FieldGrammar`
+packages: [Cabal-syntax,cabal-install]
+prs: 11821
+---
+
+This allows us to scrap a bit of boilerplate.