diff --git a/geonode/proxy/utils.py b/geonode/proxy/utils.py
index 96187f33b0c..800ab9001e0 100644
--- a/geonode/proxy/utils.py
+++ b/geonode/proxy/utils.py
@@ -2,13 +2,17 @@
 
 from django.conf import settings
 from django.db.models import signals
-from django.core.cache import caches
 
 site_url = urlsplit(settings.SITEURL)
 
 PROXIED_LINK_TYPES = ["OGC:WMS", "OGC:WFS", "data"]
 
-proxy_allowed_hosts_cache = caches["proxy_allowed_hosts"]
+if not settings.MEMCACHED_ENABLED:
+    from django.core.cache import caches
+
+    proxy_cache = caches["proxy_allowed_hosts"]
+else:
+    from django.core.cache import cache as proxy_cache
 
 
 class ProxyUrlsRegistry:
@@ -19,13 +23,11 @@ def initialize(self):
         from geonode.geoserver.helpers import ogc_server_settings
 
         # since we are initializing the cache, we will clear the previous values
-        cache_val = proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.get("proxy_list")
-        if cache_val:
-            proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.set("proxy_list", {})
+
+        if not proxy_cache.get("proxy_list") or proxy_cache.get("proxy_list"):
+            proxy_cache.set("proxy_list", {})
         # adding the value of the proxy in
-        proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.set(
-            "proxy_list", set([site_url.hostname] + list(getattr(settings, "PROXY_ALLOWED_HOSTS", ())))
-        )
+        proxy_cache.set("proxy_list", set([site_url.hostname] + list(getattr(settings, "PROXY_ALLOWED_HOSTS", ()))))
 
         if ogc_server_settings:
             self.register_host(ogc_server_settings.hostname)
@@ -40,26 +42,27 @@ def initialize(self):
             self._first_init = False
 
     def set(self, hosts):
-        proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.set("proxy_list", set(hosts))
+        proxy_cache.set("proxy_list", set(hosts))
         return self
 
     def clear(self):
-        proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.get("proxy_list").clear()
+        if proxy_cache.get("proxy_list"):
+            proxy_cache.set("proxy_list", {})
         return self
 
     def register_host(self, host):
-        prev = proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.get("proxy_list")
+        prev = proxy_cache.get("proxy_list")
         if prev:
             old_hosts = prev.copy()
             old_hosts.add(host)
             host = old_hosts
-        proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.set("proxy_list", host)
+        proxy_cache.set("proxy_list", host)
 
     def unregister_host(self, host):
-        proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.get("proxy_list").remove(host)
+        proxy_cache.get("proxy_list").remove(host)
 
     def get_proxy_allowed_hosts(self):
-        return proxy_allowed_hosts_cache.get("proxy_list")
+        return proxy_cache.get("proxy_list")
 
 
 proxy_urls_registry = ProxyUrlsRegistry()
diff --git a/geonode/settings.py b/geonode/settings.py
index 8dbebea3c70..cc80c28c007 100644
--- a/geonode/settings.py
+++ b/geonode/settings.py
@@ -369,10 +369,6 @@
         "TIMEOUT": 600,
         "OPTIONS": {"MAX_ENTRIES": 10000},
     },
-    "proxy_allowed_hosts": {
-        "BACKEND": "django.core.cache.backends.filebased.FileBasedCache",
-        "LOCATION": os.getenv("FILE_SYSTEM_CACHE_LOCATION", "/tmp/django_cache"),
-    },
 }
 
 # Whitenoise Settings - ref.: http://whitenoise.evans.io/en/stable/django.html
@@ -390,6 +386,11 @@
         "BACKEND": MEMCACHED_BACKEND,
         "LOCATION": MEMCACHED_LOCATION,
     }
+else:
+    CACHES["proxy_allowed_hosts"] = {
+        "BACKEND": "django.core.cache.backends.filebased.FileBasedCache",
+        "LOCATION": os.getenv("FILE_SYSTEM_CACHE_LOCATION", "/tmp/django_cache"),
+    }
 
 # Define the STATICFILES_STORAGE accordingly
 if not DEBUG and CACHE_BUSTING_STATIC_ENABLED: