diff --git a/axes/checks.py b/axes/checks.py
index c191db4..56f6283 100644
--- a/axes/checks.py
+++ b/axes/checks.py
@@ -4,14 +4,10 @@ from axes.conf import settings
 
 
 class Messages:
-    CACHE_MISSING = 'missing cache configuration for AXES_CACHE'
     CACHE_INVALID = 'invalid cache configuration for settings.AXES_CACHE'
 
 
 class Hints:
-    CACHE_MISSING = (
-        'django-axes needs to have a cache configured with settings.AXES_CACHE'
-    )
     CACHE_INVALID = (
         'django-axes does not work properly with LocMemCache as the cache backend'
         ' please add e.g. a DummyCache backend and configure it with settings.AXES_CACHE'
@@ -19,8 +15,7 @@ class Hints:
 
 
 class Codes:
-    CACHE_MISSING = 'axes.E001'
-    CACHE_INVALID = 'axes.E002'
+    CACHE_INVALID = 'axeslE001'
 
 
 @register(Tags.caches)
@@ -35,20 +30,15 @@ def axes_cache_backend_check(app_configs, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-a
         'django.core.cache.backends.locmem.LocMemCache',
     ]
 
-    if not axes_cache_config:
-        errors.append(Error(
-            msg=Messages.CACHE_MISSING,
-            hint=Hints.CACHE_MISSING,
-            obj=settings.CACHES,
-            id=Codes.CACHE_MISSING,
-        ))
+    axes_handler = getattr(settings, 'AXES_HANDLER', '')
 
-    if axes_cache_backend in axes_cache_incompatible_backends:
-        errors.append(Error(
-            msg=Messages.CACHE_INVALID,
-            hint=Hints.CACHE_INVALID,
-            obj=settings.CACHES,
-            id=Codes.CACHE_INVALID,
-        ))
+    if axes_handler == 'axes.handlers.cache.AxesCacheHandler':
+        if axes_cache_backend in axes_cache_incompatible_backends:
+            errors.append(Error(
+                msg=Messages.CACHE_INVALID,
+                hint=Hints.CACHE_INVALID,
+                obj=settings.CACHES,
+                id=Codes.CACHE_INVALID,
+            ))
 
     return errors
diff --git a/axes/handlers/cache.py b/axes/handlers/cache.py
index 43eca0c..0557b98 100644
--- a/axes/handlers/cache.py
+++ b/axes/handlers/cache.py
@@ -5,7 +5,8 @@ from axes.exceptions import AxesSignalPermissionDenied
 from axes.handlers.base import AxesBaseHandler
 from axes.signals import user_locked_out
 from axes.utils import (
-    get_axes_cache,
+    get_cache,
+    get_cache_timeout,
     get_client_cache_key,
     get_client_ip_address,
     get_client_path_info,
@@ -13,7 +14,6 @@ from axes.utils import (
     get_client_username,
     get_client_user_agent,
     get_credentials,
-    get_cool_off,
 )
 
 log = getLogger(settings.AXES_LOGGER)
@@ -25,8 +25,8 @@ class AxesCacheHandler(AxesBaseHandler):  # pylint: disable=too-many-locals
     """
 
     def __init__(self):
-        self.cache = get_axes_cache()
-        self.cache_timeout = get_cool_off().total_seconds()
+        self.cache = get_cache()
+        self.cache_timeout = get_cache_timeout()
 
     def get_failures(self, request, credentials=None, attempt_time=None) -> int:
         cache_key = get_client_cache_key(request, credentials)
diff --git a/axes/tests/base.py b/axes/tests/base.py
index 05186df..2e75973 100644
--- a/axes/tests/base.py
+++ b/axes/tests/base.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ from django.urls import reverse
 
 from axes.attempts import reset
 from axes.conf import settings
-from axes.utils import get_axes_cache, get_cool_off, get_credentials
+from axes.utils import get_cache, get_cool_off, get_credentials
 from axes.models import AccessLog, AccessAttempt
 
 
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ class AxesTestCase(TestCase):
         self.credentials = get_credentials(self.username)
 
     def tearDown(self):
-        get_axes_cache().clear()
+        get_cache().clear()
 
     def get_kwargs_with_defaults(self, **kwargs):
         defaults = {
diff --git a/axes/tests/test_checks.py b/axes/tests/test_checks.py
index 217f04c..7916098 100644
--- a/axes/tests/test_checks.py
+++ b/axes/tests/test_checks.py
@@ -8,20 +8,7 @@ from axes.tests.base import AxesTestCase
 
 class CacheCheckTestCase(AxesTestCase):
     @override_settings(
-        AXES_CACHE='nonexistent',
-    )
-    def test_cache_missing_produces_check_error(self):
-        errors = run_checks()
-        error = Error(
-            msg=Messages.CACHE_MISSING,
-            hint=Hints.CACHE_MISSING,
-            obj=settings.CACHES,
-            id=Codes.CACHE_MISSING,
-        )
-
-        self.assertIn(error, errors)
-
-    @override_settings(
+        AXES_HANDLER='axes.handlers.cache.AxesCacheHandler',
         AXES_CACHE='axes',
         CACHES={
             'axes': {
diff --git a/axes/utils.py b/axes/utils.py
index 22458fc..292240d 100644
--- a/axes/utils.py
+++ b/axes/utils.py
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ from axes.conf import settings
 logger = getLogger(__name__)
 
 
-def get_axes_cache() -> BaseCache:
+def get_cache() -> BaseCache:
     """
     Get the cache instance Axes is configured to use with ``settings.AXES_CACHE`` and use ``'default'`` if not set.
     """