diff --git a/cache/classes/factory.php b/cache/classes/factory.php
index 2843daed731..f36f099142b 100644
--- a/cache/classes/factory.php
+++ b/cache/classes/factory.php
@@ -235,15 +235,28 @@ class cache_factory {
      */
     public function create_cache(cache_definition $definition) {
         $class = $definition->get_cache_class();
-        if ($this->is_initialising()) {
+        if ($this->is_initialising() || $this->stores_disabled()) {
             // Do nothing we just want the dummy store.
-            $stores = array();
+            $stores = array($this->create_dummy_store($definition));
         } else {
             $stores = cache_helper::get_cache_stores($definition);
-        }
-        if (count($stores) === 0) {
-            // Hmm no stores, better provide a dummy store to mimick functionality. The dev will be none the wiser.
-            $stores[] = $this->create_dummy_store($definition);
+            if (count($stores) === 0) {
+                // No suitable stores we found for the definition. We need to come up with a sensible default.
+                // If this has happened we can be sure that the user has mapped custom stores to either the
+                // mode of the definition. The first alternative to try is the system default for the mode.
+                // e.g. the default file store instance for application definitions.
+                $config = $this->create_config_instance();
+                foreach ($config->get_stores($definition->get_mode()) as $name => $details) {
+                    if (!empty($details['default'])) {
+                        $stores[] = $this->create_store_from_config($name, $details, $definition);
+                        break;
+                    }
+                }
+                if (count($stores) === 0) {
+                    // Hmm still no stores, better provide a dummy store to mimic functionality. The dev will be none the wiser.
+                    $stores[] = $this->create_dummy_store($definition);
+                }
+            }
         }
         $loader = null;
         if ($definition->has_data_source()) {