diff --git a/vcsserver/lib/rc_cache/backends.py b/vcsserver/lib/rc_cache/backends.py
--- a/vcsserver/lib/rc_cache/backends.py
+++ b/vcsserver/lib/rc_cache/backends.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ import errno
 import logging
 
 import msgpack
+import redis
+
 from dogpile.cache.api import CachedValue
 from dogpile.cache.backends import memory as memory_backend
 from dogpile.cache.backends import file as file_backend
@@ -124,6 +126,9 @@ class FileNamespaceBackend(PickleSeriali
         arguments['lock_factory'] = CustomLockFactory
         super(FileNamespaceBackend, self).__init__(arguments)
 
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return '{} `{}`'.format(self.__class__, self.filename)
+
     def list_keys(self, prefix=''):
         prefix = '{}:{}'.format(self.key_prefix, prefix)
 
@@ -167,6 +172,23 @@ class FileNamespaceBackend(PickleSeriali
 
 
 class BaseRedisBackend(redis_backend.RedisBackend):
+
+    def _create_client(self):
+        args = {}
+
+        if self.url is not None:
+            args.update(url=self.url)
+
+        else:
+            args.update(
+                host=self.host, password=self.password,
+                port=self.port, db=self.db
+            )
+
+        connection_pool = redis.ConnectionPool(**args)
+
+        return redis.StrictRedis(connection_pool=connection_pool)
+
     def list_keys(self, prefix=''):
         prefix = '{}:{}*'.format(self.key_prefix, prefix)
         return self.client.keys(prefix)