diff --git a/django/core/cache/__init__.py b/django/core/cache/__init__.py
index b97c7469bb..346deae916 100644
--- a/django/core/cache/__init__.py
+++ b/django/core/cache/__init__.py
@@ -176,12 +176,13 @@ def get_cache(backend, **kwargs):
     except (AttributeError, ImportError), e:
         raise InvalidCacheBackendError(
             "Could not find backend '%s': %s" % (backend, e))
-    return backend_cls(location, params)
+    cache = backend_cls(location, params)
+    # Some caches -- python-memcached in particular -- need to do a cleanup at the
+    # end of a request cycle. If the cache provides a close() method, wire it up
+    # here.
+    if hasattr(cache, 'close'):
+        signals.request_finished.connect(cache.close)
+    return cache
 
 cache = get_cache(DEFAULT_CACHE_ALIAS)
 
-# Some caches -- python-memcached in particular -- need to do a cleanup at the
-# end of a request cycle. If the cache provides a close() method, wire it up
-# here.
-if hasattr(cache, 'close'):
-    signals.request_finished.connect(cache.close)
diff --git a/tests/regressiontests/cache/tests.py b/tests/regressiontests/cache/tests.py
index 0e28f66ae8..bd29cde533 100644
--- a/tests/regressiontests/cache/tests.py
+++ b/tests/regressiontests/cache/tests.py
@@ -1040,6 +1040,13 @@ class GetCacheTests(unittest.TestCase):
 
         self.assertRaises(InvalidCacheBackendError, get_cache, 'does_not_exist')
 
+    def test_close(self):
+        from django.core import signals
+        cache = get_cache('regressiontests.cache.closeable_cache.CacheClass')
+        self.assertFalse(cache.closed)
+        signals.request_finished.send(self.__class__)
+        self.assertTrue(cache.closed)
+
 
 class CacheUtils(TestCase):
     """TestCase for django.utils.cache functions."""