diff --git a/bookwyrm/settings.py b/bookwyrm/settings.py
index 61b45c423..74bd363e5 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/settings.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/settings.py
@@ -257,11 +257,8 @@ if env.bool("USE_DUMMY_CACHE", False):
 else:
     CACHES = {
         "default": {
-            "BACKEND": "django_redis.cache.RedisCache",
+            "BACKEND": "django.core.cache.backends.redis.RedisCache",
             "LOCATION": REDIS_ACTIVITY_URL,
-            "OPTIONS": {
-                "CLIENT_CLASS": "django_redis.client.DefaultClient",
-            },
         },
         "file_resubmit": {
             "BACKEND": "django.core.cache.backends.filebased.FileBasedCache",
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index 7f52a64f1..a867b4c02 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -12,12 +12,12 @@ django-imagekit==5.0.0
 django-model-utils==4.4.0
 django-oauth-toolkit==2.3.0
 django-pgtrigger==4.11.0
-django-redis==5.2.0
 django-sass-processor==1.4
 django-storages==1.14.2
 django-storages[azure]
 environs==11.0.0
 flower==2.0.1
+hiredis==2.3.2
 libsass==0.23.0
 Markdown==3.6
 opentelemetry-api==1.24.0