diff --git a/bookwyrm/utils/cache.py b/bookwyrm/utils/cache.py
index 2fca1264..aebb8e75 100644
--- a/bookwyrm/utils/cache.py
+++ b/bookwyrm/utils/cache.py
@@ -6,5 +6,6 @@ def get_or_set(cache_key, function, *args, timeout=None):
     """Django's built-in get_or_set isn't cutting it"""
     value = cache.get(cache_key)
     if value is None:
-        cache.set(cache_key, function(*args), timeout=timeout)
-    return cache.get(cache_key)
+        value = function(*args)
+        cache.set(cache_key, value, timeout=timeout)
+    return value