diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/CacheFactory.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/CacheFactory.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/CacheFactory.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/CacheFactory.php
@@ -73,13 +73,14 @@
       $service_name = $this->defaultBinBackends[$bin];
     }
     // Third, use configured default backend.
-    elseif(isset($cache_settings['default'])) {
+    elseif (isset($cache_settings['default'])) {
       // Make sure the defined default exists
-      if(\Drupal::hasService($cache_settings['default'])) {
+      if ($this->container->has($cache_settings['default'])) {
         $service_name = $cache_settings['default'];
-      } else {
+      }
+      else {
         // if it doesn't, use the default db cache.
-        $service_name = 'cache.backend.database';
+        $service_name = 'cache.backend.null';
       }
     }
     else {
diff -u b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/ChainedFastBackendFactory.php b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/ChainedFastBackendFactory.php
--- b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/ChainedFastBackendFactory.php
+++ b/core/lib/Drupal/Core/Cache/ChainedFastBackendFactory.php
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@
     // Default the consistent backend to the site's default backend.
     if (!isset($consistent_service_name)) {
       $cache_settings = isset($settings) ? $settings->get('cache') : [];
-      $consistent_service_name = isset($cache_settings['default']) && \Drupal::hasService($cache_settings['default']) ? $cache_settings['default'] : 'cache.backend.database';
+      $consistent_service_name = isset($cache_settings['default']) && \Drupal::hasService($cache_settings['default']) ? $cache_settings['default'] : 'cache.backend.null';
     }
 
     // Default the fast backend to APCu if it's available.