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
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@
     if (!isset($this->consistentService)) {
       $this->consistentService = 'cache.backend.database';
     }
-    if (!isset($this->fastService)) {
-      $this->fastService = function_exists('apc_fetch') ? 'cache.backend.apcu' : 'cache.backend.null';
+    if (!isset($this->fastService) && function_exists('apc_fetch')) {
+      $this->fastService = 'cache.backend.apcu';
     }
   }
 
@@ -68,11 +68,19 @@
    *   The cache backend object associated with the specified bin.
    */
   public function get($bin) {
-    return new ChainedFastBackend(
-      $this->container->get($this->consistentService)->get($bin),
-      $this->container->get($this->fastService)->get($bin),
-      $bin
-    );
+    $backend = $this->container->get($this->consistentService)->get($bin);
+
+    // Use the chained backend only if there is a fast backend available;
+    // otherwise, just return the consistent backend directly.
+    if (isset($this->fastService)) {
+      $backend = new ChainedFastBackend(
+        $backend,
+        $this->container->get($this->fastService)->get($bin),
+        $bin
+      );
+    }
+
+    return $backend;
   }
 
 }