diff --git a/compressor/cache.py b/compressor/cache.py
index c441522..5f45506 100644
--- a/compressor/cache.py
+++ b/compressor/cache.py
@@ -5,8 +5,10 @@ import time
 from django.core.cache import get_cache
 from django.utils.encoding import smart_str
 from django.utils.hashcompat import md5_constructor
+from django.utils.importlib import import_module
 
 from compressor.conf import settings
+from compressor.utils import get_mod_func
 
 
 def get_hexdigest(plaintext, length=None):
@@ -15,10 +17,18 @@ def get_hexdigest(plaintext, length=None):
         return digest[:length]
     return digest
 
+def simple_cachekey(key):
+    return 'django_compressor.%s' % smart_str(key)
 
-def get_cachekey(key):
-    return ("django_compressor.%s.%s" % (socket.gethostname(), key))
+def socket_cachekey(key):
+    return "django_compressor.%s.%s" % (socket.gethostname(), smart_str(key))
 
+try:
+    mod_name, func_name = get_mod_func(settings.COMPRESS_CACHE_KEY_FUNCTION)
+    get_cachekey = getattr(import_module(mod_name), func_name)
+except (AttributeError, ImportError), e:
+    raise ImportError("Couldn't import cache key function %s: %s" %
+                      (settings.COMPRESS_CACHE_KEY_FUNCTION, e))
 
 def get_mtime_cachekey(filename):
     return get_cachekey("mtime.%s" % get_hexdigest(filename))
diff --git a/compressor/conf.py b/compressor/conf.py
index eed3c66..1f99238 100644
--- a/compressor/conf.py
+++ b/compressor/conf.py
@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@ class CompressorSettings(AppSettings):
 
     # the cache backend to use
     CACHE_BACKEND = None
+    # the dotted path to the function that creates the cache key
+    CACHE_KEY_FUNCTION = 'compressor.cache.simple_cachekey'
     # rebuilds the cache every 30 days if nothing has changed.
     REBUILD_TIMEOUT = 60 * 60 * 24 * 30  # 30 days
     # the upper bound on how long any compression should take to be generated
diff --git a/docs/changelog.txt b/docs/changelog.txt
index bf10332..05eff14 100644
--- a/docs/changelog.txt
+++ b/docs/changelog.txt
@@ -9,6 +9,13 @@ HEAD
   has the potential to breaking lots of apps but on the other hand
   will help find bugs.
 
+- **BACKWARDS-INCOMPATIBLE** The default function to create the cache
+  key stopped containing the server hostname. Instead the cache key
+  now only has the form ``'django_compressor.<KEY>'``.
+
+  To revert to the previous way simply set the ``COMPRESS_CACHE_KEY_FUNCTION``
+  to ``'django_compressor.cache.socket_cachekey'``.
+
 - Added Compass filter (beta).
 
 - Fixed compiler filters on Windows.