diff --git a/keystone/common/cache/core.py b/keystone/common/cache/core.py
index f66b7037bd..7703652f6f 100644
--- a/keystone/common/cache/core.py
+++ b/keystone/common/cache/core.py
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ def configure_cache_region(region):
         raise exception.ValidationError(
             _('region not type dogpile.cache.CacheRegion'))
 
-    if 'backend' not in region.__dict__:
+    if not region.is_configured:
         # NOTE(morganfainberg): this is how you tell if a region is configured.
         # There is a request logged with dogpile.cache upstream to make this
         # easier / less ugly.
diff --git a/keystone/tests/ksfixtures/cache.py b/keystone/tests/ksfixtures/cache.py
index cb5f126929..74566f1ebc 100644
--- a/keystone/tests/ksfixtures/cache.py
+++ b/keystone/tests/ksfixtures/cache.py
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ class Cache(fixtures.Fixture):
 
         # NOTE(morganfainberg):  The only way to reconfigure the CacheRegion
         # object on each setUp() call is to remove the .backend property.
-        if hasattr(cache.REGION, 'backend'):
+        if cache.REGION.is_configured:
             del cache.REGION.backend
 
         # ensure the cache region instance is setup