diff --git a/nova/context.py b/nova/context.py
index be49d2945c42..a22185dcbfcf 100644
--- a/nova/context.py
+++ b/nova/context.py
@@ -34,6 +34,10 @@ from nova import policy
 from nova import utils
 
 LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+# TODO(melwitt): This cache should be cleared whenever WSGIService receives a
+# SIGHUP and periodically based on an expiration time. Currently, none of the
+# cell caches are purged, so neither is this one, for now.
+CELL_CACHE = {}
 
 
 class _ContextAuthPlugin(plugin.BaseAuthPlugin):
@@ -370,15 +374,31 @@ def set_target_cell(context, cell_mapping):
     :param context: The RequestContext to add connection information
     :param cell_mapping: An objects.CellMapping object or None
     """
+    global CELL_CACHE
     if cell_mapping is not None:
         # avoid circular import
         from nova import db
         from nova import rpc
-        db_connection_string = cell_mapping.database_connection
-        context.db_connection = db.create_context_manager(db_connection_string)
-        if not cell_mapping.transport_url.startswith('none'):
-            context.mq_connection = rpc.create_transport(
-                cell_mapping.transport_url)
+
+        # Synchronize access to the cache by multiple API workers.
+        @utils.synchronized(cell_mapping.uuid)
+        def get_or_set_cached_cell_and_set_connections():
+            try:
+                cell_tuple = CELL_CACHE[cell_mapping.uuid]
+            except KeyError:
+                db_connection_string = cell_mapping.database_connection
+                context.db_connection = db.create_context_manager(
+                    db_connection_string)
+                if not cell_mapping.transport_url.startswith('none'):
+                    context.mq_connection = rpc.create_transport(
+                        cell_mapping.transport_url)
+                CELL_CACHE[cell_mapping.uuid] = (context.db_connection,
+                                                 context.mq_connection)
+            else:
+                context.db_connection = cell_tuple[0]
+                context.mq_connection = cell_tuple[1]
+
+        get_or_set_cached_cell_and_set_connections()
     else:
         context.db_connection = None
         context.mq_connection = None
diff --git a/nova/test.py b/nova/test.py
index be20f539820a..dd6f68e8745d 100644
--- a/nova/test.py
+++ b/nova/test.py
@@ -264,6 +264,7 @@ class TestCase(testtools.TestCase):
         # NOTE(danms): Reset the cached list of cells
         from nova.compute import api
         api.CELLS = []
+        context.CELL_CACHE = {}
 
         self.cell_mappings = {}
         self.host_mappings = {}
diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py b/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py
index 89a1db237292..e44a730eee7f 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/test_context.py
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ from nova import context
 from nova import exception
 from nova import objects
 from nova import test
+from nova.tests import uuidsentinel as uuids
 
 
 class ContextTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
@@ -302,7 +303,8 @@ class ContextTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         ctxt.db_connection = mock.sentinel.db_conn
         ctxt.mq_connection = mock.sentinel.mq_conn
         mapping = objects.CellMapping(database_connection='fake://',
-                                      transport_url='fake://')
+                                      transport_url='fake://',
+                                      uuid=uuids.cell)
         with context.target_cell(ctxt, mapping):
             self.assertEqual(ctxt.db_connection, mock.sentinel.cdb)
             self.assertEqual(ctxt.mq_connection, mock.sentinel.cmq)
@@ -333,3 +335,27 @@ class ContextTestCase(test.NoDBTestCase):
         self.assertIsNone(ctxt.user_id)
         self.assertIsNone(ctxt.project_id)
         self.assertFalse(ctxt.is_admin)
+
+    @mock.patch('nova.rpc.create_transport')
+    @mock.patch('nova.db.create_context_manager')
+    def test_target_cell_caching(self, mock_create_cm, mock_create_tport):
+        mock_create_cm.return_value = mock.sentinel.db_conn_obj
+        mock_create_tport.return_value = mock.sentinel.mq_conn_obj
+        ctxt = context.get_context()
+        mapping = objects.CellMapping(database_connection='fake://db',
+                                      transport_url='fake://mq',
+                                      uuid=uuids.cell)
+        # First call should create new connection objects.
+        with context.target_cell(ctxt, mapping):
+            self.assertEqual(mock.sentinel.db_conn_obj, ctxt.db_connection)
+            self.assertEqual(mock.sentinel.mq_conn_obj, ctxt.mq_connection)
+        mock_create_cm.assert_called_once_with('fake://db')
+        mock_create_tport.assert_called_once_with('fake://mq')
+        # Second call should use cached objects.
+        mock_create_cm.reset_mock()
+        mock_create_tport.reset_mock()
+        with context.target_cell(ctxt, mapping):
+            self.assertEqual(mock.sentinel.db_conn_obj, ctxt.db_connection)
+            self.assertEqual(mock.sentinel.mq_conn_obj, ctxt.mq_connection)
+        mock_create_cm.assert_not_called()
+        mock_create_tport.assert_not_called()
diff --git a/releasenotes/notes/bug-1691545-1acd6512effbdffb.yaml b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1691545-1acd6512effbdffb.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e4a0bf4f9048
--- /dev/null
+++ b/releasenotes/notes/bug-1691545-1acd6512effbdffb.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+fixes:
+  - |
+    Fixes `bug 1691545`_ in which there was a significant increase in database
+    connections because of the way connections to cell databases were being
+    established. With this fix, objects related to database connections are
+    cached in the API service and reused to prevent new connections being
+    established for every communication with cell databases.
+
+    .. _bug 1691545: https://bugs.launchpad.net/nova/+bug/1691545