diff --git a/nova/cmd/conductor.py b/nova/cmd/conductor.py
index 16847c2e5610..d4c260fb832c 100644
--- a/nova/cmd/conductor.py
+++ b/nova/cmd/conductor.py
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import nova.conf
 from nova import config
 from nova import objects
 from nova import service
+from nova import utils
 from nova import version
 
 CONF = nova.conf.CONF
@@ -43,5 +44,7 @@ def main():
     server = service.Service.create(binary='nova-conductor',
                                     topic=rpcapi.RPC_TOPIC)
     workers = CONF.conductor.workers or processutils.get_worker_count()
+
+    utils.destroy_default_executor()
     service.serve(server, workers=workers)
     service.wait()
diff --git a/nova/conductor/manager.py b/nova/conductor/manager.py
index c9067a971312..f407ed4d6722 100644
--- a/nova/conductor/manager.py
+++ b/nova/conductor/manager.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 """Handles database requests from other nova services."""
 
 import collections
+import concurrent.futures
 import contextlib
 import copy
 import functools
@@ -2071,8 +2072,8 @@ class ComputeTaskManager:
             fields.NotificationPhase.START)
 
         clock = timeutils.StopWatch()
-        threads = CONF.image_cache.precache_concurrency
-        fetch_executor = utils.create_executor(threads)
+        cache_image_executor = utils.get_cache_images_executor()
+        futures = []
 
         hosts_by_cell = {}
         cells_by_uuid = {}
@@ -2143,11 +2144,12 @@ class ComputeTaskManager:
                             {'host': host})
                         skipped_host(target_ctxt, host, image_ids)
                         continue
-                    utils.spawn_on(fetch_executor, wrap_cache_images,
-                                   target_ctxt, host, image_ids)
-
+                    future = utils.spawn_on(cache_image_executor,
+                                    wrap_cache_images,
+                                    target_ctxt, host, image_ids)
+                    futures.append(future)
         # Wait until all those things finish
-        fetch_executor.shutdown(wait=True)
+        concurrent.futures.wait(futures)
 
         overall_stats = {'cached': 0, 'existing': 0, 'error': 0,
                          'unsupported': 0}
diff --git a/nova/tests/fixtures/nova.py b/nova/tests/fixtures/nova.py
index fa8760d1c1a7..615b76167e17 100644
--- a/nova/tests/fixtures/nova.py
+++ b/nova/tests/fixtures/nova.py
@@ -1199,12 +1199,15 @@ class IsolatedExecutorFixture(fixtures.Fixture):
         # Just safety that the previous testcase cleaned up after itself
         assert utils.SCATTER_GATHER_EXECUTOR is None
         assert utils.DEFAULT_EXECUTOR is None
+        assert utils.CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR is None
 
         origi_get_scatter_gather = utils.get_scatter_gather_executor
         origi_default_executor = utils._get_default_executor
+        origi_get_cache_images_executor = utils.get_cache_images_executor
 
         self.executor = None
         self.scatter_gather_executor = None
+        self.cache_images_executor = None
 
         def _get_default_executor():
             self.executor = origi_default_executor()
@@ -1232,11 +1235,25 @@ class IsolatedExecutorFixture(fixtures.Fixture):
         self.addCleanup(
             lambda: self.do_cleanup_executor(self.scatter_gather_executor))
 
+        def _get_cache_images_executor():
+            self.cache_images_executor = origi_get_cache_images_executor()
+            self.cache_images_executor.name = (
+                f"{self.test_case_id}.cache_images")
+            return self.cache_images_executor
+
+        self.useFixture(fixtures.MonkeyPatch(
+            'nova.utils.get_cache_images_executor',
+            _get_cache_images_executor))
+
+        self.addCleanup(
+            lambda: self.do_cleanup_executor(self.cache_images_executor))
+
         self.addCleanup(self.reset_globals)
 
     def reset_globals(self):
         utils.SCATTER_GATHER_EXECUTOR = None
         utils.DEFAULT_EXECUTOR = None
+        utils.CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR = None
 
     def do_cleanup_executor(self, executor):
         # NOTE(gibi): we cannot rely on utils.concurrency_mode_threading
diff --git a/nova/utils.py b/nova/utils.py
index db00c515bdd5..3202178917d8 100644
--- a/nova/utils.py
+++ b/nova/utils.py
@@ -1220,6 +1220,43 @@ def destroy_scatter_gather_executor():
     SCATTER_GATHER_EXECUTOR = None
 
 
+CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR = None
+
+
+def get_cache_images_executor():
+    """Returns the executor used for cache images operations."""
+    global CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR
+
+    if not CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR:
+        max_workers = CONF.image_cache.precache_concurrency
+        CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR = create_executor(max_workers)
+
+        pname = multiprocessing.current_process().name
+        executor_name = f"{pname}.cache_images"
+        CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR.name = executor_name
+
+        LOG.info("The cache images executor %s is initialized", executor_name)
+
+    return CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR
+
+
+def destroy_cache_images_executor():
+    """Closes the executor and resets the global to None to allow forked worker
+    processes to properly init it.
+    """
+    global CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR
+    if CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR:
+        LOG.info(
+            "The cache images thread pool %s is shutting down",
+            CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR.name)
+        CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR.shutdown()
+        LOG.info(
+            "The cache images thread pool %s is closed",
+            CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR.name)
+
+    CACHE_IMAGES_EXECUTOR = None
+
+
 def _log_executor_stats(executor):
     if CONF.thread_pool_statistic_period < 0:
         return