diff --git a/modules/exllamav2.py b/modules/exllamav2.py
index be5ef8d3..9b6da83c 100644
--- a/modules/exllamav2.py
+++ b/modules/exllamav2.py
@@ -59,9 +59,7 @@ class Exllamav2Model:
             model.load(split)
 
         # Determine the correct cache type
-        kv_cache_type = 'fp16'
-        if shared.args.cache_type:
-            kv_cache_type = shared.args.cache_type.lower()
+        kv_cache_type = shared.args.cache_type.lower()
 
         if kv_cache_type == 'fp16':
             cache_type = ExLlamaV2Cache
diff --git a/modules/exllamav2_hf.py b/modules/exllamav2_hf.py
index f6b943c8..62d1e054 100644
--- a/modules/exllamav2_hf.py
+++ b/modules/exllamav2_hf.py
@@ -47,9 +47,7 @@ class Exllamav2HF(PreTrainedModel):
             self.ex_model.load(split)
 
         # Determine the correct cache type
-        kv_cache_type = 'fp16'
-        if shared.args.cache_type:
-            kv_cache_type = shared.args.cache_type.lower()
+        kv_cache_type = shared.args.cache_type.lower()
 
         if kv_cache_type == 'fp16':
             cache_type = ExLlamaV2Cache
diff --git a/modules/llamacpp_hf.py b/modules/llamacpp_hf.py
index 79098250..f9964fe8 100644
--- a/modules/llamacpp_hf.py
+++ b/modules/llamacpp_hf.py
@@ -197,7 +197,7 @@ class LlamacppHF(PreTrainedModel):
             'flash_attn': shared.args.flash_attn
         }
 
-        if shared.args.cache_type:
+        if shared.args.cache_type != 'fp16':
             params["type_k"] = get_llamacpp_cache_type_for_string(shared.args.cache_type)
             params["type_v"] = get_llamacpp_cache_type_for_string(shared.args.cache_type)
 
diff --git a/modules/llamacpp_model.py b/modules/llamacpp_model.py
index c8b3456e..6a76ee4e 100644
--- a/modules/llamacpp_model.py
+++ b/modules/llamacpp_model.py
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ class LlamaCppModel:
             'flash_attn': shared.args.flash_attn
         }
 
-        if shared.args.cache_type:
+        if shared.args.cache_type != 'fp16':
             params["type_k"] = get_llamacpp_cache_type_for_string(shared.args.cache_type)
             params["type_v"] = get_llamacpp_cache_type_for_string(shared.args.cache_type)
 
diff --git a/modules/shared.py b/modules/shared.py
index 41865e22..cab61226 100644
--- a/modules/shared.py
+++ b/modules/shared.py
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ group.add_argument('--cpp-runner', action='store_true', help='Use the ModelRunne
 
 # Cache
 group = parser.add_argument_group('Cache')
-group.add_argument('--cache_type', type=str, default=None, help='KV cache type; valid options: llama.cpp - fp16, q8_0, q4_0; ExLlamaV2 - fp16, fp8, q8, q6, q4.')
+group.add_argument('--cache_type', type=str, default='fp16', help='KV cache type; valid options: llama.cpp - fp16, q8_0, q4_0; ExLlamaV2 - fp16, fp8, q8, q6, q4.')
 
 # DeepSpeed
 group = parser.add_argument_group('DeepSpeed')
@@ -295,12 +295,11 @@ def transform_legacy_kv_cache_options(opts):
 
     # Retrieve values
     loader = get('loader')
-    cache_type = get('cache_type')
     cache_8bit = get('cache_8bit')
     cache_4bit = get('cache_4bit')
 
     # Determine cache type based on loader or legacy flags
-    if not cache_type:
+    if cache_8bit or cache_4bit:
         if not loader:
             # Legacy behavior: prefer 8-bit over 4-bit to minimize breakage
             if cache_8bit: