diff --git a/cms/envs/common.py b/cms/envs/common.py
index 7bc9e6c436..a3204be72f 100644
--- a/cms/envs/common.py
+++ b/cms/envs/common.py
@@ -312,6 +312,7 @@ simplefilter('ignore')
 ################################# Middleware ###################################
 
 MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
+    'crum.CurrentRequestUserMiddleware',
     'request_cache.middleware.RequestCache',
     'header_control.middleware.HeaderControlMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.cache.UpdateCacheMiddleware',
@@ -332,7 +333,6 @@ MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
 
     'student.middleware.UserStandingMiddleware',
     'contentserver.middleware.StaticContentServer',
-    'crum.CurrentRequestUserMiddleware',
 
     'django.contrib.messages.middleware.MessageMiddleware',
     'track.middleware.TrackMiddleware',
diff --git a/common/djangoapps/request_cache/middleware.py b/common/djangoapps/request_cache/middleware.py
index ecb85633ef..a3198711ea 100644
--- a/common/djangoapps/request_cache/middleware.py
+++ b/common/djangoapps/request_cache/middleware.py
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+"""
+An implementation of a RequestCache. This cache is reset at the beginning
+and end of every request.
+"""
+
+import crum
 import threading
 
 
@@ -8,7 +14,6 @@ class _RequestCache(threading.local):
     def __init__(self):
         super(_RequestCache, self).__init__()
         self.data = {}
-        self.request = None
 
 
 REQUEST_CACHE = _RequestCache()
@@ -30,7 +35,7 @@ class RequestCache(object):
         """
         This method is deprecated. Please use :func:`request_cache.get_request`.
         """
-        return REQUEST_CACHE.request
+        return crum.get_current_request()
 
     @classmethod
     def clear_request_cache(cls):
@@ -38,11 +43,9 @@ class RequestCache(object):
         Empty the request cache.
         """
         REQUEST_CACHE.data = {}
-        REQUEST_CACHE.request = None
 
     def process_request(self, request):
         self.clear_request_cache()
-        REQUEST_CACHE.request = request
         return None
 
     def process_response(self, request, response):
diff --git a/lms/envs/common.py b/lms/envs/common.py
index d448942567..fa5c061556 100644
--- a/lms/envs/common.py
+++ b/lms/envs/common.py
@@ -1087,7 +1087,10 @@ simplefilter('ignore')
 ################################# Middleware ###################################
 
 MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
+    'crum.CurrentRequestUserMiddleware',
+
     'request_cache.middleware.RequestCache',
+
     'mobile_api.middleware.AppVersionUpgrade',
     'header_control.middleware.HeaderControlMiddleware',
     'microsite_configuration.middleware.MicrositeMiddleware',
@@ -1111,7 +1114,6 @@ MIDDLEWARE_CLASSES = (
 
     'student.middleware.UserStandingMiddleware',
     'contentserver.middleware.StaticContentServer',
-    'crum.CurrentRequestUserMiddleware',
 
     # Adds user tags to tracking events
     # Must go before TrackMiddleware, to get the context set up