diff --git a/src/StorageCache.cpp b/src/StorageCache.cpp
index ad56a253a..af2ac12b7 100644
--- a/src/StorageCache.cpp
+++ b/src/StorageCache.cpp
@@ -148,4 +148,14 @@ size_t StorageCache::count() const
 void StorageCache::beginWriteBatch() { 
     serverAssert(GlobalLocksAcquired());    // Otherwise we deadlock
     m_spstorage->beginWriteBatch(); 
+}
+
+void StorageCache::emergencyFreeCache() {
+    dict *d = m_pdict;
+    m_pdict = nullptr;
+    if (d != nullptr) {
+        g_pserver->asyncworkqueue->AddWorkFunction([d]{
+            dictRelease(d);
+        });
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/StorageCache.h b/src/StorageCache.h
index 9f92f75c0..184eb60bd 100644
--- a/src/StorageCache.h
+++ b/src/StorageCache.h
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ public:
     void bulkInsert(sds *rgkeys, sds *rgvals, size_t celem);
     void retrieve(sds key, IStorage::callbackSingle fn) const;
     bool erase(sds key);
+    void emergencyFreeCache();
+    bool keycacheIsEnabled() const { return m_pdict != nullptr; }
 
     bool enumerate(IStorage::callback fn) const { return m_spstorage->enumerate(fn); }
 
diff --git a/src/db.cpp b/src/db.cpp
index c883bddba..446657040 100644
--- a/src/db.cpp
+++ b/src/db.cpp
@@ -3065,6 +3065,20 @@ void redisDbPersistentData::removeAllCachedValues()
     }
 }
 
+void redisDbPersistentData::disableKeyCache()
+{
+    if (m_spstorage == nullptr)
+        return;
+    m_spstorage->emergencyFreeCache();
+}
+
+bool redisDbPersistentData::keycacheIsEnabled()
+{
+    if (m_spstorage == nullptr)
+        return false;
+    return m_spstorage->keycacheIsEnabled();
+}
+
 void redisDbPersistentData::trackkey(const char *key, bool fUpdate)
 {
     if (m_fTrackingChanges && !m_fAllChanged && m_spstorage) {
diff --git a/src/evict.cpp b/src/evict.cpp
index 84bf21c36..20ebc9058 100644
--- a/src/evict.cpp
+++ b/src/evict.cpp
@@ -868,10 +868,15 @@ cant_free:
             redisDb *db = g_pserver->db[idb];
             if (db->FStorageProvider())
             {
-                serverLog(LL_WARNING, "Failed to evict keys, falling back to flushing entire cache.  Consider increasing maxmemory-samples.");
-                db->removeAllCachedValues();
-                if (((mem_reported - zmalloc_used_memory()) + mem_freed) >= mem_tofree)
-                    result = EVICT_OK;
+                if (db->size() != 0 && db->size(true /*fcachedOnly*/) == 0 && db->keycacheIsEnabled()) {
+                    serverLog(LL_WARNING, "Key cache exceeds maxmemory, freeing - performance may be affected increase maxmemory if possible");
+                    db->disableKeyCache();
+                } else if (db->size(true /*fCachedOnly*/)) {
+                    serverLog(LL_WARNING, "Failed to evict keys, falling back to flushing entire cache.  Consider increasing maxmemory-samples.");
+                    db->removeAllCachedValues();
+                    if (((mem_reported - zmalloc_used_memory()) + mem_freed) >= mem_tofree)
+                        result = EVICT_OK;
+                }
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index 1153fde23..f76d73beb 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -1182,6 +1182,8 @@ public:
     bool FStorageProvider() { return m_spstorage != nullptr; }
     bool removeCachedValue(const char *key, dictEntry **ppde = nullptr);
     void removeAllCachedValues();
+    void disableKeyCache();
+    bool keycacheIsEnabled();
 
     bool prefetchKeysAsync(client *c, struct parsed_command &command, bool fExecOK);
 
@@ -1337,6 +1339,8 @@ struct redisDb : public redisDbPersistentDataSnapshot
     using redisDbPersistentData::endSnapshot;
     using redisDbPersistentData::restoreSnapshot;
     using redisDbPersistentData::removeAllCachedValues;
+    using redisDbPersistentData::disableKeyCache;
+    using redisDbPersistentData::keycacheIsEnabled;
     using redisDbPersistentData::dictUnsafeKeyOnly;
     using redisDbPersistentData::resortExpire;
     using redisDbPersistentData::prefetchKeysAsync;