diff --git a/litellm/caching.py b/litellm/caching.py
index cbaa3bb20..1d993927b 100644
--- a/litellm/caching.py
+++ b/litellm/caching.py
@@ -230,8 +230,15 @@ class Cache:
             if param in kwargs:
                 # check if param == model and model_group is passed in, then override model with model_group
                 if param == "model":
-                    # for litellm.Router use model_group for caching over `model`
-                    model_group = kwargs.get("metadata", {}).get("model_group", None) or kwargs.get("litellm_params", {}).get("metadata", {}).get("model_group", None)
+                    model_group = None
+                    metadata = kwargs.get("metadata", None)
+                    litellm_params = kwargs.get("litellm_params", {})
+                    if metadata is not None:
+                        model_group = metadata.get("model_group")
+                    if litellm_params is not None:
+                        metadata = litellm_params.get("metadata", None)
+                        if metadata is not None:
+                            model_group = metadata.get("model_group", None)
                     param_value = model_group or kwargs[param] # use model_group if it exists, else use kwargs["model"]
                 else:
                     if kwargs[param] is None: