diff --git a/dockermake/builds.py b/dockermake/builds.py
index 413155a..7774c80 100644
--- a/dockermake/builds.py
+++ b/dockermake/builds.py
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ def build(self, client,
         Drives the build of the final image - get the list of steps and execute them.
 
         Args:
-            client (docker.APIClient): docker client object that will build the image
+            client (docker.Client): docker client object that will build the image
             nobuild (bool): just create dockerfiles, don't actually build the image
             keepbuildtags (bool): keep tags on intermediate images
             usecache (bool): use docker cache, or rebuild everything from scratch?
@@ -142,13 +142,13 @@ def update_source_images(self, client, usecache, pull):
     def finalizenames(self, client, finalimage, keepbuildtags):
         """ Tag the built image with its final name and untag intermediate containers
         """
-        client.tag(finalimage, *self.targetname.split(':'))
+        client.api.tag(finalimage, *self.targetname.split(':'))
         cprint('Tagged final image as "%s"' % self.targetname,
                'green')
         if not keepbuildtags:
             print('Untagging intermediate containers:', end='')
             for step in self.steps:
-                client.remove_image(step.buildname, force=True)
+                client.api.remove_image(step.buildname, force=True)
                 print(step.buildname, end=',')
             print()
 
diff --git a/dockermake/staging.py b/dockermake/staging.py
index 6d1f7b4..0d1a97c 100644
--- a/dockermake/staging.py
+++ b/dockermake/staging.py
@@ -105,9 +105,7 @@ def stage(self, startimage, newimage):
         buildargs = dict(path=cachedir,
                          tag=newimage,
                          decode=True)
-
-        if self.cache_from:
-            buildargs['cache_from'] = self.cache_from
+        utils.set_build_cachefrom(self.cache_from, buildargs, client)
 
         # Build and show logs
         stream = client.api.build(**buildargs)
diff --git a/dockermake/step.py b/dockermake/step.py
index 2507205..ca385df 100644
--- a/dockermake/step.py
+++ b/dockermake/step.py
@@ -78,7 +78,7 @@ def build(self, client, pull=False, usecache=True):
         step.
 
         Args:
-            client (docker.APIClient): docker client object that will build the image
+            client (docker.Client): docker client object that will build the image
             pull (bool): whether to pull dependent layers from remote repositories
             usecache (bool): whether to use cached layers or rebuild from scratch
         """
@@ -94,7 +94,8 @@ def build(self, client, pull=False, usecache=True):
             usecache = False
 
         if not usecache:
-            print('   INFO: Docker caching disabled - forcing rebuild')
+            cprint('  Build cache disabled - this image will be rebuilt from scratch',
+                   'yellow')
 
         dockerfile = u'\n'.join(self.dockerfile_lines)
 
@@ -103,8 +104,8 @@ def build(self, client, pull=False, usecache=True):
                           nocache=not usecache,
                           decode=True, rm=True)
 
-        if usecache and self.cache_from:
-            build_args['cache_from'] = self.cache_from
+        if usecache:
+            utils.set_build_cachefrom(self.cache_from, build_args, client)
 
         if self.build_dir is not None:
             tempdir = self.write_dockerfile(dockerfile)
@@ -139,7 +140,7 @@ def build(self, client, pull=False, usecache=True):
             tempdir = None
 
         # start the build
-        stream = client.build(**build_args)
+        stream = client.api.build(**build_args)
         try:
             utils.stream_docker_logs(stream, self.buildname)
         except (ValueError, docker.errors.APIError) as e:
@@ -150,6 +151,7 @@ def build(self, client, pull=False, usecache=True):
             os.unlink(os.path.join(tempdir, 'Dockerfile'))
             os.rmdir(tempdir)
 
+
     def write_dockerfile(self, dockerfile):
         tempdir = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(self.build_dir, DOCKER_TMPDIR))
         temp_df = os.path.join(tempdir, 'Dockerfile')
@@ -165,11 +167,11 @@ def build_external_dockerfile(client, image):
         cprint("  Building base image from %s" % image, 'blue')
         assert not image.built
 
-        stream = client.build(path=os.path.dirname(image.path),
-                              dockerfile=os.path.basename(image.path),
-                              tag=image.tag,
-                              decode=True,
-                              rm=True)
+        stream = client.api.build(path=os.path.dirname(image.path),
+                                  dockerfile=os.path.basename(image.path),
+                                  tag=image.tag,
+                                  decode=True,
+                                  rm=True)
 
         try:
             utils.stream_docker_logs(stream, image)
diff --git a/dockermake/utils.py b/dockermake/utils.py
index 7a4a7c7..a187262 100644
--- a/dockermake/utils.py
+++ b/dockermake/utils.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
 import textwrap
 
 import yaml
-import docker
+import docker.errors
+from termcolor import cprint
 
 from . import errors
 
@@ -95,7 +96,7 @@ def build_targets(args, defs, targets):
     if args.no_build:
         client = None
     else:
-        client = get_client_api()
+        client = get_client()
 
     if args.push_to_registry and args.registry_user:
         if not args.repository:
@@ -147,7 +148,7 @@ def push(client, name):
         print(warn)
     else:
         print('  Pushing %s to %s:' % (name, name.split('/')[0]))
-        stream = _linestream(client.push(name, stream=True))
+        stream = _linestream(client.api.push(name, stream=True))
         line = stream_docker_logs(stream, 'PUSH %s' % name)
 
         if 'error' in line:
@@ -216,6 +217,7 @@ def get_console_width():
 
 SHOWSIZE = set(('Pushing', 'Pulling', 'Pulled', 'Downloaded', 'Downloading'))
 
+
 def _show_xfer_state(pullstats, item):
     imgid = item['id']
     stat = item['status']
@@ -231,3 +233,20 @@ def _show_xfer_state(pullstats, item):
         return toprint
     else:
         return None
+
+
+def set_build_cachefrom(cache_from, buildargs, client):
+    if cache_from:  # use cachefrom only if at least one of the images exists
+        for image in cache_from:
+            try:
+                client.images.get(image)
+            except docker.errors.ImageNotFound:
+                pass
+            else:
+                cprint("  Build cache sources: %s" % cache_from,
+                       'blue')
+                buildargs['cache_from'] = cache_from
+                return
+        else:
+            cprint("  No build cache sources present; ignoring --cache-repo and --cache-tag",
+                   'blue')
diff --git a/test/test_features.py b/test/test_features.py
index 734db4f..cd93b19 100644
--- a/test/test_features.py
+++ b/test/test_features.py
@@ -76,8 +76,9 @@ def test_no_cache(twin_simple_targets):
     image1, image2 = twin_simple_targets
     assert image1.id != image2.id
 
-
-def test_explicit_cache_from(twin_simple_targets, docker_client):
+clean8 = creates_images('img1repo/simple-target:img1tag',
+                        'img2repo/simple-target:img2tag')
+def test_explicit_cache_from(twin_simple_targets, docker_client, clean8):
     image1, image2 = twin_simple_targets
     image1.tag('img1repo/simple-target', tag='img1tag')
     image2.tag('img2repo/simple-target', tag='img2tag')
@@ -88,6 +89,15 @@ def test_explicit_cache_from(twin_simple_targets, docker_client):
     assert final_image.id == image1.id
 
 
+def test_cache_fallback(twin_simple_targets, docker_client):
+    image1, image2 = twin_simple_targets
+
+    run_docker_make('-f data/simple.yml simple-target'
+                    ' --cache-repo fakerepo --cache-tag faketag')
+    final_image = docker_client.images.get('simple-target')
+    assert final_image.id == image2.id
+
+
 def _check_files(img, **present):
     for f, record in _FILES.items():
         if not present.get(f, True):