diff --git a/lib/db/caches.php b/lib/db/caches.php
index 14dca042857..b05d07977e3 100644
--- a/lib/db/caches.php
+++ b/lib/db/caches.php
@@ -466,7 +466,7 @@ $definitions = array(
     // Cache for licenses.
     'license' => [
         'mode' => cache_store::MODE_APPLICATION,
-        'simplekeys' => false,
-        'simpledata' => false
+        'simplekeys' => true,
+        'simpledata' => false,
     ],
 );
diff --git a/lib/licenselib.php b/lib/licenselib.php
index 3010ef9b2dd..c12bc54c113 100644
--- a/lib/licenselib.php
+++ b/lib/licenselib.php
@@ -227,21 +227,24 @@ class license_manager {
         $cache = \cache::make('core', 'license');
         $licenses = $cache->get('licenses');
 
-        if (empty($licenses)) {
+        if ($licenses === false) {
             $licenses = [];
             $records = $DB->get_records_select('license', null, null, 'sortorder ASC');
             foreach ($records as $license) {
-                // Interpret core license strings for internationalisation.
-                if ($license->custom == self::CORE_LICENSE) {
-                    $license->fullname = get_string($license->shortname, 'license');
-                } else {
-                    $license->fullname = format_string($license->fullname);
-                }
                 $licenses[$license->shortname] = $license;
             }
             $cache->set('licenses', $licenses);
         }
 
+        foreach ($licenses as $license) {
+            // Localise the license names.
+            if ($license->custom == self::CORE_LICENSE) {
+                $license->fullname = get_string($license->shortname, 'core_license');
+            } else {
+                $license->fullname = format_string($license->fullname);
+            }
+        }
+
         return $licenses;
     }