diff --git a/backend/smb/connpool.go b/backend/smb/connpool.go
index e040881d9..aa2b0a178 100644
--- a/backend/smb/connpool.go
+++ b/backend/smb/connpool.go
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ func (f *Fs) dial(ctx context.Context, network, addr string) (*conn, error) {
 
 	d := &smb2.Dialer{}
 	if f.opt.UseKerberos {
-		cl, err := NewKerberosFactory().GetClient(f.opt.KerberosCCache)
+		cl, err := kerberosFactory.GetClient(f.opt.KerberosCCache)
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
diff --git a/backend/smb/kerberos.go b/backend/smb/kerberos.go
index fdbb19ddd..eaebce931 100644
--- a/backend/smb/kerberos.go
+++ b/backend/smb/kerberos.go
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ type KerberosFactory struct {
 	loadConfig func() (*config.Config, error)
 }
 
+// kerberosFactory is the shared KerberosFactory used to cache all connections
+var kerberosFactory = NewKerberosFactory()
+
 // NewKerberosFactory creates a new instance of KerberosFactory with default dependencies.
 func NewKerberosFactory() *KerberosFactory {
 	return &KerberosFactory{