diff --git a/etc/proxy-server.conf-sample b/etc/proxy-server.conf-sample
index de51c7bcce..b89f8e6c45 100644
--- a/etc/proxy-server.conf-sample
+++ b/etc/proxy-server.conf-sample
@@ -144,6 +144,15 @@ use = egg:swift#proxy
 # so this value should be set less than recheck_updating_shard_ranges.
 # recheck_listing_shard_ranges = 600
 #
+# For particularly active containers, having information age out of cache can
+# be quite painful: suddenly thousands of requests per second all miss and
+# have to go to disk. By (rarely) going direct to disk regardless of whether
+# data is present in memcache, we can periodically refresh the data in memcache
+# without causing a thundering herd. Values around 0.0 - 0.1 (i.e., one in
+# every thousand requests skips cache, or fewer) are recommended.
+# container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache_pct = 0.0
+# container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache_pct = 0.0
+#
 # object_chunk_size = 65536
 # client_chunk_size = 65536
 #
diff --git a/swift/proxy/controllers/base.py b/swift/proxy/controllers/base.py
index 278a8b8329..d083926010 100644
--- a/swift/proxy/controllers/base.py
+++ b/swift/proxy/controllers/base.py
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ import functools
 import inspect
 import itertools
 import operator
+import random
 from copy import deepcopy
 from sys import exc_info
 
@@ -2384,9 +2385,14 @@ class Controller(object):
 
         cached_ranges = infocache.get(cache_key)
         if cached_ranges is None and memcache:
-            cached_ranges = memcache.get(cache_key)
-            self.app.logger.increment('shard_updating.cache.%s'
-                                      % ('hit' if cached_ranges else 'miss'))
+            skip_chance = \
+                self.app.container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache
+            if skip_chance and random.random() < skip_chance:
+                self.app.logger.increment('shard_updating.cache.skip')
+            else:
+                cached_ranges = memcache.get(cache_key)
+                self.app.logger.increment('shard_updating.cache.%s' % (
+                    'hit' if cached_ranges else 'miss'))
 
         if cached_ranges:
             shard_ranges = [
diff --git a/swift/proxy/controllers/container.py b/swift/proxy/controllers/container.py
index 6a54454a3a..36cc53b3a5 100644
--- a/swift/proxy/controllers/container.py
+++ b/swift/proxy/controllers/container.py
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 
 import json
 import math
+import random
 
 import six
 from six.moves.urllib.parse import unquote
@@ -150,7 +151,15 @@ class ContainerController(Controller):
                                           shard='listing')
                 cached_ranges = infocache.get(cache_key)
                 if cached_ranges is None and memcache:
-                    cached_ranges = memcache.get(cache_key)
+                    skip_chance = \
+                        self.app.container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache
+                    if skip_chance and random.random() < skip_chance:
+                        self.app.logger.increment('shard_listing.cache.skip')
+                    else:
+                        cached_ranges = memcache.get(cache_key)
+                        self.app.logger.increment('shard_listing.cache.%s' % (
+                            'hit' if cached_ranges else 'miss'))
+
                 if cached_ranges is not None:
                     infocache[cache_key] = tuple(cached_ranges)
                     # shard ranges can be returned from cache
diff --git a/swift/proxy/server.py b/swift/proxy/server.py
index e63d20d56d..1e1388c419 100644
--- a/swift/proxy/server.py
+++ b/swift/proxy/server.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ from swift.common.utils import Watchdog, get_logger, \
     get_remote_client, split_path, config_true_value, generate_trans_id, \
     affinity_key_function, affinity_locality_predicate, list_from_csv, \
     register_swift_info, parse_prefixed_conf, config_auto_int_value, \
-    config_request_node_count_value
+    config_request_node_count_value, config_percent_value
 from swift.common.constraints import check_utf8, valid_api_version
 from swift.proxy.controllers import AccountController, ContainerController, \
     ObjectControllerRouter, InfoController
@@ -227,6 +227,12 @@ class Application(object):
         self.recheck_account_existence = \
             int(conf.get('recheck_account_existence',
                          DEFAULT_RECHECK_ACCOUNT_EXISTENCE))
+        self.container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache = \
+            config_percent_value(conf.get(
+                'container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache_pct', 0))
+        self.container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache = \
+            config_percent_value(conf.get(
+                'container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache_pct', 0))
         self.allow_account_management = \
             config_true_value(conf.get('allow_account_management', 'no'))
         self.container_ring = container_ring or Ring(swift_dir,
diff --git a/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py b/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py
index c26bbd2664..85bda3f037 100644
--- a/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py
+++ b/test/unit/proxy/controllers/test_container.py
@@ -2090,10 +2090,11 @@ class TestContainerController(TestRingBase):
         # this test gets shard ranges into cache and then reads from cache
         sharding_state = 'sharded'
         self.memcache.delete_all()
-        self.memcache.clear_calls()
+
         # container is sharded but proxy does not have that state cached;
         # expect a backend request and expect shard ranges to be cached
         self.memcache.clear_calls()
+        self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment'][:] = []
         req = self._build_request({'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type},
                                   {'states': 'listing'}, {})
         backend_req, resp = self._capture_backend_request(
@@ -2121,10 +2122,51 @@ class TestContainerController(TestRingBase):
         self.assertIn('shard-listing/a/c', req.environ['swift.infocache'])
         self.assertEqual(tuple(self.sr_dicts),
                          req.environ['swift.infocache']['shard-listing/a/c'])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [x[0][0] for x in self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment']],
+            [])
+
+        # container is sharded and proxy has that state cached, but
+        # no shard ranges cached; expect a cache miss and write-back
+        self.memcache.delete('shard-listing/a/c')
+        self.memcache.clear_calls()
+        self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment'][:] = []
+        req = self._build_request({'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type},
+                                  {'states': 'listing'}, {})
+        backend_req, resp = self._capture_backend_request(
+            req, 200, self._stub_shards_dump,
+            {'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard',
+             'X-Backend-Sharding-State': sharding_state,
+             'X-Backend-Override-Shard-Name-Filter': 'true'})
+        self._check_backend_req(
+            req, backend_req,
+            extra_hdrs={'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type,
+                        'X-Backend-Override-Shard-Name-Filter': 'sharded'})
+        self._check_response(resp, self.sr_dicts, {
+            'X-Backend-Recheck-Container-Existence': '60',
+            'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard',
+            'X-Backend-Sharding-State': sharding_state})
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [mock.call.get('container/a/c'),
+             mock.call.get('shard-listing/a/c'),
+             mock.call.set('shard-listing/a/c', self.sr_dicts,
+                           time=exp_recheck_listing),
+             # Since there was a backend request, we go ahead and cache
+             # container info, too
+             mock.call.set('container/a/c', mock.ANY, time=60)],
+            self.memcache.calls)
+        self.assertIn('swift.infocache', req.environ)
+        self.assertIn('shard-listing/a/c', req.environ['swift.infocache'])
+        self.assertEqual(tuple(self.sr_dicts),
+                         req.environ['swift.infocache']['shard-listing/a/c'])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [x[0][0] for x in self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment']],
+            ['shard_listing.cache.miss'])
 
         # container is sharded and proxy does have that state cached and
         # also has shard ranges cached; expect a read from cache
         self.memcache.clear_calls()
+        self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment'][:] = []
         req = self._build_request({'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type},
                                   {'states': 'listing'}, {})
         resp = req.get_response(self.app)
@@ -2140,6 +2182,70 @@ class TestContainerController(TestRingBase):
         self.assertIn('shard-listing/a/c', req.environ['swift.infocache'])
         self.assertEqual(tuple(self.sr_dicts),
                          req.environ['swift.infocache']['shard-listing/a/c'])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [x[0][0] for x in self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment']],
+            ['shard_listing.cache.hit'])
+
+        # if there's a chance to skip cache, maybe we go to disk again...
+        self.memcache.clear_calls()
+        self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment'][:] = []
+        self.app.container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache = 0.10
+        req = self._build_request({'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type},
+                                  {'states': 'listing'}, {})
+        with mock.patch('random.random', return_value=0.05):
+            backend_req, resp = self._capture_backend_request(
+                req, 200, self._stub_shards_dump,
+                {'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard',
+                 'X-Backend-Sharding-State': sharding_state,
+                 'X-Backend-Override-Shard-Name-Filter': 'true'})
+        self._check_backend_req(
+            req, backend_req,
+            extra_hdrs={'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type,
+                        'X-Backend-Override-Shard-Name-Filter': 'sharded'})
+        self._check_response(resp, self.sr_dicts, {
+            'X-Backend-Recheck-Container-Existence': '60',
+            'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard',
+            'X-Backend-Sharding-State': sharding_state})
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [mock.call.get('container/a/c'),
+             mock.call.set('shard-listing/a/c', self.sr_dicts,
+                           time=exp_recheck_listing),
+             # Since there was a backend request, we go ahead and cache
+             # container info, too
+             mock.call.set('container/a/c', mock.ANY, time=60)],
+            self.memcache.calls)
+        self.assertIn('swift.infocache', req.environ)
+        self.assertIn('shard-listing/a/c', req.environ['swift.infocache'])
+        self.assertEqual(tuple(self.sr_dicts),
+                         req.environ['swift.infocache']['shard-listing/a/c'])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [x[0][0] for x in self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment']],
+            ['shard_listing.cache.skip'])
+
+        # ... or maybe we serve from cache
+        self.memcache.clear_calls()
+        self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment'][:] = []
+        req = self._build_request({'X-Backend-Record-Type': record_type},
+                                  {'states': 'listing'}, {})
+        with mock.patch('random.random', return_value=0.11):
+            resp = req.get_response(self.app)
+        self._check_response(resp, self.sr_dicts, {
+            'X-Backend-Cached-Results': 'true',
+            'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard',
+            'X-Backend-Sharding-State': sharding_state})
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [mock.call.get('container/a/c'),
+             mock.call.get('shard-listing/a/c')],
+            self.memcache.calls)
+        self.assertIn('swift.infocache', req.environ)
+        self.assertIn('shard-listing/a/c', req.environ['swift.infocache'])
+        self.assertEqual(tuple(self.sr_dicts),
+                         req.environ['swift.infocache']['shard-listing/a/c'])
+        self.assertEqual(
+            [x[0][0] for x in self.logger.logger.log_dict['increment']],
+            ['shard_listing.cache.hit'])
+        # put this back the way we found it for later subtests
+        self.app.container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache = 0.0
 
         # delete the container; check that shard ranges are evicted from cache
         self.memcache.clear_calls()
diff --git a/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py b/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
index 96e7e6e798..1550ba55b7 100644
--- a/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
+++ b/test/unit/proxy/test_server.py
@@ -639,6 +639,18 @@ class TestProxyServerConfiguration(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertEqual(app.recheck_updating_shard_ranges, 1800)
         self.assertEqual(app.recheck_listing_shard_ranges, 900)
 
+    def test_memcache_skip_options(self):
+        # check default options
+        app = self._make_app({})
+        self.assertEqual(app.container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache, 0)
+        self.assertEqual(app.container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache, 0)
+        # check custom options
+        app = self._make_app({
+            'container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache_pct': '0.01',
+            'container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache_pct': '0.1'})
+        self.assertEqual(app.container_listing_shard_ranges_skip_cache, 0.0001)
+        self.assertEqual(app.container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache, 0.001)
+
 
 @patch_policies([StoragePolicy(0, 'zero', True, object_ring=FakeRing())])
 class TestProxyServer(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -4247,6 +4259,140 @@ class TestReplicatedObjectController(
         do_test('PUT', 'sharding')
         do_test('PUT', 'sharded')
 
+    @patch_policies([
+        StoragePolicy(0, 'zero', is_default=True, object_ring=FakeRing()),
+        StoragePolicy(1, 'one', object_ring=FakeRing()),
+    ])
+    def test_backend_headers_update_shard_container_can_skip_cache(self):
+        # verify that when container is sharded the backend container update is
+        # directed to the shard container
+        # reset the router post patch_policies
+        self.app.obj_controller_router = proxy_server.ObjectControllerRouter()
+        self.app.sort_nodes = lambda nodes, *args, **kwargs: nodes
+        self.app.recheck_updating_shard_ranges = 3600
+        self.app.container_updating_shard_ranges_skip_cache = 0.001
+
+        def do_test(method, sharding_state):
+            self.app.logger = debug_logger('proxy-ut')  # clean capture state
+            cached_shard_ranges = [
+                utils.ShardRange(
+                    '.shards_a/c_nope', utils.Timestamp.now(), '', 'l'),
+                utils.ShardRange(
+                    '.shards_a/c_uhn_uh', utils.Timestamp.now(), 'l', 'u'),
+                utils.ShardRange(
+                    '.shards_a/c_no_way', utils.Timestamp.now(), 'u', ''),
+            ]
+            cache = FakeMemcache()
+            cache.set('shard-updating/a/c', tuple(
+                dict(shard_range) for shard_range in cached_shard_ranges))
+
+            # sanity check: we can get the old shard from cache
+            req = Request.blank(
+                '/v1/a/c/o', {'swift.cache': cache},
+                method=method, body='', headers={'Content-Type': 'text/plain'})
+            # acc HEAD, cont HEAD, obj POSTs
+            # we want the container_info response to say policy index of 1 and
+            # sharding state
+            status_codes = (200, 200, 202, 202, 202)
+            resp_headers = {'X-Backend-Storage-Policy-Index': 1,
+                            'x-backend-sharding-state': sharding_state,
+                            'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard'}
+            with mock.patch('random.random', return_value=1), \
+                 mocked_http_conn(*status_codes, headers=resp_headers):
+                resp = req.get_response(self.app)
+
+            self.assertEqual(resp.status_int, 202)
+            stats = self.app.logger.get_increment_counts()
+            self.assertEqual({'shard_updating.cache.hit': 1}, stats)
+
+            # cached shard ranges are still there
+            cache_key = 'shard-updating/a/c'
+            self.assertIn(cache_key, req.environ['swift.cache'].store)
+            self.assertEqual(req.environ['swift.cache'].store[cache_key],
+                             [dict(sr) for sr in cached_shard_ranges])
+            self.assertIn(cache_key, req.environ.get('swift.infocache'))
+            self.assertEqual(req.environ['swift.infocache'][cache_key],
+                             tuple(dict(sr) for sr in cached_shard_ranges))
+
+            # ...but we have some chance to skip cache
+            req = Request.blank(
+                '/v1/a/c/o', {'swift.cache': cache},
+                method=method, body='', headers={'Content-Type': 'text/plain'})
+            # cont shard GET, obj POSTs
+            status_codes = (200, 202, 202, 202)
+            resp_headers = {'X-Backend-Storage-Policy-Index': 1,
+                            'x-backend-sharding-state': sharding_state,
+                            'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard'}
+            shard_ranges = [
+                utils.ShardRange(
+                    '.shards_a/c_not_used', utils.Timestamp.now(), '', 'l'),
+                utils.ShardRange(
+                    '.shards_a/c_shard', utils.Timestamp.now(), 'l', 'u'),
+                utils.ShardRange(
+                    '.shards_a/c_nope', utils.Timestamp.now(), 'u', ''),
+            ]
+            body = json.dumps([
+                dict(shard_range)
+                for shard_range in shard_ranges]).encode('ascii')
+            with mock.patch('random.random', return_value=0), \
+                 mocked_http_conn(*status_codes, headers=resp_headers,
+                                  body=body) as fake_conn:
+                resp = req.get_response(self.app)
+
+            self.assertEqual(resp.status_int, 202)
+            stats = self.app.logger.get_increment_counts()
+            self.assertEqual({'shard_updating.cache.skip': 1,
+                              'shard_updating.cache.hit': 1,
+                              'shard_updating.backend.200': 1}, stats)
+
+            backend_requests = fake_conn.requests
+            container_request_shard = backend_requests[0]
+            self._check_request(
+                container_request_shard, method='GET', path='/sda/0/a/c',
+                params={'states': 'updating'},
+                headers={'X-Backend-Record-Type': 'shard'})
+
+            # and skipping cache will refresh it
+            cache_key = 'shard-updating/a/c'
+            self.assertIn(cache_key, req.environ['swift.cache'].store)
+            self.assertEqual(req.environ['swift.cache'].store[cache_key],
+                             [dict(sr) for sr in shard_ranges])
+            self.assertIn(cache_key, req.environ.get('swift.infocache'))
+            self.assertEqual(req.environ['swift.infocache'][cache_key],
+                             tuple(dict(sr) for sr in shard_ranges))
+
+            # make sure backend requests included expected container headers
+            container_headers = {}
+
+            for request in backend_requests[1:]:
+                req_headers = request['headers']
+                device = req_headers['x-container-device']
+                container_headers[device] = req_headers['x-container-host']
+                expectations = {
+                    'method': method,
+                    'path': '/0/a/c/o',
+                    'headers': {
+                        'X-Container-Partition': '0',
+                        'Host': 'localhost:80',
+                        'Referer': '%s http://localhost/v1/a/c/o' % method,
+                        'X-Backend-Storage-Policy-Index': '1',
+                        'X-Backend-Quoted-Container-Path': shard_ranges[1].name
+                    },
+                }
+                self._check_request(request, **expectations)
+
+            expected = {}
+            for i, device in enumerate(['sda', 'sdb', 'sdc']):
+                expected[device] = '10.0.0.%d:100%d' % (i, i)
+            self.assertEqual(container_headers, expected)
+
+        do_test('POST', 'sharding')
+        do_test('POST', 'sharded')
+        do_test('DELETE', 'sharding')
+        do_test('DELETE', 'sharded')
+        do_test('PUT', 'sharding')
+        do_test('PUT', 'sharded')
+
     @patch_policies([
         StoragePolicy(0, 'zero', is_default=True, object_ring=FakeRing()),
         StoragePolicy(1, 'one', object_ring=FakeRing()),