diff --git a/app/Http/Middleware/TrustHosts.php b/app/Http/Middleware/TrustHosts.php
index bb2687083..c2a2cb41a 100644
--- a/app/Http/Middleware/TrustHosts.php
+++ b/app/Http/Middleware/TrustHosts.php
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ public function hosts(): array
         $trustedHosts = [];
 
         // Trust the configured FQDN from InstanceSettings (cached to avoid DB query on every request)
+        // Use empty string as sentinel value instead of null so negative results are cached
         $fqdnHost = Cache::remember('instance_settings_fqdn_host', 300, function () {
             try {
                 $settings = InstanceSettings::get();
@@ -26,16 +27,19 @@ public function hosts(): array
                     $url = Url::fromString($settings->fqdn);
                     $host = $url->getHost();
 
-                    return $host ?: null;
+                    return $host ?: '';
                 }
             } catch (\Exception $e) {
                 // If instance settings table doesn't exist yet (during installation),
-                // return null to fall back to APP_URL only
+                // return empty string (sentinel) so this result is cached
             }
 
-            return null;
+            return '';
         });
 
+        // Convert sentinel value back to null for consumption
+        $fqdnHost = $fqdnHost !== '' ? $fqdnHost : null;
+
         if ($fqdnHost) {
             $trustedHosts[] = $fqdnHost;
         }
diff --git a/tests/Feature/TrustHostsMiddlewareTest.php b/tests/Feature/TrustHostsMiddlewareTest.php
index 7c02aa7e9..f875a235e 100644
--- a/tests/Feature/TrustHostsMiddlewareTest.php
+++ b/tests/Feature/TrustHostsMiddlewareTest.php
@@ -200,3 +200,30 @@
     expect($hosts1)->toBe($hosts2);
     expect($hosts2)->toContain('coolify.example.com');
 });
+
+it('caches negative results when no FQDN is configured', function () {
+    // Create instance settings without FQDN
+    InstanceSettings::updateOrCreate(
+        ['id' => 0],
+        ['fqdn' => null]
+    );
+
+    // Clear cache first
+    Cache::forget('instance_settings_fqdn_host');
+
+    // First call - should query database and cache empty string sentinel
+    $middleware1 = new TrustHosts($this->app);
+    $hosts1 = $middleware1->hosts();
+
+    // Verify empty string sentinel is cached (not null, which wouldn't be cached)
+    expect(Cache::has('instance_settings_fqdn_host'))->toBeTrue();
+    expect(Cache::get('instance_settings_fqdn_host'))->toBe('');
+
+    // Subsequent calls should use cached sentinel value
+    $middleware2 = new TrustHosts($this->app);
+    $hosts2 = $middleware2->hosts();
+
+    expect($hosts1)->toBe($hosts2);
+    // Should only contain APP_URL pattern, not any FQDN
+    expect($hosts2)->not->toBeEmpty();
+});