diff --git a/src/HotChocolate/AspNetCore/src/AspNetCore.Authorization/DefaultAuthorizationHandler.cs b/src/HotChocolate/AspNetCore/src/AspNetCore.Authorization/DefaultAuthorizationHandler.cs
index 4101cb2a9e8..2bd17af5b7f 100644
--- a/src/HotChocolate/AspNetCore/src/AspNetCore.Authorization/DefaultAuthorizationHandler.cs
+++ b/src/HotChocolate/AspNetCore/src/AspNetCore.Authorization/DefaultAuthorizationHandler.cs
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@ public DefaultAuthorizationHandler(
             throw new ArgumentNullException(nameof(authorizationPolicyCache));
 #if NET7_0_OR_GREATER
         _canCachePolicies = _authorizationPolicyProvider.AllowsCachingPolicies;
+#else
+        _canCachePolicies = true;
 #endif
     }