diff --git a/client/build.go b/client/build.go
index f91b543a779b..25b3aa6d7ccf 100644
--- a/client/build.go
+++ b/client/build.go
@@ -44,7 +44,13 @@ func (c *Client) Build(ctx context.Context, opt SolveOpt, product string, buildF
 		})
 	}
 
-	cb := func(ref string, s *session.Session) error {
+	cb := func(ref string, s *session.Session, opts map[string]string) error {
+		for k, v := range opts {
+			if feOpts == nil {
+				feOpts = map[string]string{}
+			}
+			feOpts[k] = v
+		}
 		gwClient := c.gatewayClientForBuild(ref)
 		g, err := grpcclient.New(ctx, feOpts, s.ID(), product, gwClient, gworkers)
 		if err != nil {
diff --git a/client/solve.go b/client/solve.go
index 40a12c7a89de..f14d9c410d79 100644
--- a/client/solve.go
+++ b/client/solve.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ func (c *Client) Solve(ctx context.Context, def *llb.Definition, opt SolveOpt, s
 	return c.solve(ctx, def, nil, opt, statusChan)
 }
 
-type runGatewayCB func(ref string, s *session.Session) error
+type runGatewayCB func(ref string, s *session.Session, opts map[string]string) error
 
 func (c *Client) solve(ctx context.Context, def *llb.Definition, runGateway runGatewayCB, opt SolveOpt, statusChan chan *SolveStatus) (*SolveResponse, error) {
 	if def != nil && runGateway != nil {
@@ -109,7 +109,7 @@ func (c *Client) solve(ctx context.Context, def *llb.Definition, runGateway runG
 		}
 	}
 
-	cacheOpt, err := parseCacheOptions(ctx, opt)
+	cacheOpt, err := parseCacheOptions(ctx, runGateway != nil, opt)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -171,6 +171,9 @@ func (c *Client) solve(ctx context.Context, def *llb.Definition, runGateway runG
 	}
 
 	for k, v := range cacheOpt.frontendAttrs {
+		if opt.FrontendAttrs == nil {
+			opt.FrontendAttrs = map[string]string{}
+		}
 		opt.FrontendAttrs[k] = v
 	}
 
@@ -225,7 +228,7 @@ func (c *Client) solve(ctx context.Context, def *llb.Definition, runGateway runG
 
 	if runGateway != nil {
 		eg.Go(func() error {
-			err := runGateway(ref, s)
+			err := runGateway(ref, s, opt.FrontendAttrs)
 			if err == nil {
 				return nil
 			}
@@ -386,7 +389,7 @@ type cacheOptions struct {
 	frontendAttrs   map[string]string
 }
 
-func parseCacheOptions(ctx context.Context, opt SolveOpt) (*cacheOptions, error) {
+func parseCacheOptions(ctx context.Context, isGateway bool, opt SolveOpt) (*cacheOptions, error) {
 	var (
 		cacheExports []*controlapi.CacheOptionsEntry
 		cacheImports []*controlapi.CacheOptionsEntry
@@ -471,7 +474,7 @@ func parseCacheOptions(ctx context.Context, opt SolveOpt) (*cacheOptions, error)
 			})
 		}
 	}
-	if opt.Frontend != "" {
+	if opt.Frontend != "" || isGateway {
 		// use legacy API for registry importers, because the frontend might not support the new API
 		if len(legacyImportRefs) > 0 {
 			frontendAttrs["cache-from"] = strings.Join(legacyImportRefs, ",")
diff --git a/frontend/gateway/grpcclient/client.go b/frontend/gateway/grpcclient/client.go
index a7394891fb9e..d8e2799ff0dc 100644
--- a/frontend/gateway/grpcclient/client.go
+++ b/frontend/gateway/grpcclient/client.go
@@ -341,6 +341,24 @@ func (c *grpcClient) Solve(ctx context.Context, creq client.SolveRequest) (res *
 		}
 	}
 
+	// these options are added by go client in solve()
+	if _, ok := creq.FrontendOpt["cache-imports"]; !ok {
+		if v, ok := c.opts["cache-imports"]; ok {
+			if creq.FrontendOpt == nil {
+				creq.FrontendOpt = map[string]string{}
+			}
+			creq.FrontendOpt["cache-imports"] = v
+		}
+	}
+	if _, ok := creq.FrontendOpt["cache-from"]; !ok {
+		if v, ok := c.opts["cache-from"]; ok {
+			if creq.FrontendOpt == nil {
+				creq.FrontendOpt = map[string]string{}
+			}
+			creq.FrontendOpt["cache-from"] = v
+		}
+	}
+
 	req := &pb.SolveRequest{
 		Definition:          creq.Definition,
 		Frontend:            creq.Frontend,