diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index 1dc58af..aa60b0f 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -15,6 +15,13 @@
     <description>Unified caching library providing standardized cache abstractions with Caffeine and Redis implementations</description>
 
     <dependencies>
+        <!-- Firefly Kernel (exception hierarchy, shared abstractions) -->
+        <dependency>
+            <groupId>org.fireflyframework</groupId>
+            <artifactId>fireflyframework-kernel</artifactId>
+            <version>${project.version}</version>
+        </dependency>
+
         <!-- Spring Boot -->
         <dependency>
             <groupId>org.springframework.boot</groupId>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/annotation/EnableCaching.java b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/annotation/EnableCaching.java
index fc74fb5..c6c8dc1 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/annotation/EnableCaching.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/annotation/EnableCaching.java
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@
 
 package org.fireflyframework.cache.annotation;
 
-import org.fireflyframework.cache.config.CacheAutoConfiguration;
-import org.springframework.context.annotation.Import;
-
 import java.lang.annotation.ElementType;
 import java.lang.annotation.Retention;
 import java.lang.annotation.RetentionPolicy;
@@ -31,6 +28,10 @@
  * support for Firefly cache annotations like {@link Cacheable}, {@link CacheEvict},
  * and {@link CachePut}.
  * <p>
+ * Note: The actual auto-configuration is registered via
+ * {@code META-INF/spring/org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.AutoConfiguration.imports}.
+ * This annotation serves as a marker only.
+ * <p>
  * Example usage:
  * <pre>
  * &#64;Configuration
@@ -42,7 +43,6 @@
  */
 @Target(ElementType.TYPE)
 @Retention(RetentionPolicy.RUNTIME)
-@Import(CacheAutoConfiguration.class)
 public @interface EnableCaching {
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfiguration.java
index 13d9e97..c08b0ce 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfiguration.java
@@ -33,7 +33,6 @@
 import org.springframework.boot.autoconfigure.condition.ConditionalOnProperty;
 import org.springframework.boot.context.properties.EnableConfigurationProperties;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Bean;
-import org.springframework.context.annotation.ComponentScan;
 import org.springframework.context.annotation.Primary;
 import org.springframework.scheduling.annotation.EnableAsync;
 
@@ -61,7 +60,6 @@
 @AutoConfiguration
 @ConditionalOnProperty(prefix = "firefly.cache", name = "enabled", havingValue = "true", matchIfMissing = true)
 @EnableConfigurationProperties(CacheProperties.class)
-@ComponentScan(basePackages = "org.fireflyframework.cache")
 @EnableAsync
 @Slf4j
 public class CacheAutoConfiguration {
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/exception/CacheException.java b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/exception/CacheException.java
index 75d1699..94d4691 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/exception/CacheException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/exception/CacheException.java
@@ -1,12 +1,14 @@
 package org.fireflyframework.cache.exception;
 
+import org.fireflyframework.kernel.exception.FireflyInfrastructureException;
+
 /**
  * Base exception for all cache-related errors.
  *
  * @author Firefly Team
  * @since 1.0.0
  */
-public class CacheException extends RuntimeException {
+public class CacheException extends FireflyInfrastructureException {
 
     public CacheException(String message) {
         super(message);
@@ -17,6 +19,6 @@ public CacheException(String message, Throwable cause) {
     }
 
     public CacheException(Throwable cause) {
-        super(cause);
+        super(cause.getMessage(), cause);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/serialization/SerializationException.java b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/serialization/SerializationException.java
index 2c6de60..e62d86f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/serialization/SerializationException.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/serialization/SerializationException.java
@@ -16,10 +16,12 @@
 
 package org.fireflyframework.cache.serialization;
 
+import org.fireflyframework.cache.exception.CacheException;
+
 /**
  * Exception thrown when cache serialization or deserialization fails.
  */
-public class SerializationException extends RuntimeException {
+public class SerializationException extends CacheException {
 
     public SerializationException(String message) {
         super(message);
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfigurationRedisIntegrationTest.java b/src/test/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfigurationRedisIntegrationTest.java
index 4b50884..e6e10fc 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfigurationRedisIntegrationTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/fireflyframework/cache/config/CacheAutoConfigurationRedisIntegrationTest.java
@@ -43,7 +43,7 @@ class CacheAutoConfigurationRedisIntegrationTest {
             .withReuse(true);
 
     private final ApplicationContextRunner contextRunner = new ApplicationContextRunner()
-            .withConfiguration(AutoConfigurations.of(CacheAutoConfiguration.class));
+            .withConfiguration(AutoConfigurations.of(CacheAutoConfiguration.class, RedisCacheAutoConfiguration.class));
 
     @Test
     void shouldCreateRedisBeansWhenRedisIsConfigured() {