diff --git a/src/cache_memoize/__init__.py b/src/cache_memoize/__init__.py
index 3ab5c34..3b90f44 100644
--- a/src/cache_memoize/__init__.py
+++ b/src/cache_memoize/__init__.py
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 from urllib.parse import quote
 
 from django.core.cache import caches, DEFAULT_CACHE_ALIAS
+from django.core.cache.backends.base import DEFAULT_TIMEOUT
 
 from django.utils.encoding import force_bytes
 
@@ -11,7 +12,7 @@
 
 
 def cache_memoize(
-    timeout,
+    timeout=DEFAULT_TIMEOUT,
     prefix=None,
     args_rewrite=None,
     hit_callable=None,