diff --git a/backend/union/common/options.go b/backend/union/common/options.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cc275cc37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/backend/union/common/options.go
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+// Package common defines code common to the union and the policies
+//
+// These need to be defined in a separate package to avoid import loops
+package common
+
+import "github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
+
+// Options defines the configuration for this backend
+type Options struct {
+	Upstreams    fs.SpaceSepList `config:"upstreams"`
+	Remotes      fs.SpaceSepList `config:"remotes"` // Deprecated
+	ActionPolicy string          `config:"action_policy"`
+	CreatePolicy string          `config:"create_policy"`
+	SearchPolicy string          `config:"search_policy"`
+	CacheTime    int             `config:"cache_time"`
+}
diff --git a/backend/union/union.go b/backend/union/union.go
index ed17cd020..dc4e2c589 100644
--- a/backend/union/union.go
+++ b/backend/union/union.go
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import (
 	"sync"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/union/common"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/union/policy"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/union/upstream"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
@@ -54,21 +55,11 @@ func init() {
 	fs.Register(fsi)
 }
 
-// Options defines the configuration for this backend
-type Options struct {
-	Upstreams    fs.SpaceSepList `config:"upstreams"`
-	Remotes      fs.SpaceSepList `config:"remotes"` // Deprecated
-	ActionPolicy string          `config:"action_policy"`
-	CreatePolicy string          `config:"create_policy"`
-	SearchPolicy string          `config:"search_policy"`
-	CacheTime    int             `config:"cache_time"`
-}
-
 // Fs represents a union of upstreams
 type Fs struct {
 	name         string         // name of this remote
 	features     *fs.Features   // optional features
-	opt          Options        // options for this Fs
+	opt          common.Options // options for this Fs
 	root         string         // the path we are working on
 	upstreams    []*upstream.Fs // slice of upstreams
 	hashSet      hash.Set       // intersection of hash types
@@ -808,7 +799,7 @@ func (f *Fs) Shutdown(ctx context.Context) error {
 // The returned Fs is the actual Fs, referenced by remote in the config
 func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, error) {
 	// Parse config into Options struct
-	opt := new(Options)
+	opt := new(common.Options)
 	err := configstruct.Set(m, opt)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -836,7 +827,7 @@ func NewFs(ctx context.Context, name, root string, m configmap.Mapper) (fs.Fs, e
 	errs := Errors(make([]error, len(opt.Upstreams)))
 	multithread(len(opt.Upstreams), func(i int) {
 		u := opt.Upstreams[i]
-		upstreams[i], errs[i] = upstream.New(ctx, u, root, time.Duration(opt.CacheTime)*time.Second)
+		upstreams[i], errs[i] = upstream.New(ctx, u, root, opt)
 	})
 	var usedUpstreams []*upstream.Fs
 	var fserr error
diff --git a/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go b/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go
index 86575c512..41f30f400 100644
--- a/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go
+++ b/backend/union/upstream/upstream.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
+	"github.com/rclone/rclone/backend/union/common"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/cache"
 	"github.com/rclone/rclone/fs/fspath"
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ type Fs struct {
 	fs.Fs
 	RootFs      fs.Fs
 	RootPath    string
+	Opt         *common.Options
 	writable    bool
 	creatable   bool
 	usage       *fs.Usage     // Cache the usage
@@ -61,17 +63,18 @@ type Entry interface {
 
 // New creates a new Fs based on the
 // string formatted `type:root_path(:ro/:nc)`
-func New(ctx context.Context, remote, root string, cacheTime time.Duration) (*Fs, error) {
+func New(ctx context.Context, remote, root string, opt *common.Options) (*Fs, error) {
 	configName, fsPath, err := fspath.SplitFs(remote)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 	f := &Fs{
 		RootPath:    strings.TrimRight(root, "/"),
+		Opt:         opt,
 		writable:    true,
 		creatable:   true,
 		cacheExpiry: time.Now().Unix(),
-		cacheTime:   cacheTime,
+		cacheTime:   time.Duration(opt.CacheTime) * time.Second,
 		usage:       &fs.Usage{},
 	}
 	if strings.HasSuffix(fsPath, ":ro") {