diff --git a/aif_gen/generate/engine.py b/aif_gen/generate/engine.py
index 5187a701..beab95c2 100644
--- a/aif_gen/generate/engine.py
+++ b/aif_gen/generate/engine.py
@@ -271,9 +271,11 @@ async def _generate_sample(
         meta_prompt_nonce = f'{prompt_idx}'
 
         async with async_semaphore:
+            output = None
             if cache is not None:
                 output = await cache.get(meta_prompt, nonce=meta_prompt_nonce)
-            else:
+
+            if output is None:  # Cache miss or no cache - make API call
                 response = await client.chat.completions.create(
                     model=model_name,
                     messages=[{'role': 'user', 'content': meta_prompt}],
@@ -306,9 +308,11 @@ async def _generate_sample(
             task_prompt = task_prompt1 + task_prompt2
 
             async with async_semaphore:
+                output = None
                 if cache is not None:
                     output = await cache.get(task_prompt1 + task_prompt2)
-                else:
+
+                if output is None:  # Cache miss or no cache - make API calls
                     futures = []
                     for response_prompt in [task_prompt1, task_prompt2]:
                         coro = client.chat.completions.create(
@@ -346,9 +350,11 @@ async def _generate_sample(
         else:
             task_prompt = response_mapper.generate_prompt(task, prompt)
             async with async_semaphore:
+                output = None
                 if cache is not None:
                     output = await cache.get(task_prompt)
-                else:
+
+                if output is None:  # Cache miss or no cache - make API call
                     response = await client.chat.completions.create(
                         model=model_name,
                         messages=[{'role': 'user', 'content': task_prompt}],
diff --git a/aif_gen/generate/mappers/response_mapper.py b/aif_gen/generate/mappers/response_mapper.py
index e67cf37e..c5923520 100644
--- a/aif_gen/generate/mappers/response_mapper.py
+++ b/aif_gen/generate/mappers/response_mapper.py
@@ -15,8 +15,8 @@ class ResponseMapper(ResponseMapperBase):
     """
 
     NUM_PREFERENCE_AXES_SAMPLES: int = 3
-    PREFERENCE_INCLUSION_PROB_POS: float = 0.5
-    PREFERENCE_INCLUSION_PROB_NEG: float = 0.5
+    PREFERENCE_INCLUSION_PROB_POS: float = 0.8
+    PREFERENCE_INCLUSION_PROB_NEG: float = 0.8
 
     def __init__(self, suffix_context: Optional[str] = None) -> None:
         self._suffix_context = suffix_context