diff --git a/axes/checks.py b/axes/checks.py
index 82ebc01c..ffb845f5 100644
--- a/axes/checks.py
+++ b/axes/checks.py
@@ -5,21 +5,34 @@
 
 class Messages:
     CACHE_INVALID = 'invalid cache configuration for settings.AXES_CACHE'
+    MIDDLEWARE_INVALID = 'axes.middleware.AxesMiddleware not in settings.MIDDLEWARE'
+    BACKEND_INVALID = 'axes.backends.AxesBackend not in settings.AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS'
 
 
 class Hints:
     CACHE_INVALID = (
-        'django-axes does not work properly with LocMemCache as the cache backend'
-        ' please add e.g. a DummyCache backend and configure it with settings.AXES_CACHE'
+        'django-axes does not work properly with LocMemCache as the cache backend.'
+        ' Please check the django-axes documentation and reconfigure settings.AXES_CACHE.'
+    )
+    MIDDLEWARE_INVALID = (
+        'django-axes does not work properly without axes.middleware.AxesMiddleware in settings.MIDDLEWARE.'
+        ' Please check the django-axes documentation and reconfigure settings.MIDDLEWARE.'
+    )
+    BACKEND_INVALID = (
+        'django-axes does not work properly without axes.backends.AxesBackend in settings.AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS.'
+        ' Please check the django-axes documentation and reconfigure settings.AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS.'
+        ' Please note that the backend name was changed from AxesModelBackend to AxesBackend in django-axes version 5.'
     )
 
 
 class Codes:
     CACHE_INVALID = 'axes.E001'
+    MIDDLEWARE_INVALID = 'axes.E002'
+    BACKEND_INVALID = 'axes.E003'
 
 
-@register(Tags.caches)
-def axes_cache_backend_check(app_configs, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+@register(Tags.compatibility, Tags.caches)
+def axes_cache_check(app_configs, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
     axes_handler = getattr(settings, 'AXES_HANDLER', '')
 
     axes_cache_key = getattr(settings, 'AXES_CACHE', 'default')
@@ -44,3 +57,33 @@ def axes_cache_backend_check(app_configs, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-a
             ))
 
     return errors
+
+
+@register(Tags.compatibility)
+def axes_middleware_check(app_configs, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+    errors = []
+
+    if 'axes.middleware.AxesMiddleware' not in settings.MIDDLEWARE:
+        errors.append(Error(
+            msg=Messages.MIDDLEWARE_INVALID,
+            hint=Hints.MIDDLEWARE_INVALID,
+            obj=settings.MIDDLEWARE,
+            id=Codes.MIDDLEWARE_INVALID,
+        ))
+
+    return errors
+
+
+@register(Tags.compatibility)
+def axes_backend_check(app_configs, **kwargs):  # pylint: disable=unused-argument
+    errors = []
+
+    if 'axes.backends.AxesBackend' not in settings.AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS:
+        errors.append(Error(
+            msg=Messages.BACKEND_INVALID,
+            hint=Hints.BACKEND_INVALID,
+            obj=settings.AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS,
+            id=Codes.BACKEND_INVALID,
+        ))
+
+    return errors
diff --git a/axes/tests/test_checks.py b/axes/tests/test_checks.py
index 3e9e2be4..2ca0724d 100644
--- a/axes/tests/test_checks.py
+++ b/axes/tests/test_checks.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 from django.core.checks import run_checks, Error
-from django.test import override_settings
+from django.test import override_settings, modify_settings
 
 from axes.checks import Messages, Hints, Codes
 from axes.conf import settings
@@ -37,3 +37,39 @@ def test_cache_check_errors(self):
     def test_cache_check_does_not_produce_check_errors_with_database_handler(self):
         errors = run_checks()
         self.assertEqual([], errors)
+
+
+class MiddlewareCheckTestCase(AxesTestCase):
+    @modify_settings(
+        MIDDLEWARE={
+            'remove': ['axes.middleware.AxesMiddleware']
+        },
+    )
+    def test_cache_check_errors(self):
+        errors = run_checks()
+        error = Error(
+            msg=Messages.MIDDLEWARE_INVALID,
+            hint=Hints.MIDDLEWARE_INVALID,
+            obj=settings.MIDDLEWARE,
+            id=Codes.MIDDLEWARE_INVALID,
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual([error], errors)
+
+
+class BackendCheckTestCase(AxesTestCase):
+    @modify_settings(
+        AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS={
+            'remove': ['axes.backends.AxesBackend']
+        },
+    )
+    def test_cache_check_errors(self):
+        errors = run_checks()
+        error = Error(
+            msg=Messages.BACKEND_INVALID,
+            hint=Hints.BACKEND_INVALID,
+            obj=settings.AUTHENTICATION_BACKENDS,
+            id=Codes.BACKEND_INVALID,
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual([error], errors)