diff --git a/src/nemosis/data_fetch_methods.py b/src/nemosis/data_fetch_methods.py
index 73d1285..429d0c1 100644
--- a/src/nemosis/data_fetch_methods.py
+++ b/src/nemosis/data_fetch_methods.py
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ def cache_compiler(
         **kwargs: additional arguments passed to the pd.to_{fformat}() function
 
     Returns:
-        Nothing
+        List[str] of full paths for the processed files
     """
     if not _os.path.isdir(raw_data_location):
         raise UserInputError("The raw_data_location provided does not exist.")
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ def cache_compiler(
     end_time = _datetime.strptime(end_time, "%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S")
     start_search = _datetime.strptime(start_search, "%Y/%m/%d %H:%M:%S")
 
-    _dynamic_data_fetch_loop(
+    paths = _dynamic_data_fetch_loop(
         start_search,
         start_time,
         end_time,
@@ -229,7 +229,7 @@ def cache_compiler(
         rebuild=rebuild,
         write_kwargs=kwargs,
     )
-    return
+    return paths
 
 
 def static_table(
@@ -543,8 +543,11 @@ def _dynamic_data_fetch_loop(
     1. If it does, read the data in and write any required files
        (parquet or feather).
     2. If it does not, download data then do the same as 1.
+
+    Returns: List[str] if caching_mode=False, else List[pd.Dataframe]
     """
     data_tables = []
+    final_filenames = []
 
     table_type = _defaults.table_types[table_name]
     date_gen = _processing_info_maps.date_gen[table_type](start_search, end_time)
@@ -635,7 +638,13 @@ def _dynamic_data_fetch_loop(
             if data is None or '#' not in filename_stub:
                 check_for_next_data_chunk = False
 
-    return data_tables
+            if caching_mode and (data is not None):
+                final_filenames.append(full_filename)
+
+    if caching_mode:
+        return final_filenames
+    else:
+        return data_tables
 
 
 def _perform_column_selection(data, select_columns, full_filename):
diff --git a/tests/test_data_fetch_methods.py b/tests/test_data_fetch_methods.py
index 4e33d04..9a1291b 100644
--- a/tests/test_data_fetch_methods.py
+++ b/tests/test_data_fetch_methods.py
@@ -1180,6 +1180,44 @@ def test_caching_with_select_columns_works(self):
         self.assertSequenceEqual(got_columns, expected_columns)
         print("Passed")
 
+    def test_caching_returns_filenames(self):
+        start_time = "2024/11/01 00:05:00"
+        end_time = "2024/12/30 23:50:00"
+        expected_file_count = 12-11+1
+        table = "DISPATCHREGIONSUM"
+        column_subset = ["SETTLEMENTDATE", "REGIONID", "TOTALDEMAND"]
+
+        # if some other test downloads this same table
+        # for a different date range, we'll get an unexpected number of files
+        subcache = os.path.join(defaults.raw_data_cache, 'test_caching_returns_filenames')
+
+        for fmt in ["feather", "parquet", "csv"]:
+            for (select_columns, rebuild) in [(None, True), (None, False), (column_subset, True)]:
+                filenames = data_fetch_methods.cache_compiler(
+                    start_time,
+                    end_time,
+                    table,
+                    subcache,
+                    select_columns=select_columns,
+                    fformat=fmt,
+                    rebuild=rebuild,
+                )
+                self.assertIsNotNone(filenames)
+                for filename in filenames:
+                    self.assertTrue(os.path.isfile(filename), f"{filename} does not exist")
+
+                    self.assertTrue(
+                        filename.endswith('.' + fmt),
+                        "wrong file format returned"
+                    )
+
+                    self.assertTrue(
+                        os.path.commonpath([filename, subcache]) == subcache,
+                        "file not inside cache"
+                    )
+
+                self.assertEqual(len(filenames), expected_file_count, "unexpected number of files returned from cache")
+                
 
 class TestDynamicDataCompilerWithStartDateFiltering(unittest.TestCase):
     def setUp(self):