diff --git a/server/cache.go b/server/cache.go
index be4f704..df4c2c9 100644
--- a/server/cache.go
+++ b/server/cache.go
@@ -1,61 +1,14 @@
 package server
 
 import (
-	"database/sql"
-	"time"
 	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3" // SQLite driver
+	"time"
 )
 
-const (
-	createTableQuery = `CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS messages (
-		id VARCHAR(20) PRIMARY KEY,
-		time INT NOT NULL,
-		topic VARCHAR(64) NOT NULL,
-		message VARCHAR(1024) NOT NULL
-	)`
-	insertQuery         = `INSERT INTO messages (id, time, topic, message) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)`
-	pruneOlderThanQuery = `DELETE FROM messages WHERE time < ?`
-)
-
-type cache struct {
-	db *sql.DB
-	insert *sql.Stmt
-	prune *sql.Stmt
-}
-
-func newCache(filename string) (*cache, error) {
-	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", filename)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	if _, err := db.Exec(createTableQuery); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	insert, err := db.Prepare(insertQuery)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	prune, err := db.Prepare(pruneOlderThanQuery)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return &cache{
-		db:     db,
-		insert: insert,
-		prune:  prune,
-	}, nil
-}
-
-func (c *cache) Load() (map[string]*topic, error) {
-
-}
-
-func (c *cache) Add(m *message) error {
-	_, err := c.insert.Exec(m.ID, m.Time, m.Topic, m.Message)
-	return err
-}
-
-func (c *cache) Prune(olderThan time.Duration) error {
-	_, err := c.prune.Exec(time.Now().Add(-1 * olderThan).Unix())
-	return err
+type cache interface {
+	AddMessage(m *message) error
+	Messages(topic string, since time.Time) ([]*message, error)
+	MessageCount(topic string) (int, error)
+	Topics() (map[string]*topic, error)
+	Prune(keep time.Duration) error
 }
diff --git a/server/cache_mem.go b/server/cache_mem.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e7e08d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/cache_mem.go
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3" // SQLite driver
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+)
+
+type memCache struct {
+	messages    map[string][]*message
+	mu sync.Mutex
+}
+
+var _ cache = (*memCache)(nil)
+
+func newMemCache() *memCache {
+	return &memCache{
+		messages: make(map[string][]*message),
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *memCache) AddMessage(m *message) error {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	if _, ok := s.messages[m.Topic]; !ok {
+		s.messages[m.Topic] = make([]*message, 0)
+	}
+	s.messages[m.Topic] = append(s.messages[m.Topic], m)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *memCache) Messages(topic string, since time.Time) ([]*message, error) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	if _, ok := s.messages[topic]; !ok {
+		return make([]*message, 0), nil
+	}
+	messages := make([]*message, 0) // copy!
+	for _, m := range s.messages[topic] {
+		msgTime := time.Unix(m.Time, 0)
+		if msgTime == since || msgTime.After(since) {
+			messages = append(messages, m)
+		}
+	}
+	return messages, nil
+}
+
+func (s *memCache) MessageCount(topic string) (int, error) {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	if _, ok := s.messages[topic]; !ok {
+		return 0, nil
+	}
+	return len(s.messages[topic]), nil
+}
+
+func (s *memCache) Topics() (map[string]*topic, error) {
+	// Hack since we know when this is called there are no messages!
+	return make(map[string]*topic), nil
+}
+
+func (s *memCache) Prune(keep time.Duration) error {
+	s.mu.Lock()
+	defer s.mu.Unlock()
+	for topic, _ := range s.messages {
+		s.pruneTopic(topic, keep)
+	}
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (s *memCache) pruneTopic(topic string, keep time.Duration) {
+	for i, m := range s.messages[topic] {
+		msgTime := time.Unix(m.Time, 0)
+		if time.Since(msgTime) < keep {
+			s.messages[topic] = s.messages[topic][i:]
+			return
+		}
+	}
+	s.messages[topic] = make([]*message, 0) // all messages expired
+}
diff --git a/server/cache_sqlite.go b/server/cache_sqlite.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6f041f1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/cache_sqlite.go
@@ -0,0 +1,127 @@
+package server
+
+import (
+	"database/sql"
+	"errors"
+	_ "github.com/mattn/go-sqlite3" // SQLite driver
+	"time"
+)
+
+const (
+	createTableQuery = `
+		BEGIN;
+		CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS messages (
+			id VARCHAR(20) PRIMARY KEY,
+			time INT NOT NULL,
+			topic VARCHAR(64) NOT NULL,
+			message VARCHAR(1024) NOT NULL
+		);
+		CREATE INDEX IF NOT EXISTS idx_topic ON messages (topic);
+		COMMIT;
+	`
+	insertMessageQuery = `INSERT INTO messages (id, time, topic, message) VALUES (?, ?, ?, ?)`
+	pruneMessagesQuery = `DELETE FROM messages WHERE time < ?`
+	selectMessagesSinceTimeQuery = `
+		SELECT id, time, message 
+		FROM messages 
+		WHERE topic = ? AND time >= ?
+		ORDER BY time ASC
+	`
+	selectMessageCountQuery = `SELECT count(*) FROM messages WHERE topic = ?`
+	selectTopicsQuery       = `SELECT topic, MAX(time) FROM messages GROUP BY TOPIC`
+)
+
+type sqliteCache struct {
+	db *sql.DB
+}
+
+var _ cache = (*sqliteCache)(nil)
+
+func newSqliteCache(filename string) (*sqliteCache, error) {
+	db, err := sql.Open("sqlite3", filename)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	if _, err := db.Exec(createTableQuery); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return &sqliteCache{
+		db:     db,
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func (c *sqliteCache) AddMessage(m *message) error {
+	_, err := c.db.Exec(insertMessageQuery, m.ID, m.Time, m.Topic, m.Message)
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *sqliteCache) Messages(topic string, since time.Time) ([]*message, error) {
+	rows, err := c.db.Query(selectMessagesSinceTimeQuery, topic, since.Unix())
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	messages := make([]*message, 0)
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var timestamp int64
+		var id, msg string
+		if err := rows.Scan(&id, &timestamp, &msg); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		messages = append(messages, &message{
+			ID:      id,
+			Time:    timestamp,
+			Event:   messageEvent,
+			Topic:   topic,
+			Message: msg,
+		})
+	}
+	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return messages, nil
+}
+
+func (c *sqliteCache) MessageCount(topic string) (int, error) {
+	rows, err := c.db.Query(selectMessageCountQuery, topic)
+	if err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	var count int
+	if !rows.Next() {
+		return 0, errors.New("no rows found")
+	}
+	if err := rows.Scan(&count); err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	} else if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+		return 0, err
+	}
+	return count, nil
+}
+
+func (s *sqliteCache) Topics() (map[string]*topic, error) {
+	rows, err := s.db.Query(selectTopicsQuery)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	defer rows.Close()
+	topics := make(map[string]*topic, 0)
+	for rows.Next() {
+		var id string
+		var last int64
+		if err := rows.Scan(&id, &last); err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
+		topics[id] = newTopic(id, time.Unix(last, 0))
+	}
+	if err := rows.Err(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return topics, nil
+}
+
+func (c *sqliteCache) Prune(keep time.Duration) error {
+	_, err := c.db.Exec(pruneMessagesQuery, time.Now().Add(-1 * keep).Unix())
+	return err
+}
diff --git a/server/server.go b/server/server.go
index 65adddf..208cc45 100644
--- a/server/server.go
+++ b/server/server.go
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ type Server struct {
 	visitors map[string]*visitor
 	firebase subscriber
 	messages int64
-	cache *cache
+	cache    cache
 	mu       sync.Mutex
 }
 
@@ -78,30 +78,28 @@ func New(conf *config.Config) (*Server, error) {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 	}
-	cache, err := maybeCreateCache(conf)
+	cache, err := createCache(conf)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	topics := make(map[string]*topic)
-	if cache != nil {
-		if topics, err = cache.Load(); err != nil {
-			return nil, err
-		}
+	topics, err := cache.Topics()
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
 	}
 	return &Server{
 		config:   conf,
-		cache: cache,
+		cache:    cache,
 		firebase: firebaseSubscriber,
 		topics:   topics,
 		visitors: make(map[string]*visitor),
 	}, nil
 }
 
-func maybeCreateCache(conf *config.Config) (*cache, error) {
-	if conf.CacheFile == "" {
-		return nil, nil
+func createCache(conf *config.Config) (cache, error) {
+	if conf.CacheFile != "" {
+		return newSqliteCache(conf.CacheFile)
 	}
-	return newCache(conf.CacheFile)
+	return newMemCache(), nil
 }
 
 func createFirebaseSubscriber(conf *config.Config) (subscriber, error) {
@@ -202,8 +200,8 @@ func (s *Server) handlePublish(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, v *visito
 	if err := t.Publish(m); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if s.cache != nil {
-		s.cache.Add(m)
+	if err := s.cache.AddMessage(m); err != nil {
+		return err
 	}
 	w.Header().Set("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*") // CORS, allow cross-origin requests
 	s.mu.Lock()
@@ -277,20 +275,18 @@ func (s *Server) handleSubscribe(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, v *visi
 	w.Header().Set("Access-Control-Allow-Origin", "*") // CORS, allow cross-origin requests
 	w.Header().Set("Content-Type", contentType)
 	if poll {
-		return sendOldMessages(t, since, sub)
+		return s.sendOldMessages(t, since, sub)
 	}
 	subscriberID := t.Subscribe(sub)
 	defer t.Unsubscribe(subscriberID)
 	if err := sub(newOpenMessage(t.id)); err != nil { // Send out open message
 		return err
 	}
-	if err := sendOldMessages(t, since, sub); err != nil {
+	if err := s.sendOldMessages(t, since, sub); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-t.ctx.Done():
-			return nil
 		case <-r.Context().Done():
 			return nil
 		case <-time.After(s.config.KeepaliveInterval):
@@ -302,11 +298,15 @@ func (s *Server) handleSubscribe(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, v *visi
 	}
 }
 
-func sendOldMessages(t *topic, since time.Time, sub subscriber) error {
+func (s *Server) sendOldMessages(t *topic, since time.Time, sub subscriber) error {
 	if since.IsZero() {
 		return nil
 	}
-	for _, m := range t.Messages(since) {
+	messages, err := s.cache.Messages(t.id, since)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	for _, m := range messages {
 		if err := sub(m); err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
@@ -340,7 +340,7 @@ func (s *Server) topic(id string) (*topic, error) {
 		if len(s.topics) >= s.config.GlobalTopicLimit {
 			return nil, errHTTPTooManyRequests
 		}
-		s.topics[id] = newTopic(id)
+		s.topics[id] = newTopic(id, time.Now())
 		if s.firebase != nil {
 			s.topics[id].Subscribe(s.firebase)
 		}
@@ -360,28 +360,28 @@ func (s *Server) updateStatsAndExpire() {
 	}
 
 	// Prune cache
-	if s.cache != nil {
-		if err := s.cache.Prune(s.config.MessageBufferDuration); err != nil {
-			log.Printf("error pruning cache: %s", err.Error())
-		}
+	if err := s.cache.Prune(s.config.MessageBufferDuration); err != nil {
+		log.Printf("error pruning cache: %s", err.Error())
 	}
 
 	// Prune old messages, remove subscriptions without subscribers
-	for _, t := range s.topics {
-		t.Prune(s.config.MessageBufferDuration)
-		subs, msgs := t.Stats()
-		if msgs == 0 && (subs == 0 || (s.firebase != nil && subs == 1)) { // Firebase is a subscriber!
-			delete(s.topics, t.id)
-		}
-	}
-
-	// Print stats
 	var subscribers, messages int
 	for _, t := range s.topics {
-		subs, msgs := t.Stats()
+		subs := t.Subscribers()
+		msgs, err := s.cache.MessageCount(t.id)
+		if err != nil {
+			log.Printf("cannot get stats for topic %s: %s", t.id, err.Error())
+			continue
+		}
+		if msgs == 0 && (subs == 0 || (s.firebase != nil && subs == 1)) { // Firebase is a subscriber!
+			delete(s.topics, t.id)
+			continue
+		}
 		subscribers += subs
 		messages += msgs
 	}
+
+	// Print stats
 	log.Printf("Stats: %d message(s) published, %d topic(s) active, %d subscriber(s), %d message(s) buffered, %d visitor(s)",
 		s.messages, len(s.topics), subscribers, messages, len(s.visitors))
 }
diff --git a/server/topic.go b/server/topic.go
index 3ad98fc..881a28b 100644
--- a/server/topic.go
+++ b/server/topic.go
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 package server
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"log"
 	"math/rand"
 	"sync"
@@ -12,11 +11,8 @@ import (
 // can publish a message
 type topic struct {
 	id          string
-	subscribers map[int]subscriber
-	messages    []*message
 	last        time.Time
-	ctx         context.Context
-	cancel      context.CancelFunc
+	subscribers map[int]subscriber
 	mu          sync.Mutex
 }
 
@@ -24,15 +20,11 @@ type topic struct {
 type subscriber func(msg *message) error
 
 // newTopic creates a new topic
-func newTopic(id string) *topic {
-	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+func newTopic(id string, last time.Time) *topic {
 	return &topic{
 		id:          id,
+		last:        last,
 		subscribers: make(map[int]subscriber),
-		messages: make([]*message, 0),
-		last:        time.Now(),
-		ctx:         ctx,
-		cancel:      cancel,
 	}
 }
 
@@ -55,7 +47,6 @@ func (t *topic) Publish(m *message) error {
 	t.mu.Lock()
 	defer t.mu.Unlock()
 	t.last = time.Now()
-	t.messages = append(t.messages, m)
 	for _, s := range t.subscribers {
 		if err := s(m); err != nil {
 			log.Printf("error publishing message to subscriber")
@@ -64,38 +55,8 @@ func (t *topic) Publish(m *message) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (t *topic) Messages(since time.Time) []*message {
+func (t *topic) Subscribers() int {
 	t.mu.Lock()
 	defer t.mu.Unlock()
-	messages := make([]*message, 0) // copy!
-	for _, m := range t.messages {
-		msgTime := time.Unix(m.Time, 0)
-		if msgTime == since || msgTime.After(since) {
-			messages = append(messages, m)
-		}
-	}
-	return messages
-}
-
-func (t *topic) Prune(keep time.Duration) {
-	t.mu.Lock()
-	defer t.mu.Unlock()
-	for i, m := range t.messages {
-		msgTime := time.Unix(m.Time, 0)
-		if time.Since(msgTime) < keep {
-			t.messages = t.messages[i:]
-			return
-		}
-	}
-	t.messages = make([]*message, 0)
-}
-
-func (t *topic) Stats() (subscribers int, messages int) {
-	t.mu.Lock()
-	defer t.mu.Unlock()
-	return len(t.subscribers), len(t.messages)
-}
-
-func (t *topic) Close() {
-	t.cancel()
+	return len(t.subscribers)
 }