diff --git a/Gemfile b/Gemfile
index 89d4d823b..ad45991dc 100644
--- a/Gemfile
+++ b/Gemfile
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ group :test do
   gem "selenium-webdriver", "~> 2.7.0"
   gem 'webmock', :require => false
   gem 'sqlite3'
+  gem 'mock_redis'
 end
 
 group :development do
diff --git a/Gemfile.lock b/Gemfile.lock
index c048854c2..b09c94341 100644
--- a/Gemfile.lock
+++ b/Gemfile.lock
@@ -256,6 +256,7 @@ GEM
     mobile-fu (0.2.1)
       rack-mobile-detect
       rails
+    mock_redis (0.2.0)
     moneta (0.6.0)
     mongrel (1.1.5)
       cgi_multipart_eof_fix (>= 2.4)
@@ -506,6 +507,7 @@ DEPENDENCIES
   linecache (= 0.43)
   mini_magick (= 3.2)
   mobile-fu
+  mock_redis
   mongrel
   mysql2 (= 0.2.13)
   newrelic_rpm
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/redis_cache.rb b/lib/diaspora/redis_cache.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b5b8d7353
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/diaspora/redis_cache.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+#
+
+class RedisCache
+  def initialize(user_id, order)
+    @user_id = user_id
+    @order = order
+    self
+  end
+
+  # @return [Boolean]
+  def cache_exists?
+    redis.zcard(set_key) != 0
+  end
+
+  def post_ids(time=Time.now, limit=15)
+    post_ids = redis.zrevrangebyscore(set_key, time.to_i, "-inf")
+    post_ids[0...limit]
+  end
+
+  protected
+  # @return [Redis]
+  def redis
+    @redis ||= Redis.new
+  end
+
+  # @return [String]
+  def set_key
+    @set_key ||= "cache_stream_#{@user_id}_#{@order}"
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/diaspora/user/querying.rb b/lib/diaspora/user/querying.rb
index 0cc63f481..437bc718d 100644
--- a/lib/diaspora/user/querying.rb
+++ b/lib/diaspora/user/querying.rb
@@ -2,6 +2,8 @@
 #   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
 #   the COPYRIGHT file.
 
+require 'lib/diaspora/redis_cache'
+
 module Diaspora
   module UserModules
     module Querying
@@ -13,21 +15,32 @@ module Diaspora
         post ||= Post.where(key => id, :public => true).where(opts).first
       end
 
-      def visible_posts(opts = {})
-        defaults = {
-          :type => ['StatusMessage', 'Photo'],
-          :order => 'updated_at DESC',
-          :limit => 15,
-          :hidden => false
-        }
-        opts = defaults.merge(opts)
+      def visible_posts(opts={})
+        opts = prep_opts(opts)
+        post_ids = visible_post_ids(opts)
+        Post.where(:id => post_ids).select('DISTINCT posts.*').limit(opts[:limit]).order(opts[:order_with_table])
+      end
 
-        order_field = opts[:order].split.first.to_sym
-        order_with_table = 'posts.' + opts[:order]
+      def visible_post_ids(opts={})
+        opts = prep_opts(opts)
 
-        opts[:max_time] = Time.at(opts[:max_time]) if opts[:max_time].is_a?(Integer)
-        opts[:max_time] ||= Time.now + 1
+        if AppConfig[:redis_cache]
+          cache = RedisCache.new(self.id, opts[:order_field])
+          if cache.cache_exists?
+            post_ids = cache.post_ids(opts[:max_time], opts[:limit])
+          end
+        end
 
+        if post_ids.blank? || post_ids.length < opts[:limit]
+          visible_ids_from_sql(opts)
+        else
+          post_ids
+        end
+      end
+
+      # @return [Array<Integer>]
+      def visible_ids_from_sql(opts={})
+        opts = prep_opts(opts)
         select_clause ='DISTINCT posts.id, posts.updated_at AS updated_at, posts.created_at AS created_at'
 
         posts_from_others = Post.joins(:contacts).where( :pending => false, :type => opts[:type], :post_visibilities => {:hidden => opts[:hidden]}, :contacts => {:user_id => self.id})
@@ -39,20 +52,12 @@ module Diaspora
           posts_from_self = posts_from_self.joins(:aspect_visibilities).where(:aspect_visibilities => {:aspect_id => opts[:by_members_of]})
         end
 
-        unless sqlite? 
-          posts_from_others = posts_from_others.select(select_clause).order(order_with_table).where(Post.arel_table[order_field].lt(opts[:max_time]))
-          posts_from_self = posts_from_self.select(select_clause).order(order_with_table).where(Post.arel_table[order_field].lt(opts[:max_time]))
+        posts_from_others = posts_from_others.select(select_clause).order(opts[:order_with_table]).where(Post.arel_table[opts[:order_field]].lt(opts[:max_time]))
+        posts_from_self = posts_from_self.select(select_clause).order(opts[:order_with_table]).where(Post.arel_table[opts[:order_field]].lt(opts[:max_time]))
 
-          all_posts = "(#{posts_from_others.to_sql} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}) UNION ALL (#{posts_from_self.to_sql} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}) ORDER BY #{opts[:order]} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}"
-        else
-          posts_from_others = posts_from_others.select(select_clause)
-          posts_from_self = posts_from_self.select(select_clause)
-          all_posts = "#{posts_from_others.to_sql} UNION ALL #{posts_from_self.to_sql} ORDER BY #{opts[:order]} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}"
-        end
+        all_posts = "(#{posts_from_others.to_sql} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}) UNION ALL (#{posts_from_self.to_sql} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}) ORDER BY #{opts[:order]} LIMIT #{opts[:limit]}"
 
-        post_ids = Post.connection.select_values(all_posts)
-
-        Post.where(:id => post_ids).select('DISTINCT posts.*').limit(opts[:limit]).order(order_with_table)
+        Post.connection.select_values(all_posts)
       end
 
       def contact_for(person)
@@ -112,6 +117,26 @@ module Diaspora
 
         Post.where(:id => post_ids, :pending => false).select('DISTINCT posts.*').order("posts.created_at DESC")
       end
+
+      protected
+
+      # @return [Hash]
+      def prep_opts(opts)
+        defaults = {
+          :type => ['StatusMessage', 'Photo'],
+          :order => 'updated_at DESC',
+          :limit => 15,
+          :hidden => false
+        }
+        opts = defaults.merge(opts)
+
+        opts[:order_field] = opts[:order].split.first.to_sym
+        opts[:order_with_table] = 'posts.' + opts[:order]
+
+        opts[:max_time] = Time.at(opts[:max_time]) if opts[:max_time].is_a?(Integer)
+        opts[:max_time] ||= Time.now + 1
+        opts
+      end
     end
   end
 end
diff --git a/spec/lib/diaspora/redis_cache_spec.rb b/spec/lib/diaspora/redis_cache_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e5ed758d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/diaspora/redis_cache_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#   Copyright (c) 2010-2011, Diaspora Inc.  This file is
+#   licensed under the Affero General Public License version 3 or later.  See
+#   the COPYRIGHT file.
+
+require 'spec_helper'
+require 'diaspora/redis_cache'
+
+describe RedisCache do
+  before do
+    @redis = MockRedis.new
+    @cache = RedisCache.new(bob.id, "created_at")
+    @cache.stub(:redis).and_return(@redis)
+  end
+
+  it 'gets initialized with user_id and an order field' do
+    cache = RedisCache.new(bob.id, "updated_at")
+    [:@user_id, :@order].each do |var|
+      cache.instance_variable_get(var).should_not be_blank
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#cache_exists?" do
+    it 'returns true if the sorted set exists' do
+      timestamp = Time.now.to_i
+      @redis.zadd("cache_stream_#{@bob.id}_created_at", timestamp, "post_1")
+
+      @cache.cache_exists?.should be_true
+    end
+
+    it 'returns false if there is nothing in the set' do
+      @cache.cache_exists?.should be_false
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#post_ids" do
+    before do
+      @timestamps = []
+      @timestamp = Time.now.to_i
+      30.times do |n|
+        created_time = @timestamp - n*1000
+        @redis.zadd("cache_stream_#{@bob.id}_created_at", created_time, n)
+        @timestamps << created_time
+      end
+    end
+
+    it 'returns the most recent post ids (default created at, limit 15)' do
+      @cache.post_ids.should =~ 15.times.map {|n| n}
+    end
+
+    it 'returns posts ids after the specified time' do
+      @cache.post_ids(@timestamps[15]).should =~ (15...30).map {|n| n}
+    end
+
+    it 'returns post ids with a non-default limit' do
+      @cache.post_ids(@timestamp, 20).should =~ 20.times.map {|n| n}
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "#populate"
+  describe "#add"
+  describe "#remove"
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/user/querying_spec.rb b/spec/models/user/querying_spec.rb
index e62110531..7ad9edd60 100644
--- a/spec/models/user/querying_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/user/querying_spec.rb
@@ -12,49 +12,49 @@ describe User do
     @bobs_aspect = bob.aspects.where(:name => "generic").first
   end
 
-  describe "#visible_posts" do
+  describe "#visible_post_ids" do
     it "contains your public posts" do
       public_post = alice.post(:status_message, :text => "hi", :to => @alices_aspect.id, :public => true)
-      alice.visible_posts.should include(public_post)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should include(public_post.id)
     end
 
     it "contains your non-public posts" do
       private_post = alice.post(:status_message, :text => "hi", :to => @alices_aspect.id, :public => false)
-      alice.visible_posts.should include(private_post)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should include(private_post.id)
     end
 
     it "contains public posts from people you're following" do
       dogs = bob.aspects.create(:name => "dogs")
       bobs_public_post = bob.post(:status_message, :text => "hello", :public => true, :to => dogs.id)
-      alice.visible_posts.should include(bobs_public_post)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should include(bobs_public_post.id)
     end
 
     it "contains non-public posts from people who are following you" do
       bobs_post = bob.post(:status_message, :text => "hello", :to => @bobs_aspect.id)
-      alice.visible_posts.should include(bobs_post)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should include(bobs_post.id)
     end
 
     it "does not contain non-public posts from aspects you're not in" do
       dogs = bob.aspects.create(:name => "dogs")
       invisible_post = bob.post(:status_message, :text => "foobar", :to => dogs.id)
-      alice.visible_posts.should_not include(invisible_post)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should_not include(invisible_post.id)
     end
 
     it "does not contain pending posts" do
       pending_post = bob.post(:status_message, :text => "hey", :public => true, :to => @bobs_aspect.id, :pending => true)
       pending_post.should be_pending
-      alice.visible_posts.should_not include pending_post
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should_not include pending_post.id
     end
 
     it "does not contain pending photos" do
       pending_photo = bob.post(:photo, :pending => true, :user_file=> File.open(photo_fixture_name), :to => @bobs_aspect)
-      alice.visible_posts.should_not include pending_photo
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should_not include pending_photo.id
     end
 
     it "respects the :type option" do
       photo = bob.post(:photo, :pending => false, :user_file=> File.open(photo_fixture_name), :to => @bobs_aspect)
-      alice.visible_posts.should include(photo)
-      alice.visible_posts(:type => 'StatusMessage').should_not include(photo)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should include(photo.id)
+      alice.visible_post_ids(:type => 'StatusMessage').should_not include(photo.id)
     end
 
     it "does not contain duplicate posts" do
@@ -64,8 +64,8 @@ describe User do
 
       bobs_post = bob.post(:status_message, :text => "hai to all my people", :to => [@bobs_aspect.id, bobs_other_aspect.id])
 
-      alice.visible_posts.length.should == 1
-      alice.visible_posts.should include(bobs_post)
+      alice.visible_post_ids.length.should == 1
+      alice.visible_post_ids.should include(bobs_post.id)
     end
 
     describe 'hidden posts' do
@@ -76,15 +76,58 @@ describe User do
       end
 
       it "pulls back non hidden posts" do
-        alice.visible_posts.include?(@status).should be_true
+        alice.visible_post_ids.include?(@status.id).should be_true
       end
 
       it "does not pull back hidden posts" do
         @vis.update_attributes(:hidden => true)
-        alice.visible_posts.include?(@status).should be_false
+        alice.visible_post_ids.include?(@status.id).should be_false
       end
     end
 
+    context "RedisCache" do
+      before do
+        AppConfig[:redis_cache] = true
+      end
+
+      context 'empty cache' do
+        it "does not read from the cache" do
+          cache = mock(:cache_exists? => false)
+          RedisCache.stub(:new).and_return(cache)
+          cache.should_not_receive(:post_ids)
+
+          alice.visible_post_ids
+        end
+
+        it "is populated" do
+        end
+      end
+
+      context 'populated cache' do
+        before do
+          @cache = mock(:cache_exists? => true)
+          RedisCache.stub(:new).and_return(@cache)
+        end
+        it "reads from the cache" do
+          @cache.stub(:post_ids).and_return([1,2,3])
+
+          alice.visible_post_ids(:limit => 3).should == [1,2,3]
+        end
+
+        it "queries if maxtime is later than the last cached post" do
+          @cache.stub(:post_ids).and_return([])
+          alice.should_receive(:visible_ids_from_sql)
+
+          alice.visible_post_ids
+        end
+
+        it "does not get repopulated" do
+        end
+      end
+    end
+  end
+  
+  describe "#visible_posts" do
     context 'with many posts' do
       before do
         bob.move_contact(eve.person, @bobs_aspect, bob.aspects.create(:name => 'new aspect'))
@@ -101,6 +144,7 @@ describe User do
           end
         end
       end
+
       it 'works' do # The set up takes a looong time, so to save time we do several tests in one
         bob.visible_posts.length.should == 15 #it returns 15 by default
         bob.visible_posts.should == bob.visible_posts(:by_members_of => bob.aspects.map { |a| a.id }) # it is the same when joining through aspects