diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 5d0c8d2..322143e 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -9,9 +9,33 @@ use tracing::Level;
 mod error;
 pub use error::CacheError;
 
+const LOCK_TTL: usize = 60_000; // milliseconds
+const LOCK_RETRY_TIME: Duration = Duration::from_secs(1);
+
+#[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
+struct CacheItem<Item> {
+    timestamp: DateTime<Utc>,
+    payload: Item,
+}
+
+#[tracing::instrument(skip_all, level = Level::TRACE)]
+async fn query_cache<Item>(
+    conn: &mut redis::aio::MultiplexedConnection,
+    key_name: &[u8],
+) -> Result<Option<CacheItem<Item>>, CacheError>
+where
+    Item: DeserializeOwned,
+{
+    Ok(conn
+        .get::<&[u8], Option<Vec<u8>>>(key_name)
+        .await?
+        .map(|s| ciborium::from_reader(&s[..]))
+        .transpose()?)
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone)]
 pub struct RedisClient {
-    redis: redis::Client,
+    client: redis::Client,
 }
 
 pub struct RedisCacheArgs<'a> {
@@ -20,6 +44,15 @@ pub struct RedisCacheArgs<'a> {
     pub expiry: Duration,
 }
 
+#[derive(PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Copy)]
+pub enum CacheDecision {
+    Cache,
+    NoCache,
+}
+
+type OutFunc<'f, Args, I, E> =
+    Box<dyn FnOnce(Args) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<I, E>> + Send + 'f>> + 'f>;
+
 pub trait Client<T>
 where
     Self: Sized,
@@ -34,15 +67,87 @@ where
         &'c self,
         f: Func,
         cache_args: &'a RedisCacheArgs<'a>,
-    ) -> Box<dyn FnOnce(Args) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f>> + 'f>
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Item, E>
     where
         Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
         Inner: Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f,
         Args: Send + 'f,
-        Item: Send + Serialize + DeserializeOwned,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
         E: From<CacheError>,
         'a: 'f,
         'c: 'f;
+
+    fn wrap_const<'c, 'f, 'a, Func, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
+        &'c self,
+        f: Func,
+        cache_args: &'a RedisCacheArgs<'a>,
+        do_cache: CacheDecision,
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Item, E>
+    where
+        Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
+        Inner: Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f,
+        Args: Send + 'f,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
+        E: From<CacheError>,
+        'a: 'f,
+        'c: 'f;
+
+    fn wrap_opt<'c, 'f, 'a, Func, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
+        &'c self,
+        f: Func,
+        cache_args: &'a RedisCacheArgs<'a>,
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Option<Item>, E>
+    where
+        Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
+        Inner: Future<Output = Result<Option<Item>, E>> + Send + 'f,
+        Args: Send + 'f,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
+        E: From<CacheError>,
+        'a: 'f,
+        'c: 'f;
+
+    fn wrap_on<'c, 'f, 'ca, 'fa, 'cf, Func, CacheFunc, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
+        &'c self,
+        f: Func,
+        cache_args: &'ca RedisCacheArgs<'ca>,
+        do_cache: CacheFunc,
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Item, E>
+    where
+        Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
+        CacheFunc: for<'i> Fn(&'i Item) -> CacheDecision + Send + Sync + 'cf,
+        Inner: Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f,
+        Args: Send + 'fa,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
+        E: From<CacheError>,
+        'ca: 'f,
+        'c: 'f,
+        'cf: 'f,
+        'fa: 'f;
+}
+
+#[tracing::instrument(skip_all, level = Level::TRACE)]
+async fn write_cache<Item>(
+    conn: &mut redis::aio::MultiplexedConnection,
+    key_name: &[u8],
+    payload: &Item,
+) -> Result<(), CacheError>
+where
+    Item: Serialize,
+{
+    let cache_item = CacheItem {
+        timestamp: Utc::now(),
+        payload,
+    };
+
+    let _: () = conn
+        .set(key_name, {
+            let mut buf = Vec::new();
+            ciborium::into_writer(&cache_item, &mut buf)?;
+            buf
+        })
+        .await?;
+
+    Ok(())
 }
 
 impl Client<redis::Client> for RedisClient {
@@ -50,52 +155,87 @@ impl Client<redis::Client> for RedisClient {
 
     fn new((ip, port): (net::IpAddr, u16)) -> Result<Self, CacheError> {
         Ok(Self {
-            redis: redis::Client::open((ip.to_string(), port))?,
+            client: redis::Client::open((ip.to_string(), port))?,
         })
     }
 
     fn get(&self) -> &redis::Client {
-        &self.redis
+        &self.client
     }
 
     fn wrap<'c, 'f, 'a, Func, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
         &'c self,
         f: Func,
         cache_args: &'a RedisCacheArgs<'a>,
-    ) -> Box<dyn FnOnce(Args) -> Pin<Box<dyn Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f>> + 'f>
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Item, E>
     where
         Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
         Inner: Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f,
         Args: Send + 'f,
-        Item: Send + Serialize + DeserializeOwned,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
         E: From<CacheError>,
         'a: 'f,
         'c: 'f,
     {
-        const LOCK_TTL: usize = 60_000; // milliseconds
-        const LOCK_RETRY_TIME: Duration = Duration::from_secs(1);
+        self.wrap_const(f, cache_args, CacheDecision::Cache)
+    }
 
-        #[derive(Serialize, Deserialize)]
-        struct CacheItem<Item> {
-            timestamp: DateTime<Utc>,
-            payload: Item,
-        }
+    fn wrap_opt<'c, 'f, 'a, Func, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
+        &'c self,
+        f: Func,
+        cache_args: &'a RedisCacheArgs<'a>,
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Option<Item>, E>
+    where
+        Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
+        Inner: Future<Output = Result<Option<Item>, E>> + Send + 'f,
+        Args: Send + 'f,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
+        E: From<CacheError>,
+        'a: 'f,
+        'c: 'f,
+    {
+        self.wrap_on(f, cache_args, |item| {
+            item.as_ref()
+                .map_or(CacheDecision::NoCache, |_| CacheDecision::Cache)
+        })
+    }
 
-        #[tracing::instrument(skip_all, level = Level::TRACE)]
-        async fn query_cache<Item>(
-            conn: &mut redis::aio::MultiplexedConnection,
-            key_name: &[u8],
-        ) -> Result<Option<CacheItem<Item>>, CacheError>
-        where
-            Item: DeserializeOwned,
-        {
-            Ok(conn
-                .get::<&[u8], Option<String>>(key_name)
-                .await?
-                .map(|s| serde_json::from_str(&s))
-                .transpose()?)
-        }
+    fn wrap_const<'c, 'f, 'a, Func, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
+        &'c self,
+        f: Func,
+        cache_args: &'a RedisCacheArgs<'a>,
+        do_cache: CacheDecision,
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Item, E>
+    where
+        Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
+        Inner: Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f,
+        Args: Send + 'f,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
+        E: From<CacheError>,
+        'a: 'f,
+        'c: 'f,
+    {
+        self.wrap_on(f, cache_args, move |_item| do_cache)
+    }
 
+    fn wrap_on<'c, 'f, 'ca, 'fa, 'cf, Func, CacheFunc, Inner, Args, Item, E>(
+        &'c self,
+        f: Func,
+        cache_args: &'ca RedisCacheArgs<'ca>,
+        do_cache: CacheFunc,
+    ) -> OutFunc<'f, Args, Item, E>
+    where
+        Func: Fn(Args) -> Inner + Sync + Send + 'f,
+        CacheFunc: for<'i> Fn(&'i Item) -> CacheDecision + Send + Sync + 'cf,
+        Inner: Future<Output = Result<Item, E>> + Send + 'f,
+        Args: Send + 'fa,
+        Item: Serialize + DeserializeOwned + Send + Sync,
+        E: From<CacheError>,
+        'ca: 'f,
+        'c: 'f,
+        'cf: 'f,
+        'fa: 'f,
+    {
         Box::new(move |args: Args| {
             Box::pin(async move {
                 let expiry = TimeDelta::from_std(cache_args.expiry)
@@ -133,25 +273,20 @@ impl Client<redis::Client> for RedisClient {
                                 .in_scope(|| async {
                                     let payload = f(args).await?;
 
-                                    let cache_item = CacheItem {
-                                        timestamp: Utc::now(),
-                                        payload,
-                                    };
-                                    let _: () = conn
-                                        .set(
-                                            cache_args.key_name,
-                                            serde_json::to_string(&cache_item)
-                                                .map_err(Into::into)?,
-                                        )
-                                        .await
-                                        .map_err(Into::into)?;
-                                    lock_manager.unlock(&lock);
-                                    tracing::trace!("cache updated");
-                                    Ok(cache_item.payload)
+                                    match do_cache(&payload) {
+                                        CacheDecision::NoCache => Ok(payload),
+                                        CacheDecision::Cache => {
+                                            lock_manager.unlock(&lock);
+                                            tracing::trace!("cache updated");
+                                            write_cache(&mut conn, cache_args.key_name, &payload)
+                                                .await?;
+                                            Ok(payload)
+                                        }
+                                    }
                                 })
                                 .await
                         } else {
-                            // Could not get lock because it's already. so some other process is already
+                            // Could not get lock because it's already taken. So some other process is already
                             // gathering data. Wait for it to finish and then just return
                             // the cached response.
                             tracing::trace!("could not acquire lock");
@@ -186,11 +321,18 @@ impl Client<redis::Client> for RedisClient {
                                                     break Ok(response.payload);
                                                 }
                                                 None => {
-                                                    break Err(CacheError::Consistency(
-                                                        "cached item expected but not found"
-                                                            .to_owned(),
-                                                    )
-                                                    .into())
+                                                    tracing::trace!("no cache item returned, generating own response");
+                                                    let payload = f(args).await?;
+                                                    break match do_cache(&payload) {
+                                                        CacheDecision::NoCache => Ok(payload),
+                                                        CacheDecision::Cache => {
+                                                            write_cache(&mut conn, cache_args.key_name, &payload)
+                                                                .await?;
+                                                            lock_manager.unlock(&lock);
+                                                            tracing::trace!("cache updated");
+                                                            Ok(payload)
+                                                        }
+                                                    }
                                                 }
                                             }
                                         }