diff --git a/master.c b/master.c
index 6989fa3d..5851ced3 100644
--- a/master.c
+++ b/master.c
@@ -110,6 +110,30 @@ void *logger_thread_loop(void *noarg) {
 	return NULL;
 }
 
+void *cache_sweeper_loop(void *noarg) {
+
+	int i;
+	// block all signals
+        sigset_t smask;
+        sigfillset(&smask);
+        pthread_sigmask(SIG_BLOCK, &smask, NULL);
+
+	// remove expired cache items TODO use rb_tree timeouts
+	for(;;) {
+		sleep(1);
+                for (i = 0; i < (int) uwsgi.cache_max_items; i++) {
+                	uwsgi_wlock(uwsgi.cache_lock);
+                        if (uwsgi.cache_items[i].expires) {
+                        	if (uwsgi.cache_items[i].expires < (uint64_t) uwsgi.current_time) {
+                                	uwsgi_cache_del(uwsgi.cache_items[i].key, uwsgi.cache_items[i].keysize);
+                                }
+                        }
+                        uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.cache_lock);
+        	}
+	};
+
+}
+
 void uwsgi_subscribe(char *subscription, uint8_t cmd) {
 
 	int subfile_size;
@@ -279,6 +303,7 @@ int master_loop(char **argv, char **environ) {
 	uint64_t last_request_count = 0;
 
 	pthread_t logger_thread;
+	pthread_t cache_sweeper;
 
 #ifdef UWSGI_UDP
 	struct sockaddr_in udp_client;
@@ -374,6 +399,16 @@ int master_loop(char **argv, char **environ) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	if (uwsgi.cache_max_items > 0 && !uwsgi.cache_no_expire) {
+		if (pthread_create(&cache_sweeper, NULL, cache_sweeper_loop, NULL)) {
+                	uwsgi_error("pthread_create()");
+			uwsgi_log("unable to run the cache sweeper !!!\n");
+                }
+		else {
+			uwsgi_log("cache sweeper thread enabled\n");
+		}
+	}
+
 
 	uwsgi.wsgi_req->buffer = uwsgi.async_buf[0];
 
@@ -1189,19 +1224,6 @@ int master_loop(char **argv, char **environ) {
 				}
 			}
 
-			// remove expired cache items TODO use rb_tree timeouts
-			if (uwsgi.cache_max_items > 0) {
-				for (i = 0; i < (int) uwsgi.cache_max_items; i++) {
-					uwsgi_wlock(uwsgi.cache_lock);
-					if (uwsgi.cache_items[i].expires) {
-						if (uwsgi.cache_items[i].expires < (uint64_t) uwsgi.current_time) {
-							uwsgi_cache_del(uwsgi.cache_items[i].key, uwsgi.cache_items[i].keysize);
-						}
-					}
-					uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.cache_lock);
-				}
-			}
-
 			check_interval = uwsgi.shared->options[UWSGI_OPTION_MASTER_INTERVAL];
 			if (!check_interval)
 				check_interval = 1;
diff --git a/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c b/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c
index 8ca132c0..be20e5fd 100644
--- a/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c
+++ b/plugins/python/uwsgi_pymodule.c
@@ -3363,29 +3363,29 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_pull(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 	char *message;
 	uint64_t size;
 	PyObject *res;
+	char *storage;
 
 	if (uwsgi.queue_size) {
 		UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
 		uwsgi_wlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+
 		message = uwsgi_queue_pull(&size);
-		UWSGI_GET_GIL
-		if (message && size > 0) {
-			res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, size);
-#ifdef PYTHREE
-                	char *storage = PyBytes_AsString(res);
-#else
-                	char *storage = PyString_AS_STRING(res);
-#endif
-			UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-			memcpy(storage, message, size);
-                }
-                else {
+
+                if (!message || size == 0) {
+                	uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+			UWSGI_GET_GIL
                         Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-                        res = Py_None;
-			UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
+                        return Py_None;
                 }
+
+                storage = uwsgi_malloc(size);
+		memcpy(storage, message, size);
+
                 uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
 		UWSGI_GET_GIL
+
+		res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(storage, size);
+		free(storage);
                 return res;
 	}
 
@@ -3399,29 +3399,29 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_pop(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
         char *message;
         uint64_t size;
         PyObject *res;
+	char *storage;
 
         if (uwsgi.queue_size) {
+
 		UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
                 uwsgi_wlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+
                 message = uwsgi_queue_pop(&size);
-		UWSGI_GET_GIL
-		if (message && size > 0) {
-                        res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, size);
-#ifdef PYTHREE
-                        char *storage = PyBytes_AsString(res);
-#else
-                        char *storage = PyString_AS_STRING(res);
-#endif
-                        UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                        memcpy(storage, message, size);
-                }
-                else {
+		if (!message || size == 0) {
+                	uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+			UWSGI_GET_GIL
                         Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-                        res = Py_None;
-                        UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                }
+			return Py_None;
+		}
+
+		storage = uwsgi_malloc(size);
+                memcpy(storage, message, size);
+
                 uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
 		UWSGI_GET_GIL
+
+		res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(storage, size);
+		free(storage);
                 return res;
         }
 
@@ -3437,6 +3437,7 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_get(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 	uint64_t size = 0;
 	char *message;
 	PyObject *res;
+	char *storage;
 
 	if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "l:queue_get", &index)) {
                 return NULL;
@@ -3445,25 +3446,23 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_get(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 	if (uwsgi.queue_size) {
 		UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
 		uwsgi_rlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+
 		message = uwsgi_queue_get(index, &size);
-		UWSGI_GET_GIL
-                if (message && size > 0) {
-                        res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, size);
-#ifdef PYTHREE  
-                        char *storage = PyBytes_AsString(res);
-#else
-                        char *storage = PyString_AS_STRING(res);
-#endif  
-                        UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                        memcpy(storage, message, size);
-                }
-                else {
+                if (!message || size == 0) {
+			uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+			UWSGI_GET_GIL
                         Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-                        res = Py_None;
-                        UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                }
+			return Py_None;
+		}
+
+		storage = uwsgi_malloc(size);
+                memcpy(storage, message, size);
+
 		uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
 		UWSGI_GET_GIL
+
+                res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(storage, size);
+		free(storage);
 		return res;
 	}	
 
@@ -3473,11 +3472,12 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_get(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 
 PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_last(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 
-        long num = 0;
+        long i, num = 0;
         uint64_t size = 0;
         char *message;
         PyObject *res = NULL;
 	uint64_t base;
+	char *storage;
 
         if (!PyArg_ParseTuple(args, "|l:queue_last", &num)) {
                 return NULL;
@@ -3501,50 +3501,41 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_last(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 
 		if (num == 0) {
                 	message = uwsgi_queue_get(base, &size);
-			UWSGI_GET_GIL
-                	if (message && size > 0) {
-                        	res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, size);
-#ifdef PYTHREE  
-                        	char *storage = PyBytes_AsString(res);
-#else
-                        	char *storage = PyString_AS_STRING(res);
-#endif
-                        	UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                        	memcpy(storage, message, size);
-                	}
-                	else {
+                	if (!message || size == 0) {
+                		uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
+				UWSGI_GET_GIL
                         	Py_INCREF(Py_None);
-                        	res = Py_None;
-                        	UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                	}
+				return Py_None;
+			}
+
+			storage = uwsgi_malloc(size);
+                        memcpy(storage, message, size);
+
                 	uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
 			UWSGI_GET_GIL
+
+			res = PyString_FromStringAndSize(storage, size);
+			free(storage);
 			return res;
 		}
 
 		if (num > (long)uwsgi.queue_size) num = uwsgi.queue_size;
 
+		char **queue_items = uwsgi_malloc(sizeof(char *) * num);
+		uint64_t *queue_items_size = uwsgi_malloc(sizeof(uint64_t) * num);
+		long item_pos = 0;
 		while(num) {
                 	message = uwsgi_queue_get(base, &size);
-			UWSGI_GET_GIL
-                	if (message && size) {
-				PyObject *zero = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, size);
-				PyList_Append(res, zero);
-				Py_DECREF(zero);
-#ifdef PYTHREE  
-                                char *storage = PyBytes_AsString(res);
-#else           
-                                char *storage = PyString_AS_STRING(res);
-#endif
-				UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-				memcpy(storage, message, size);
-                	}
-                	else {
-				UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
-                		uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
-				UWSGI_GET_GIL
-				return res;
+                	if (!message || size == 0) {
+				queue_items[item_pos] = NULL;
+				queue_items_size[item_pos] = 0;
                 	}
+			else {
+				queue_items[item_pos] = uwsgi_malloc(size);
+				memcpy(queue_items[item_pos], message, size);
+				queue_items_size[item_pos] = size;
+			}
+			item_pos++;
 			if (base > 0) {
 				base--;
 			}
@@ -3553,9 +3544,24 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_queue_last(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 			}
 			num--;
 		}
-		UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
+
                 uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.queue_lock);
 		UWSGI_GET_GIL
+
+		for(i=0;i<item_pos;i++) {
+			if (queue_items[i]) {
+				PyObject *zero = PyString_FromStringAndSize(queue_items[i], queue_items_size[i]);
+				PyList_Append(res, zero);
+				Py_DECREF(zero);
+				free(queue_items[i]);
+			}
+			else {
+				Py_INCREF(Py_None);
+				PyList_Append(res, Py_None);
+			}
+		}
+		free(queue_items);
+		free(queue_items_size);
                 return res;
         }
 
@@ -3605,14 +3611,7 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_cache_get(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 			Py_INCREF(Py_None);
 			return Py_None;
 		}
-		UWSGI_GET_GIL
-		ret = PyString_FromStringAndSize(NULL, valsize);
-#ifdef PYTHREE
-		char *storage = PyBytes_AsString(ret);
-#else
-		char *storage = PyString_AS_STRING(ret);
-#endif
-		UWSGI_RELEASE_GIL
+		char *storage = uwsgi_malloc(valsize);
 #ifdef UWSGI_DEBUG
 		gettimeofday(&tv2, NULL); 
 		if ((tv2.tv_sec* (1000*1000) + tv2.tv_usec) - (tv.tv_sec* (1000*1000) + tv.tv_usec) > 30000) {
@@ -3622,6 +3621,8 @@ PyObject *py_uwsgi_cache_get(PyObject * self, PyObject * args) {
 		memcpy(storage, value, valsize);
 		uwsgi_rwunlock(uwsgi.cache_lock);
 		UWSGI_GET_GIL
+		ret = PyString_FromStringAndSize(storage, valsize);
+		free(storage);
 		return ret;
 	}
 
diff --git a/uwsgi.c b/uwsgi.c
index 9b88a592..f3a75013 100644
--- a/uwsgi.c
+++ b/uwsgi.c
@@ -158,6 +158,7 @@ static struct uwsgi_option uwsgi_base_options[] = {
 	{"cache-store-sync", required_argument, 0, "set frequency of sync for persistent cache", uwsgi_opt_set_int, &uwsgi.cache_store_sync,0},
 	{"cache-server", required_argument, 0, "enable the threaded cache server", uwsgi_opt_set_str, &uwsgi.cache_server, 0},
 	{"cache-server-threads", required_argument, 0, "set the number of threads for the cache server", uwsgi_opt_set_int, &uwsgi.cache_server_threads,0},
+	{"cache-no-expire", required_argument, 0, "disable auto sweep of expired items", uwsgi_opt_true, &uwsgi.cache_no_expire,0},
 
 	{"queue", required_argument, 0, "enable shared queue", uwsgi_opt_set_int, &uwsgi.queue_size, 0},
 	{"queue-blocksize", required_argument, 0, "set queue blocksize", uwsgi_opt_set_int, &uwsgi.queue_store_sync, 0},
diff --git a/uwsgi.h b/uwsgi.h
index e51367da..ad13c631 100644
--- a/uwsgi.h
+++ b/uwsgi.h
@@ -1572,6 +1572,7 @@ struct uwsgi_server {
 	char *cache_store;
 	size_t cache_filesize;
 	int cache_store_sync;
+	int cache_no_expire;
 
 	char *cache_server;
 	int cache_server_threads;