diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 7da7b44d..641592be 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
   "author": "Calvin Montgomery",
   "name": "CyTube",
   "description": "Online media synchronizer and chat",
-  "version": "3.67.2",
+  "version": "3.68.0",
   "repository": {
     "url": "http://github.com/calzoneman/sync"
   },
diff --git a/src/database.js b/src/database.js
index a61fa131..76afc9ae 100644
--- a/src/database.js
+++ b/src/database.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ var tables = require("./database/tables");
 import * as Metrics from './metrics/metrics';
 import knex from 'knex';
 import { GlobalBanDB } from './db/globalban';
+import { MetadataCacheDB } from './database/metadata_cache';
 import { Summary, Counter } from 'prom-client';
 
 const LOGGER = require('@calzoneman/jsli')('database');
@@ -84,6 +85,9 @@ module.exports.init = function (newDB) {
             .then(() => {
                 require('./database/update').checkVersion();
                 module.exports.loadAnnouncement();
+                require('cytube-mediaquery/lib/provider/youtube').setCache(
+                    new MetadataCacheDB(db)
+                );
             }).catch(error => {
                 LOGGER.error(error.stack);
                 process.exit(1);
diff --git a/src/database/metadata_cache.js b/src/database/metadata_cache.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9c52d3e3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/database/metadata_cache.js
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+import { createMySQLDuplicateKeyUpdate } from '../util/on-duplicate-key-update';
+const Switches = require('../switches');
+
+const Media = require('cytube-mediaquery/lib/media');
+
+// TODO: these fullname-vs-shortcode hacks really need to be abolished
+function mediaquery2cytube(type) {
+    switch (type) {
+        case 'youtube':
+            return 'yt';
+        default:
+            throw new Error(`mediaquery2cytube: no mapping for ${type}`);
+    }
+}
+
+function cytube2mediaquery(type) {
+    switch (type) {
+        case 'yt':
+            return 'youtube';
+        default:
+            throw new Error(`cytube2mediaquery: no mapping for ${type}`);
+    }
+}
+
+class MetadataCacheDB {
+    constructor(db) {
+        this.db = db;
+    }
+
+    async put(media) {
+        if (!Switches.isActive('ytCache')) return;
+
+        media = new Media(media);
+        media.type = mediaquery2cytube(media.type);
+        return this.db.runTransaction(async tx => {
+            let insert = tx.table('media_metadata_cache')
+                .insert({
+                    id: media.id,
+                    type: media.type,
+                    metadata: JSON.stringify(media)
+                });
+            let update = tx.raw(createMySQLDuplicateKeyUpdate(
+                ['metadata']
+            ));
+
+            return tx.raw(insert.toString() + update.toString());
+        });
+    }
+
+    async get(id, type) {
+        if (!Switches.isActive('ytCache')) return null;
+
+        return this.db.runTransaction(async tx => {
+            let row = await tx.table('media_metadata_cache')
+                .where({ id, type })
+                .first();
+
+            if (row === undefined || row === null) {
+                return null;
+            }
+
+            let metadata = JSON.parse(row.metadata);
+            metadata.type = cytube2mediaquery(metadata.type);
+            return new Media(metadata);
+        });
+    }
+}
+
+export { MetadataCacheDB };
diff --git a/src/database/tables.js b/src/database/tables.js
index 320e283e..cc389dca 100644
--- a/src/database/tables.js
+++ b/src/database/tables.js
@@ -142,4 +142,17 @@ export async function initTables() {
         t.timestamps(/* useTimestamps */ true, /* defaultToNow */ true);
         t.index('created_at');
     });
+
+    await ensureTable('media_metadata_cache', t => {
+        // The types of id and type are chosen for compatibility
+        // with the existing channel_libraries table.
+        // TODO in the future schema, revisit the ID layout for different media types.
+        t.string('id', 255).notNullable();
+        t.string('type', 2).notNullable();
+        t.text('metadata').notNullable();
+        t.timestamps(/* useTimestamps */ true, /* defaultToNow */ true);
+
+        t.primary(['type', 'id']);
+        t.index('updated_at');
+    });
 }
diff --git a/src/switches.js b/src/switches.js
index 8725e572..5b76c10b 100644
--- a/src/switches.js
+++ b/src/switches.js
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 const switches = {
-    plDirtyCheck: true
+    plDirtyCheck: true,
+    ytCache: true
 };
 
 export function isActive(switchName) {