diff --git a/include/libtorrent/disk_io_thread.hpp b/include/libtorrent/disk_io_thread.hpp
index 10d3b6ac7..ce9709905 100644
--- a/include/libtorrent/disk_io_thread.hpp
+++ b/include/libtorrent/disk_io_thread.hpp
@@ -550,6 +550,13 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		// disk cache
 		mutable mutex m_cache_mutex;
 		block_cache m_disk_cache;
+		enum
+		{
+			cache_check_idle,
+			cache_check_active,
+			cache_check_reinvoke
+		};
+		int m_cache_check_state;
 
 		// total number of blocks in use by both the read
 		// and the write cache. This is not supposed to
diff --git a/src/disk_io_thread.cpp b/src/disk_io_thread.cpp
index f864f5b0f..e36b1e2b3 100644
--- a/src/disk_io_thread.cpp
+++ b/src/disk_io_thread.cpp
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		, m_last_file_check(clock_type::now())
 		, m_file_pool(40)
 		, m_disk_cache(block_size, ios, boost::bind(&disk_io_thread::trigger_cache_trim, this))
+		, m_cache_check_state(cache_check_idle)
 		, m_stats_counters(cnt)
 		, m_ios(ios)
 		, m_last_disk_aio_performance_warning(min_time())
@@ -939,6 +940,8 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			kick_hasher(pe, l);
 			num -= try_flush_hashed(pe, 1, completed_jobs, l);
 			--pe->piece_refcount;
+
+			m_disk_cache.maybe_free_piece(pe);
 		}
 
 		// when the write cache is under high pressure, it is likely
@@ -1087,18 +1090,18 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(j->next == 0);
 		TORRENT_ASSERT((j->flags & disk_io_job::in_progress) || !j->storage);
 
-		mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
+#if DEBUG_DISK_THREAD
+		{
+			mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
 
-		check_cache_level(l, completed_jobs);
-
-		DLOG("perform_job job: %s ( %s%s) piece: %d offset: %d outstanding: %d\n"
-			, job_action_name[j->action]
-			, (j->flags & disk_io_job::fence) ? "fence ": ""
-			, (j->flags & disk_io_job::force_copy) ? "force_copy ": ""
-			, j->piece, j->d.io.offset
-			, j->storage ? j->storage->num_outstanding_jobs() : -1);
-
-		l.unlock();
+			DLOG("perform_job job: %s ( %s%s) piece: %d offset: %d outstanding: %d\n"
+				, job_action_name[j->action]
+				, (j->flags & disk_io_job::fence) ? "fence ": ""
+				, (j->flags & disk_io_job::force_copy) ? "force_copy ": ""
+				, j->piece, j->d.io.offset
+				, j->storage ? j->storage->num_outstanding_jobs() : -1);
+		}
+#endif
 
 		boost::shared_ptr<piece_manager> storage = j->storage;
 
@@ -1123,6 +1126,23 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::num_running_disk_jobs, -1);
 
+		mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
+		if (m_cache_check_state == cache_check_idle)
+		{
+			m_cache_check_state = cache_check_active;
+			while (m_cache_check_state != cache_check_idle)
+			{
+				check_cache_level(l, completed_jobs);
+				TORRENT_ASSERT(l.locked());
+				--m_cache_check_state;
+			}
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			m_cache_check_state = cache_check_reinvoke;
+		}
+		l.unlock();
+
 		if (ret == retry_job)
 		{
 			mutex::scoped_lock l2(m_job_mutex);
@@ -1454,60 +1474,55 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		INVARIANT_CHECK;
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(j->d.io.buffer_size <= m_disk_cache.block_size());
 
-		// should we put this write job in the cache?
-		// if we don't use the cache we shouldn't.
-		if (j->flags & disk_io_job::use_disk_cache)
+		mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
+
+		cached_piece_entry* pe = m_disk_cache.find_piece(j);
+		if (pe && pe->hashing_done)
 		{
-			mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
-
-			cached_piece_entry* pe = m_disk_cache.find_piece(j);
-			if (pe && pe->hashing_done)
-			{
 #if TORRENT_USE_ASSERTS
-				print_piece_log(pe->piece_log);
+			print_piece_log(pe->piece_log);
 #endif
-				TORRENT_ASSERT(pe->blocks[j->d.io.offset / 16 / 1024].buf != j->buffer.disk_block);
-				TORRENT_ASSERT(pe->blocks[j->d.io.offset / 16 / 1024].buf != NULL);
-				j->error.ec = error::operation_aborted;
-				j->error.operation = storage_error::write;
-				return -1;
-			}
+			TORRENT_ASSERT(pe->blocks[j->d.io.offset / 16 / 1024].buf != j->buffer.disk_block);
+			TORRENT_ASSERT(pe->blocks[j->d.io.offset / 16 / 1024].buf != NULL);
+			j->error.ec = error::operation_aborted;
+			j->error.operation = storage_error::write;
+			return -1;
+		}
 
-			pe = m_disk_cache.add_dirty_block(j);
+		pe = m_disk_cache.add_dirty_block(j);
 
-			if (pe)
-			{
+		if (pe)
+		{
 #if TORRENT_USE_ASSERTS
-				pe->piece_log.push_back(piece_log_t(j->action, j->d.io.offset / 0x4000));
+			pe->piece_log.push_back(piece_log_t(j->action, j->d.io.offset / 0x4000));
 #endif
 
-				if (!pe->hashing_done
-					&& pe->hash == 0
-					&& !m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::disable_hash_checks))
-				{
-					pe->hash = new partial_hash;
-					m_disk_cache.update_cache_state(pe);
-				}
-
-				TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(pe->cache_state <= cached_piece_entry::read_lru1 || pe->cache_state == cached_piece_entry::read_lru2, pe);
-				++pe->piece_refcount;
-
-				// see if we can progress the hash cursor with this new block
-				kick_hasher(pe, l);
-
-				TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(pe->cache_state <= cached_piece_entry::read_lru1 || pe->cache_state == cached_piece_entry::read_lru2, pe);
-
-				// flushes the piece to disk in case
-				// it satisfies the condition for a write
-				// piece to be flushed
-				try_flush_hashed(pe, m_settings.get_int(
-					settings_pack::write_cache_line_size), completed_jobs, l);
-
-				--pe->piece_refcount;
-				m_disk_cache.maybe_free_piece(pe);
-
-				return defer_handler;
+			if (!pe->hashing_done
+				&& pe->hash == 0
+				&& !m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::disable_hash_checks))
+			{
+				pe->hash = new partial_hash;
+				m_disk_cache.update_cache_state(pe);
 			}
+
+			TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(pe->cache_state <= cached_piece_entry::read_lru1 || pe->cache_state == cached_piece_entry::read_lru2, pe);
+			++pe->piece_refcount;
+
+			// see if we can progress the hash cursor with this new block
+			kick_hasher(pe, l);
+
+			TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(pe->cache_state <= cached_piece_entry::read_lru1 || pe->cache_state == cached_piece_entry::read_lru2, pe);
+
+			// flushes the piece to disk in case
+			// it satisfies the condition for a write
+			// piece to be flushed
+			try_flush_hashed(pe, m_settings.get_int(
+				settings_pack::write_cache_line_size), completed_jobs, l);
+
+			--pe->piece_refcount;
+			m_disk_cache.maybe_free_piece(pe);
+
+			return defer_handler;
 		}
 
 		// ok, we should just perform this job right now.
@@ -1571,57 +1586,66 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	{
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(j->action == disk_io_job::read);
 
-		if (m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::use_read_cache)
-			&& m_settings.get_int(settings_pack::cache_size) != 0)
+		int ret = m_disk_cache.try_read(j);
+		if (ret >= 0)
 		{
-			int ret = m_disk_cache.try_read(j);
-			if (ret >= 0)
-			{
-				m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::num_blocks_cache_hits);
-				DLOG("do_read: cache hit\n");
-				j->flags |= disk_io_job::cache_hit;
-				j->ret = ret;
-				return 0;
-			}
-			else if (ret == -2)
-			{
-				j->error.ec = error::no_memory;
-				j->error.operation = storage_error::alloc_cache_piece;
-				j->ret = disk_io_job::operation_failed;
-				return 0;
-			}
+			m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::num_blocks_cache_hits);
+			DLOG("do_read: cache hit\n");
+			j->flags |= disk_io_job::cache_hit;
+			j->ret = ret;
+			return 0;
+		}
+		else if (ret == -2)
+		{
+			j->error.ec = error::no_memory;
+			j->error.operation = storage_error::alloc_cache_piece;
+			j->ret = disk_io_job::operation_failed;
+			return 0;
+		}
 
-			if (check_fence && j->storage->is_blocked(j))
-			{
-				// this means the job was queued up inside storage
-				m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::blocked_disk_jobs);
-				DLOG("blocked job: %s (torrent: %d total: %d)\n"
-					, job_action_name[j->action], j->storage ? j->storage->num_blocked() : 0
-					, int(m_stats_counters[counters::blocked_disk_jobs]));
-				return 2;
-			}
+		if (check_fence && j->storage->is_blocked(j))
+		{
+			// this means the job was queued up inside storage
+			m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::blocked_disk_jobs);
+			DLOG("blocked job: %s (torrent: %d total: %d)\n"
+				, job_action_name[j->action], j->storage ? j->storage->num_blocked() : 0
+				, int(m_stats_counters[counters::blocked_disk_jobs]));
+			return 2;
+		}
 
-			cached_piece_entry* pe = m_disk_cache.allocate_piece(j, cached_piece_entry::read_lru1);
-			if (pe == NULL)
-			{
-				j->ret = -1;
-				j->error.ec = error::no_memory;
-				j->error.operation = storage_error::read;
-				return 0;
-			}
-			j->flags |= disk_io_job::use_disk_cache;
-			if (pe->outstanding_read)
-			{
-				TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(j->piece == pe->piece, pe);
-				pe->read_jobs.push_back(j);
-				return 2;
-			}
+		if (!m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::use_read_cache)
+			|| m_settings.get_int(settings_pack::cache_size) == 0)
+		{
+			// if the read cache is disabled then we can skip going through the cache
+			// but only if there is no existing piece entry. Otherwise there may be a
+			// partial hit on one-or-more dirty buffers so we must use the cache
+			// to avoid reading bogus data from storage
+			if (m_disk_cache.find_piece(j) == NULL)
+				return 1;
+		}
+
+		cached_piece_entry* pe = m_disk_cache.allocate_piece(j, cached_piece_entry::read_lru1);
+
+		if (pe == NULL)
+		{
+			j->ret = -1;
+			j->error.ec = error::no_memory;
+			j->error.operation = storage_error::read;
+			return 0;
+		}
+		j->flags |= disk_io_job::use_disk_cache;
+		if (pe->outstanding_read)
+		{
+			TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(j->piece == pe->piece, pe);
+			pe->read_jobs.push_back(j);
+			return 2;
+		}
 
 #if TORRENT_USE_ASSERTS
-			pe->piece_log.push_back(piece_log_t(piece_log_t::set_outstanding_jobs));
+		pe->piece_log.push_back(piece_log_t(piece_log_t::set_outstanding_jobs));
 #endif
-			pe->outstanding_read = 1;
-		}
+		pe->outstanding_read = 1;
+
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -1685,53 +1709,49 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(m_disk_cache.is_disk_buffer(j->buffer.disk_block));
 		l_.unlock();
 #endif
-		if (m_settings.get_int(settings_pack::cache_size) != 0
-			&& m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::use_write_cache))
+
+		TORRENT_ASSERT((r.start % m_disk_cache.block_size()) == 0);
+
+		if (storage->is_blocked(j))
 		{
-			TORRENT_ASSERT((r.start % m_disk_cache.block_size()) == 0);
-			j->flags |= disk_io_job::use_disk_cache;
-
-			if (storage->is_blocked(j))
-			{
-				// this means the job was queued up inside storage
-				m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::blocked_disk_jobs);
-				DLOG("blocked job: %s (torrent: %d total: %d)\n"
-					, job_action_name[j->action], j->storage ? j->storage->num_blocked() : 0
-					, int(m_stats_counters[counters::blocked_disk_jobs]));
-				// make the holder give up ownership of the buffer
-				// since the job was successfully queued up
-				buffer.release();
-				return;
-			}
-
-			mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
-			// if we succeed in adding the block to the cache, the job will
-			// be added along with it. we may not free j if so
-			cached_piece_entry* dpe = m_disk_cache.add_dirty_block(j);
-
-			// if the buffer was successfully added to the cache
-			// our holder should no longer own it
-			if (dpe) buffer.release();
-
-			if (dpe && dpe->outstanding_flush == 0)
-			{
-				dpe->outstanding_flush = 1;
-				l.unlock();
-
-				// the block and write job were successfully inserted
-				// into the cache. Now, see if we should trigger a flush
-				j = allocate_job(disk_io_job::flush_hashed);
-				j->storage = storage->shared_from_this();
-				j->piece = r.piece;
-				j->flags = flags;
-				add_job(j);
-			}
-			// if we added the block (regardless of whether we also
-			// issued a flush job or not), we're done.
-			if (dpe) return;
-			l.unlock();
+			// this means the job was queued up inside storage
+			m_stats_counters.inc_stats_counter(counters::blocked_disk_jobs);
+			DLOG("blocked job: %s (torrent: %d total: %d)\n"
+				, job_action_name[j->action], j->storage ? j->storage->num_blocked() : 0
+				, int(m_stats_counters[counters::blocked_disk_jobs]));
+			// make the holder give up ownership of the buffer
+			// since the job was successfully queued up
+			buffer.release();
+			return;
 		}
 
+		mutex::scoped_lock l(m_cache_mutex);
+		// if we succeed in adding the block to the cache, the job will
+		// be added along with it. we may not free j if so
+		cached_piece_entry* dpe = m_disk_cache.add_dirty_block(j);
+
+		// if the buffer was successfully added to the cache
+		// our holder should no longer own it
+		if (dpe) buffer.release();
+
+		if (dpe && dpe->outstanding_flush == 0)
+		{
+			dpe->outstanding_flush = 1;
+			l.unlock();
+
+			// the block and write job were successfully inserted
+			// into the cache. Now, see if we should trigger a flush
+			j = allocate_job(disk_io_job::flush_hashed);
+			j->storage = storage->shared_from_this();
+			j->piece = r.piece;
+			j->flags = flags;
+			add_job(j);
+		}
+		// if we added the block (regardless of whether we also
+		// issued a flush job or not), we're done.
+		if (dpe) return;
+		l.unlock();
+
 		add_job(j);
 		buffer.release();
 	}
@@ -1778,13 +1798,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			return;
 		}
 		l.unlock();
-
-		if (m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::use_read_cache)
-			&& m_settings.get_int(settings_pack::cache_size) != 0)
-		{
-			j->flags |= disk_io_job::use_disk_cache;
-		}
-
 		add_job(j);
 	}
 
@@ -2287,9 +2300,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 	{
 		INVARIANT_CHECK;
 
-		if ((j->flags & disk_io_job::use_disk_cache) == 0)
-			return do_uncached_hash(j);
-
 		int const piece_size = j->storage->files()->piece_size(j->piece);
 		int const file_flags = file_flags_for_job(j);
 
@@ -2905,6 +2915,9 @@ namespace libtorrent
 		cached_piece_entry* pe = m_disk_cache.find_piece(j);
 
 		if (pe == NULL) return 0;
+
+		pe->outstanding_flush = 0;
+
 		if (pe->num_dirty == 0) return 0;
 
 		// if multiple threads are flushing this piece, this assert may fire
@@ -2942,8 +2955,6 @@ namespace libtorrent
 
 		TORRENT_ASSERT(l.locked());
 
-//		TORRENT_PIECE_ASSERT(pe->outstanding_flush == 1, pe);
-		pe->outstanding_flush = 0;
 		--pe->piece_refcount;
 
 		m_disk_cache.maybe_free_piece(pe);
@@ -3457,9 +3468,7 @@ namespace libtorrent
 			{
 				disk_io_job* j = new_jobs.pop_front();
 
-				if (j->action == disk_io_job::read
-					&& m_settings.get_bool(settings_pack::use_read_cache)
-					&& m_settings.get_int(settings_pack::cache_size) != 0)
+				if (j->action == disk_io_job::read)
 				{
 					int state = prep_read_job_impl(j, false);
 					switch (state)