diff --git a/mempool/mempool.go b/mempool/mempool.go
index acc52ae6e..2b7be1ddb 100644
--- a/mempool/mempool.go
+++ b/mempool/mempool.go
@@ -59,8 +59,7 @@ type Mempool struct {
 
 	// Keep a cache of already-seen txs.
 	// This reduces the pressure on the proxyApp.
-	cacheMap  map[string]struct{}
-	cacheList *list.List // to remove oldest tx when cache gets too big
+	cache *txCache
 }
 
 func NewMempool(config cfg.Config, proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnMempool) *Mempool {
@@ -74,8 +73,7 @@ func NewMempool(config cfg.Config, proxyAppConn proxy.AppConnMempool) *Mempool {
 		recheckCursor: nil,
 		recheckEnd:    nil,
 
-		cacheMap:  make(map[string]struct{}, cacheSize),
-		cacheList: list.New(),
+		cache: newTxCache(cacheSize),
 	}
 	proxyAppConn.SetResponseCallback(mempool.resCb)
 	return mempool
@@ -100,8 +98,7 @@ func (mem *Mempool) Flush() {
 	mem.proxyMtx.Lock()
 	defer mem.proxyMtx.Unlock()
 
-	mem.cacheMap = make(map[string]struct{}, cacheSize)
-	mem.cacheList.Init()
+	mem.cache.Reset()
 
 	for e := mem.txs.Front(); e != nil; e = e.Next() {
 		mem.txs.Remove(e)
@@ -125,7 +122,7 @@ func (mem *Mempool) CheckTx(tx types.Tx, cb func(*tmsp.Response)) (err error) {
 	defer mem.proxyMtx.Unlock()
 
 	// CACHE
-	if _, exists := mem.cacheMap[string(tx)]; exists {
+	if mem.cache.Exists(tx) {
 		if cb != nil {
 			cb(&tmsp.Response{
 				Value: &tmsp.Response_CheckTx{
@@ -138,16 +135,7 @@ func (mem *Mempool) CheckTx(tx types.Tx, cb func(*tmsp.Response)) (err error) {
 		}
 		return nil
 	}
-	if mem.cacheList.Len() >= cacheSize {
-		popped := mem.cacheList.Front()
-		poppedTx := popped.Value.(types.Tx)
-		// NOTE: the tx may have already been removed from the map
-		// but deleting a non-existant element is fine
-		delete(mem.cacheMap, string(poppedTx))
-		mem.cacheList.Remove(popped)
-	}
-	mem.cacheMap[string(tx)] = struct{}{}
-	mem.cacheList.PushBack(tx)
+	mem.cache.Push(tx)
 	// END CACHE
 
 	// NOTE: proxyAppConn may error if tx buffer is full
@@ -162,13 +150,6 @@ func (mem *Mempool) CheckTx(tx types.Tx, cb func(*tmsp.Response)) (err error) {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (mem *Mempool) removeTxFromCacheMap(tx []byte) {
-	mem.proxyMtx.Lock()
-	// NOTE tx not removed from cacheList
-	delete(mem.cacheMap, string(tx))
-	mem.proxyMtx.Unlock()
-}
-
 // TMSP callback function
 func (mem *Mempool) resCb(req *tmsp.Request, res *tmsp.Response) {
 	if mem.recheckCursor == nil {
@@ -194,9 +175,7 @@ func (mem *Mempool) resCbNormal(req *tmsp.Request, res *tmsp.Response) {
 			log.Info("Bad Transaction", "res", r)
 
 			// remove from cache (it might be good later)
-			// note this is an async callback,
-			// so we need to grab the lock in removeTxFromCacheMap
-			mem.removeTxFromCacheMap(req.GetCheckTx().Tx)
+			mem.cache.Remove(req.GetCheckTx().Tx)
 
 			// TODO: handle other retcodes
 		}
@@ -221,7 +200,7 @@ func (mem *Mempool) resCbRecheck(req *tmsp.Request, res *tmsp.Response) {
 			mem.recheckCursor.DetachPrev()
 
 			// remove from cache (it might be good later)
-			mem.removeTxFromCacheMap(req.GetCheckTx().Tx)
+			mem.cache.Remove(req.GetCheckTx().Tx)
 		}
 		if mem.recheckCursor == mem.recheckEnd {
 			mem.recheckCursor = nil
@@ -348,3 +327,62 @@ type mempoolTx struct {
 func (memTx *mempoolTx) Height() int {
 	return int(atomic.LoadInt64(&memTx.height))
 }
+
+//--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+
+type txCache struct {
+	mtx  sync.Mutex
+	size int
+	map_ map[string]struct{}
+	list *list.List // to remove oldest tx when cache gets too big
+}
+
+func newTxCache(cacheSize int) *txCache {
+	return &txCache{
+		size: cacheSize,
+		map_: make(map[string]struct{}, cacheSize),
+		list: list.New(),
+	}
+}
+
+func (cache *txCache) Reset() {
+	cache.mtx.Lock()
+	cache.map_ = make(map[string]struct{}, cacheSize)
+	cache.list.Init()
+	cache.mtx.Unlock()
+}
+
+func (cache *txCache) Exists(tx types.Tx) bool {
+	cache.mtx.Lock()
+	_, exists := cache.map_[string(tx)]
+	cache.mtx.Unlock()
+	return exists
+}
+
+// Returns false if tx is in cache.
+func (cache *txCache) Push(tx types.Tx) bool {
+	cache.mtx.Lock()
+	defer cache.mtx.Unlock()
+
+	if _, exists := cache.map_[string(tx)]; exists {
+		return false
+	}
+
+	if cache.list.Len() >= cache.size {
+		popped := cache.list.Front()
+		poppedTx := popped.Value.(types.Tx)
+		// NOTE: the tx may have already been removed from the map
+		// but deleting a non-existant element is fine
+		delete(cache.map_, string(poppedTx))
+		cache.list.Remove(popped)
+	}
+	cache.map_[string(tx)] = struct{}{}
+	cache.list.PushBack(tx)
+	return true
+}
+
+func (cache *txCache) Remove(tx types.Tx) {
+	cache.mtx.Lock()
+	delete(cache.map_, string(tx))
+	cache.mtx.Unlock()
+}