diff --git a/hbs2-peer/app/Brains.hs b/hbs2-peer/app/Brains.hs
index 92807160..bc12c360 100644
--- a/hbs2-peer/app/Brains.hs
+++ b/hbs2-peer/app/Brains.hs
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ import Data.Cache qualified as Cache
 import Data.Either
 import Data.HashMap.Strict (HashMap)
 import Data.HashMap.Strict qualified as HashMap
+import Data.HashSet (HashSet)
+import Data.HashSet qualified as HashSet
 import Data.List qualified as List
 import Data.Maybe
 import Data.Text qualified as Text
@@ -82,6 +84,7 @@ data BasicBrains e =
   , _brainsCommit       :: TQueue CommitCmd
   , _brainsDelDownload  :: TQueue (Hash HbSync)
   , _brainsSizeCache    :: Cache (Peer e, Hash HbSync) Integer
+  , _brainsPolled       :: TVar (HashSet (PubKey 'Sign (Encryption e), String))
   }
 
 makeLenses 'BasicBrains
@@ -96,6 +99,7 @@ cleanupPostponed b h =  do
 instance ( Hashable (Peer e)
          , Pretty (Peer e), Pretty (PeerAddr e)
          , Pretty (AsBase58 (PubKey 'Sign (Encryption e)))
+         , Hashable (PubKey 'Sign (Encryption e))
          , e ~ L4Proto
          , ForRefChans e
          ) => HasBrains e (BasicBrains e) where
@@ -103,14 +107,14 @@ instance ( Hashable (Peer e)
   onClientTCPConnected br pa@(L4Address proto _) ssid = do
     debug $ "BRAINS: onClientTCPConnected" <+> pretty proto <+> pretty pa <+> pretty ssid
     updateOP br $ insertClientTCP br pa ssid
-    commitNow br True
+    commitNow br False
 
   getClientTCP br = liftIO (selectClientTCP br)
 
   setActiveTCPSessions br ssids = do
     trace $ "BRAINS: setActiveTCPSessions" <+> pretty ssids
     updateOP br $ updateTCPSessions br ssids
-    commitNow br True
+    commitNow br False
 
   listTCPPexCandidates = liftIO . selectTCPPexCandidates
 
@@ -134,7 +138,7 @@ instance ( Hashable (Peer e)
         forM_ ps $ \pip -> do
           pa <- toPeerAddr pip
           insertKnownPeer br pa
-    commitNow br True
+    commitNow br False
 
   onBlockSize b p h size = do
     liftIO $ Cache.insert (_brainsSizeCache b) (p,h) size
@@ -217,12 +221,12 @@ instance ( Hashable (Peer e)
 
   addPolledRef brains r s i = do
 
+    liftIO $ atomically $ modifyTVar (_brainsPolled brains) (HashSet.insert (r,s))
+
     updateOP brains $ do
       let conn = view brainsDb brains
       liftIO $ execute conn sql (show $ pretty (AsBase58 r), s, i)
 
-    commitNow brains True
-
     where
       sql = [qc|
       insert into {poll_table} (ref,type,interval)
@@ -253,14 +257,24 @@ instance ( Hashable (Peer e)
       postprocess = mapMaybe (\(r,t,i) -> (,t,i) <$> fromStringMay r )
 
   isPolledRef brains tp ref = do
-    liftIO do
-      let conn = view brainsDb brains
-      query @_ @(Only Int) conn [qc|
-        select 1 from {poll_table}
-        where ref = ? and type = ?
-        limit 1
-      |] ( show $ pretty (AsBase58 ref), tp )
-        <&> isJust . listToMaybe
+
+    cached <- liftIO $ readTVarIO (_brainsPolled brains) <&> HashSet.member (ref,tp)
+
+    if cached then
+      pure True
+    else do
+
+      r <- liftIO do
+              let conn = view brainsDb brains
+              query @_ @(Only Int) conn [qc|
+                select 1 from {poll_table}
+                where ref = ? and type = ?
+                limit 1
+              |] ( show $ pretty (AsBase58 ref), tp )
+                <&> isJust . listToMaybe
+
+      liftIO $ atomically $ modifyTVar (_brainsPolled brains) (HashSet.insert (ref,tp))
+      pure r
 
   setSeen brains w ts = do
     utc <- liftIO getCurrentTime <&> addUTCTime ts
@@ -745,7 +759,10 @@ tableExists conn prefix' tableName = do
 
 
 -- FIXME: eventually-close-db
-newBasicBrains :: forall e m . (Hashable (Peer e), MonadIO m)
+newBasicBrains :: forall e m . ( Hashable (Peer e)
+                               , Hashable (PubKey 'Sign (Encryption e))
+                               , MonadIO m
+                               )
                => PeerConfig
                -> m (BasicBrains e)
 
@@ -898,7 +915,7 @@ newBasicBrains cfg = liftIO do
               <*> newTQueueIO
               <*> newTQueueIO
               <*> Cache.newCache (Just (toTimeSpec (1200:: Timeout 'Seconds)))
-
+              <*> newTVarIO mempty
 
 data PeerDownloadsDelOnStart
 
@@ -961,7 +978,7 @@ runBasicBrains cfg brains = do
   when (delDowns == FeatureOn ) do
     debug $ yellow "CLEAN ALL DOWNLOADS"
     updateOP brains (delAllDownloads brains)
-    commitNow brains True
+    commitNow brains False
 
   let polls = catMaybes (
        [ (tp,n,) <$> fromStringMay @(PubKey 'Sign (Encryption e)) (Text.unpack ref)