diff --git a/CHANGELOG.txt b/CHANGELOG.txt
index fe3cb56783b1e0176026a59debeb4680b56aa1af..c128e6913bd98b20b88b5a6bb31246ce4255d36a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.txt
+++ b/CHANGELOG.txt
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 Drupal x.x.x, xxxx-xx-xx (development version)
 ------------------------
+- added support for different cache backends
 - usability:
     * added support for auto-complete forms (AJAX) to user profiles.
     * improved configurability of the contact forms.
diff --git a/includes/bootstrap.inc b/includes/bootstrap.inc
index 3db7d9fadc2796ccf1b6eefbe22c2c04c4beb7af..946d926b4b2116ef4453719e6b797820cf12df32 100644
--- a/includes/bootstrap.inc
+++ b/includes/bootstrap.inc
@@ -16,11 +16,13 @@
 define('WATCHDOG_WARNING', 1);
 define('WATCHDOG_ERROR', 2);
 
-define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE', 0);
-define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_SESSION', 1);
-define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE', 2);
-define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PATH', 3);
-define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL', 4);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION', 0);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_EARLY_PAGE_CACHE', 1);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE', 2);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_SESSION', 3);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_LATE_PAGE_CACHE', 4);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PATH', 5);
+define('DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL', 6);
 
 // these values should match the'role' table
 define('DRUPAL_ANONYMOUS_RID', 1);
@@ -306,125 +308,6 @@ function variable_del($name) {
   unset($conf[$name]);
 }
 
-/**
- * Return data from the persistent cache.
- *
- * @param $key
- *   The cache ID of the data to retrieve.
- */
-function cache_get($key) {
-  global $user;
-
-  // Garbage collection necessary when enforcing a minimum cache lifetime
-  $cache_flush = variable_get('cache_flush', 0);
-  if ($cache_flush && ($cache_flush + variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0) <= time())) {
-    // Time to flush old cache data
-    db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE expire != %d AND expire <= %d", CACHE_PERMANENT, $cache_flush);
-    variable_set('cache_flush', 0);
-  }
-
-  $cache = db_fetch_object(db_query("SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM {cache} WHERE cid = '%s'", $key));
-  if (isset($cache->data)) {
-    // If the data is permanent or we're not enforcing a minimum cache lifetime
-    // always return the cached data.
-    if ($cache->expire == CACHE_PERMANENT || !variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0)) {
-      $cache->data = db_decode_blob($cache->data);
-    }
-    // If enforcing a minimum cache lifetime, validate that the data is
-    // currently valid for this user before we return it by making sure the
-    // cache entry was created before the timestamp in the current session's
-    // cache timer. The cache variable is loaded into the $user object by
-    // sess_read() in session.inc.
-    else {
-      if ($user->cache > $cache->created) {
-        // This cache data is too old and thus not valid for us, ignore it.
-        return 0;
-      }
-      else {
-        $cache->data = db_decode_blob($cache->data);
-      }
-    }
-    return $cache;
-  }
-  return 0;
-}
-
-/**
- * Store data in the persistent cache.
- *
- * @param $cid
- *   The cache ID of the data to store.
- * @param $data
- *   The data to store in the cache. Complex data types must be serialized first.
- * @param $expire
- *   One of the following values:
- *   - CACHE_PERMANENT: Indicates that the item should never be removed unless
- *     explicitly told to using cache_clear_all() with a cache ID.
- *   - CACHE_TEMPORARY: Indicates that the item should be removed at the next
- *     general cache wipe.
- *   - A Unix timestamp: Indicates that the item should be kept at least until
- *     the given time, after which it behaves like CACHE_TEMPORARY.
- * @param $headers
- *   A string containing HTTP header information for cached pages.
- */
-function cache_set($cid, $data, $expire = CACHE_PERMANENT, $headers = NULL) {
-  db_lock_table('cache');
-  db_query("UPDATE {cache} SET data = %b, created = %d, expire = %d, headers = '%s' WHERE cid = '%s'", $data, time(), $expire, $headers, $cid);
-  if (!db_affected_rows()) {
-    @db_query("INSERT INTO {cache} (cid, data, created, expire, headers) VALUES ('%s', %b, %d, %d, '%s')", $cid, $data, time(), $expire, $headers);
-  }
-  db_unlock_tables();
-}
-
-/**
- * Expire data from the cache.
- *
- * @param $cid
- *   If set, the cache ID to delete. Otherwise, all cache entries that can
- *   expire are deleted.
- *
- * @param $wildcard
- *   If set to true, the $cid is treated as a substring to match rather than a
- *   complete ID.
- */
-function cache_clear_all($cid = NULL, $wildcard = false) {
-  global $user;
-
-  if (empty($cid)) {
-    if (variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0)) {
-      // We store the time in the current user's $user->cache variable which
-      // will be saved into the sessions table by sess_write(). We then
-      // simulate that the cache was flushed for this user by not returning
-      // cached data that was cached before the timestamp.
-      $user->cache = time();
-
-      $cache_flush = variable_get('cache_flush', 0);
-      if ($cache_flush == 0) {
-        // This is the first request to clear the cache, start a timer.
-        variable_set('cache_flush', time());
-      }
-      else if (time() > ($cache_flush + variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0))) {
-        // Clear the cache for everyone, cache_flush_delay seconds have
-        // passed since the first request to clear the cache.
-        db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE expire != %d AND expire < %d", CACHE_PERMANENT, time());
-        variable_set('cache_flush', 0);
-      }
-    }
-    else {
-      // No minimum cache lifetime, flush all temporary cache entries now.
-      db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE expire != %d AND expire < %d", CACHE_PERMANENT, time());
-    }
-  }
-  else {
-    if ($wildcard) {
-      db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE cid LIKE '%%%s%%'", $cid);
-    }
-    else {
-      db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE cid = '%s'", $cid);
-    }
-  }
-}
-
 /**
  * Retrieve the current page from the cache.
  *
@@ -713,15 +596,17 @@ function drupal_is_denied($type, $mask) {
  *
  * @param $phase
  *   A constant. Allowed values are:
+ *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION: initialize configuration
+ *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_EARLY_PAGE_CACHE: try to call a non-database cache fetch routine
  *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE: initialize database layer.
  *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_SESSION: initialize session handling.
- *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE: load bootstrap.inc and module.inc, start
+ *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_LATE_PAGE_CACHE: load bootstrap.inc and module.inc, start
  *       the variable system and try to serve a page from the cache.
  *     DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL: Drupal is fully loaded, validate and fix input
  *       data.
  */
 function drupal_bootstrap($phase) {
-  static $phases = array(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_SESSION, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PATH, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL);
+  static $phases = array(DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_EARLY_PAGE_CACHE, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_SESSION, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_LATE_PAGE_CACHE, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PATH, DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_FULL);
 
   while (!is_null($current_phase = array_shift($phases))) {
     _drupal_bootstrap($current_phase);
@@ -735,10 +620,19 @@ function _drupal_bootstrap($phase) {
   global $conf;
 
   switch ($phase) {
-    case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE:
+    case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_CONFIGURATION:
       drupal_unset_globals();
       // Initialize the configuration
       conf_init();
+      break;
+    case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_EARLY_PAGE_CACHE:
+      if (variable_get('page_cache_fastpath', 0)) {
+        require_once variable_get('cache_inc', './includes/cache.inc');
+        page_cache_fastpath();
+        exit;
+      }
+      break;
+    case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_DATABASE:
       // Initialize the default database.
       require_once './includes/database.inc';
       db_set_active();
@@ -750,7 +644,8 @@ function _drupal_bootstrap($phase) {
       session_start();
       break;
 
-    case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_PAGE_CACHE:
+    case DRUPAL_BOOTSTRAP_LATE_PAGE_CACHE:
+      require_once variable_get('cache_inc', './includes/cache.inc');
       require_once './includes/module.inc';
       // Start a page timer:
       timer_start('page');
diff --git a/includes/cache.inc b/includes/cache.inc
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e7982835afd844e36e38c9f539a36db517616636
--- /dev/null
+++ b/includes/cache.inc
@@ -0,0 +1,121 @@
+<?php
+
+/**
+ * Return data from the persistent cache.
+ *
+ * @param $key
+ *   The cache ID of the data to retrieve.
+ */
+function cache_get($key) {
+  global $user;
+
+  // Garbage collection necessary when enforcing a minimum cache lifetime
+  $cache_flush = variable_get('cache_flush', 0);
+  if ($cache_flush && ($cache_flush + variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0) <= time())) {
+    // Time to flush old cache data
+    db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE expire != %d AND expire <= %d", CACHE_PERMANENT, $cache_flush);
+    variable_set('cache_flush', 0);
+  }
+
+  $cache = db_fetch_object(db_query("SELECT data, created, headers, expire FROM {cache} WHERE cid = '%s'", $key));
+  if (isset($cache->data)) {
+    // If the data is permanent or we're not enforcing a minimum cache lifetime
+    // always return the cached data.
+    if ($cache->expire == CACHE_PERMANENT || !variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0)) {
+      $cache->data = db_decode_blob($cache->data);
+    }
+    // If enforcing a minimum cache lifetime, validate that the data is
+    // currently valid for this user before we return it by making sure the
+    // cache entry was created before the timestamp in the current session's
+    // cache timer. The cache variable is loaded into the $user object by
+    // sess_read() in session.inc.
+    else {
+      if ($user->cache > $cache->created) {
+        // This cache data is too old and thus not valid for us, ignore it.
+        return 0;
+      }
+      else {
+        $cache->data = db_decode_blob($cache->data);
+      }
+    }
+    return $cache;
+  }
+  return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Store data in the persistent cache.
+ *
+ * @param $cid
+ *   The cache ID of the data to store.
+ * @param $data
+ *   The data to store in the cache. Complex data types must be serialized first.
+ * @param $expire
+ *   One of the following values:
+ *   - CACHE_PERMANENT: Indicates that the item should never be removed unless
+ *     explicitly told to using cache_clear_all() with a cache ID.
+ *   - CACHE_TEMPORARY: Indicates that the item should be removed at the next
+ *     general cache wipe.
+ *   - A Unix timestamp: Indicates that the item should be kept at least until
+ *     the given time, after which it behaves like CACHE_TEMPORARY.
+ * @param $headers
+ *   A string containing HTTP header information for cached pages.
+ */
+function cache_set($cid, $data, $expire = CACHE_PERMANENT, $headers = NULL) {
+  db_lock_table('cache');
+  db_query("UPDATE {cache} SET data = %b, created = %d, expire = %d, headers = '%s' WHERE cid = '%s'", $data, time(), $expire, $headers, $cid);
+  if (!db_affected_rows()) {
+    @db_query("INSERT INTO {cache} (cid, data, created, expire, headers) VALUES ('%s', %b, %d, %d, '%s')", $cid, $data, time(), $expire, $headers);
+  }
+  db_unlock_tables();
+}
+
+/**
+ * Expire data from the cache.
+ *
+ * @param $cid
+ *   If set, the cache ID to delete. Otherwise, all cache entries that can
+ *   expire are deleted.
+ *
+ * @param $wildcard
+ *   If set to true, the $cid is treated as a substring to match rather than a
+ *   complete ID.
+ */
+function cache_clear_all($cid = NULL, $wildcard = false) {
+  global $user;
+
+  if (empty($cid)) {
+    if (variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0)) {
+      // We store the time in the current user's $user->cache variable which
+      // will be saved into the sessions table by sess_write(). We then
+      // simulate that the cache was flushed for this user by not returning
+      // cached data that was cached before the timestamp.
+      $user->cache = time();
+
+      $cache_flush = variable_get('cache_flush', 0);
+      if ($cache_flush == 0) {
+        // This is the first request to clear the cache, start a timer.
+        variable_set('cache_flush', time());
+      }
+      else if (time() > ($cache_flush + variable_get('cache_lifetime', 0))) {
+        // Clear the cache for everyone, cache_flush_delay seconds have
+        // passed since the first request to clear the cache.
+        db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE expire != %d AND expire < %d", CACHE_PERMANENT, time());
+        variable_set('cache_flush', 0);
+      }
+    }
+    else {
+      // No minimum cache lifetime, flush all temporary cache entries now.
+      db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE expire != %d AND expire < %d", CACHE_PERMANENT, time());
+    }
+  }
+  else {
+    if ($wildcard) {
+      db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE cid LIKE '%%%s%%'", $cid);
+    }
+    else {
+      db_query("DELETE FROM {cache} WHERE cid = '%s'", $cid);
+    }
+  }
+}
+