diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..96d3622
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+*.pyc
+*.egg-info
+*.sql
+docs/build/*
diff --git a/AUTHORS b/AUTHORS
index 56d0532..8192db5 100644
--- a/AUTHORS
+++ b/AUTHORS
@@ -1,4 +1,7 @@
 Jannis Leidel <jannis@leidel.info>
 Martin Mahner <martin@mahner.org>
 Diego Búrigo Zacarão <diegobz@gmail.com>
-James Pic
\ No newline at end of file
+James Pic
+Wes Winham <winhamwr@gmail.com>
+Kyle Gibson <kyle.gibson@policystat.com>
+Jason Ward <jason.ward@policystat.com>
diff --git a/README b/README
index 3ff0ede..0040d13 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -52,6 +52,14 @@ html version using the setup.py::
 Changelog:
 ==========
 
+0.5dev (2012-09-24):
+-----------------
+
+* It is now possible to minimize the number of queries when using
+  django-authority by caching the results of the Permission query. This can be
+  done by adding ``AUTHORITY_USE_SMART_CACHE = True`` to your settings.py
+
+
 0.4 (2010-01-15):
 -----------------
 
diff --git a/authority/managers.py b/authority/managers.py
index 218158a..28aa7a7 100644
--- a/authority/managers.py
+++ b/authority/managers.py
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ from django.db import models
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
 
+
 class PermissionManager(models.Manager):
 
     def get_content_type(self, obj):
@@ -13,25 +14,37 @@ class PermissionManager(models.Manager):
     def for_object(self, obj, approved=True):
         return self.get_for_model(obj).select_related(
             'user', 'creator', 'group', 'content_type'
-        ).filter(object_id=obj.id,approved=approved)
+        ).filter(object_id=obj.id, approved=approved)
 
     def for_user(self, user, obj, check_groups=True):
         perms = self.get_for_model(obj)
         if not check_groups:
             return perms.select_related('user', 'creator').filter(user=user)
-        return perms.select_related('user', 'user__groups', 'creator').filter(
-            Q(user=user) | Q(group__in=user.groups.all()))
 
-    def user_permissions(self, user, perm, obj, approved=True, check_groups=True):
-        return self.for_user(user, obj, check_groups).filter(codename=perm, 
-                                                             approved=approved)
+        # Hacking user to user__pk to workaround deepcopy bug:
+        # http://bugs.python.org/issue2460
+        # Which is triggered by django's deepcopy which backports that fix in
+        # Django 1.2
+        return perms.select_related('user', 'user__groups', 'creator').filter(
+            Q(user__pk=user.pk) | Q(group__in=user.groups.all()))
+
+    def user_permissions(
+            self, user, perm, obj, approved=True, check_groups=True):
+        return self.for_user(
+            user,
+            obj,
+            check_groups,
+        ).filter(
+            codename=perm,
+            approved=approved,
+        )
 
     def group_permissions(self, group, perm, obj, approved=True):
         """
         Get objects that have Group perm permission on
         """
         return self.get_for_model(obj).select_related(
-            'user', 'group', 'creator').filter(group=group, codename=perm, 
+            'user', 'group', 'creator').filter(group=group, codename=perm,
                                                approved=approved)
 
     def delete_objects_permissions(self, obj):
@@ -50,5 +63,3 @@ class PermissionManager(models.Manager):
             return
         perms = self.user_permissions(user, perm, obj).filter(object_id=obj.id)
         perms.delete()
-
-                              
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/authority/permissions.py b/authority/permissions.py
index 434ae2b..62869d4 100644
--- a/authority/permissions.py
+++ b/authority/permissions.py
@@ -1,13 +1,14 @@
-import copy
-
-from django.db.models.base import Model, ModelBase
-from django.template.defaultfilters import slugify
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import Permission as DjangoPermission
 from django.contrib.contenttypes.models import ContentType
+from django.db.models import Q
+from django.db.models.base import Model, ModelBase
+from django.template.defaultfilters import slugify
 
 from authority.exceptions import NotAModel, UnsavedModelInstance
 from authority.models import Permission
 
+
 class PermissionMetaclass(type):
     """
     Used to generate the default set of permission checks "add", "change" and
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ class PermissionMetaclass(type):
         new_class.checks = [check.lower() for check in new_class.checks]
         return new_class
 
+
 class BasePermission(object):
     """
     Base Permission class to be used to define app permissions.
@@ -40,16 +42,146 @@ class BasePermission(object):
         self.group = group
         super(BasePermission, self).__init__(*args, **kwargs)
 
-    def has_user_perms(self, perm, obj, approved, check_groups=True):
+    def _get_cached_perms(self):
+        """
+        Set up both the user and group caches.
+        """
+        if not self.user:
+            return {}, {}
+        perms = Permission.objects.filter(
+            Q(user__pk=self.user.pk) | Q(group__in=self.user.groups.all()),
+        )
+        user_permissions = {}
+        group_permissions = {}
+        for perm in perms:
+            if perm.user_id == self.user.pk:
+                user_permissions[(
+                    perm.object_id,
+                    perm.content_type_id,
+                    perm.codename,
+                    perm.approved,
+                )] = True
+            # If the user has the permission do for something, but perm.user !=
+            # self.user then by definition that permission came from the
+            # group.
+            else:
+                group_permissions[(
+                    perm.object_id,
+                    perm.content_type_id,
+                    perm.codename,
+                    perm.approved,
+                )] = True
+        return user_permissions, group_permissions
+
+    def _prime_perm_caches(self):
+        """
+        Prime both the user and group caches and put them on the ``self.user``.
+        In addition add a cache filled flag on ``self.user``.
+        """
+        perm_cache, group_perm_cache = self._get_cached_perms()
+        self.user._authority_perm_cache = perm_cache
+        self.user._authority_group_perm_cache = group_perm_cache
+        self.user._authority_perm_cache_filled = True
+
+    @property
+    def _perm_cache(self):
+        """
+        cached_permissions will generate the cache in a lazy fashion.
+        """
+        # Check to see if the cache has been primed.
+        if not self.user:
+            return {}
+        cache_filled = getattr(
+            self.user,
+            '_authority_perm_cache_filled',
+            False,
+        )
+        if cache_filled:
+            # Don't really like the name for this, but this matches how Django
+            # does it.
+            return self.user._authority_perm_cache
+
+        # Prime the cache.
+        self._prime_perm_caches()
+        return self.user._authority_perm_cache
+
+    @property
+    def _group_perm_cache(self):
+        """
+        cached_permissions will generate the cache in a lazy fashion.
+        """
+        # Check to see if the cache has been primed.
+        if not self.user:
+            return {}
+        cache_filled = getattr(
+            self.user,
+            '_authority_perm_cache_filled',
+            False,
+        )
+        if cache_filled:
+            return self.user._authority_group_perm_cache
+
+        # Prime the cache.
+        self._prime_perm_caches()
+        return self.user._authority_group_perm_cache
+
+    def invalidate_permissions_cache(self):
+        """
+        In the event that the Permission table is changed during the use of a
+        permission the Permission cache will need to be invalidated and
+        regenerated. By calling this method the invalidation will occur, and
+        the next time the cached_permissions is used the cache will be
+        re-primed.
+        """
         if self.user:
-            if self.user.is_superuser:
+            self.user._authority_perm_cache_filled = False
+
+    @property
+    def use_smart_cache(self):
+        # AUTHORITY_USE_SMART_CACHE defaults to False to maintain backwards
+        # compatibility.
+        use_smart_cache = getattr(settings, 'AUTHORITY_USE_SMART_CACHE', True)
+        return self.user and use_smart_cache
+
+    def has_user_perms(self, perm, obj, approved, check_groups=True):
+        if not self.user:
+            return False
+        if self.user.is_superuser:
+            return True
+        if not self.user.is_active:
+            return False
+
+        if self.use_smart_cache:
+            content_type_pk = Permission.objects.get_content_type(obj).pk
+
+            def _user_has_perms(cached_perms):
+                # Check to see if the permission is in the cache.
+                return cached_perms.get((
+                    obj.pk,
+                    content_type_pk,
+                    perm,
+                    approved,
+                ))
+
+            # Check to see if the permission is in the cache.
+            if _user_has_perms(self._perm_cache):
                 return True
-            if not self.user.is_active:
-                return False
-            # check if a Permission object exists for the given params
-            return Permission.objects.user_permissions(self.user, perm, obj,
-                approved, check_groups).filter(object_id=obj.id)
-        return False
+
+            # Optionally check group permissions
+            if check_groups:
+                return _user_has_perms(self._group_perm_cache)
+            return False
+
+        # Actually hit the DB, no smart cache used.
+        return Permission.objects.user_permissions(
+            self.user,
+            perm,
+            obj,
+            approved,
+            check_groups,
+        ).filter(
+            object_id=obj.pk,
+        ).exists()
 
     def has_group_perms(self, perm, obj, approved):
         """
@@ -58,7 +190,7 @@ class BasePermission(object):
         if self.group:
             perms = Permission.objects.group_permissions(self.group, perm, obj,
                                                          approved)
-            return perms.filter(object_id=obj.id)
+            return perms.filter(object_id=obj.pk)
         return False
 
     def has_perm(self, perm, obj, check_groups=True, approved=True):
@@ -97,19 +229,26 @@ class BasePermission(object):
                 perms = perms or self.has_perm(perm, obj)
         return perms
 
-    def get_django_codename(self, check, model_or_instance, generic=False, without_left=False):
+    def get_django_codename(
+            self, check, model_or_instance, generic=False, without_left=False):
         if without_left:
             perm = check
         else:
             perm = '%s.%s' % (model_or_instance._meta.app_label, check.lower())
         if generic:
-            perm = '%s_%s' % (perm, model_or_instance._meta.object_name.lower())
+            perm = '%s_%s' % (
+                perm,
+                model_or_instance._meta.object_name.lower(),
+            )
         return perm
 
     def get_codename(self, check, model_or_instance, generic=False):
         perm = '%s.%s' % (self.label, check.lower())
         if generic:
-            perm = '%s_%s' % (perm, model_or_instance._meta.object_name.lower())
+            perm = '%s_%s' % (
+                perm,
+                model_or_instance._meta.object_name.lower(),
+            )
         return perm
 
     def assign(self, check=None, content_object=None, generic=False):
@@ -150,26 +289,37 @@ class BasePermission(object):
             for check in checks:
                 if isinstance(content_object, Model):
                     # make an authority per object permission
-                    codename = self.get_codename(check, content_object, generic)
+                    codename = self.get_codename(
+                        check,
+                        content_object,
+                        generic,
+                    )
                     try:
                         perm = Permission.objects.get(
-                            user = self.user,
-                            codename = codename,
-                            approved = True,
-                            content_type = content_type,
-                            object_id = content_object.pk)
+                            user=self.user,
+                            codename=codename,
+                            approved=True,
+                            content_type=content_type,
+                            object_id=content_object.pk,
+                        )
                     except Permission.DoesNotExist:
                         perm = Permission.objects.create(
-                            user = self.user,
-                            content_object = content_object,
-                            codename = codename,
-                            approved = True)
+                            user=self.user,
+                            content_object=content_object,
+                            codename=codename,
+                            approved=True,
+                        )
 
                     result.append(perm)
 
                 elif isinstance(content_object, ModelBase):
                     # make a Django permission
-                    codename = self.get_django_codename(check, content_object, generic, without_left=True)
+                    codename = self.get_django_codename(
+                        check,
+                        content_object,
+                        generic,
+                        without_left=True,
+                    )
                     try:
                         perm = DjangoPermission.objects.get(codename=codename)
                     except DjangoPermission.DoesNotExist:
@@ -177,9 +327,10 @@ class BasePermission(object):
                         if '_' in name:
                             name = name[0:name.find('_')]
                         perm = DjangoPermission(
-                            name = name,
-                            codename = codename,
-                            content_type = content_type)
+                            name=name,
+                            codename=codename,
+                            content_type=content_type,
+                        )
                         perm.save()
                     self.user.user_permissions.add(perm)
                     result.append(perm)
diff --git a/authority/tests.py b/authority/tests.py
index 45350a6..79d8d46 100644
--- a/authority/tests.py
+++ b/authority/tests.py
@@ -1,19 +1,31 @@
-from django.test import TestCase
-from django.contrib.auth.models import User
+from django.conf import settings
 from django.contrib.auth.models import Permission as DjangoPermission
+from django.contrib.auth.models import User, Group
+from django.test import TestCase
 
 import authority
 from authority import permissions
 from authority.models import Permission
 from authority.exceptions import NotAModel, UnsavedModelInstance
 
+
 class UserPermission(permissions.BasePermission):
     checks = ('browse',)
     label = 'user_permission'
 authority.register(User, UserPermission)
 
-class BehaviourTest(TestCase):
+
+class GroupPermission(permissions.BasePermission):
+    checks = ('browse',)
+    label = 'group_permission'
+authority.register(Group, GroupPermission)
+
+
+class DjangoPermissionChecksTestCase(TestCase):
     """
+    Django permission objects have certain methods that are always present,
+    test those here.
+
     self.user will be given:
     - django permission add_user (test_add)
     - authority to delete_user which is him (test_delete)
@@ -21,7 +33,7 @@ class BehaviourTest(TestCase):
     This permissions are given in the test case and not in the fixture, for
     later reference.
     """
-    fixtures = ['tests.json',]
+    fixtures = ['tests.json']
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.user = User.objects.get(username='jezdez')
@@ -53,39 +65,44 @@ class BehaviourTest(TestCase):
         self.assertFalse(self.check.delete_user())
         self.assertTrue(self.check.delete_user(self.user))
 
+
 class AssignBehaviourTest(TestCase):
-   """
-   self.user will be given:
-   - permission add_user (test_add),
-   - permission delete_user for him (test_delete),
-   - all existing codenames permissions: a/b/c/d (test_all),
-   """
-   fixtures = ['tests.json',]
+    """
+    self.user will be given:
+    - permission add_user (test_add),
+    - permission delete_user for him (test_delete),
+    - all existing codenames permissions: a/b/c/d (test_all),
+    """
+    fixtures = ['tests.json']
 
-   def setUp(self):
-       self.user = User.objects.get(username='jezdez')
-       self.check = UserPermission(self.user)
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.user = User.objects.get(username='jezdez')
+        self.check = UserPermission(self.user)
 
-   def test_add(self):
-       result = self.check.assign(check='add_user')
+    def test_add(self):
+        result = self.check.assign(check='add_user')
 
-       self.assertTrue(isinstance(result[0], DjangoPermission))
-       self.assertTrue(self.check.add_user())
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(result[0], DjangoPermission))
+        self.assertTrue(self.check.add_user())
 
-   def test_delete(self):
-       result = self.check.assign(content_object=self.user, check='delete_user')
+    def test_delete(self):
+        result = self.check.assign(
+            content_object=self.user,
+            check='delete_user',
+        )
 
-       self.assertTrue(isinstance(result[0], Permission))
-       self.assertFalse(self.check.delete_user())
-       self.assertTrue(self.check.delete_user(self.user))
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(result[0], Permission))
+        self.assertFalse(self.check.delete_user())
+        self.assertTrue(self.check.delete_user(self.user))
+
+    def test_all(self):
+        result = self.check.assign(content_object=self.user)
+        self.assertTrue(isinstance(result, list))
+        self.assertTrue(self.check.browse_user(self.user))
+        self.assertTrue(self.check.delete_user(self.user))
+        self.assertTrue(self.check.add_user(self.user))
+        self.assertTrue(self.check.change_user(self.user))
 
-   def test_all(self):
-       result = self.check.assign(content_object=self.user)
-       self.assertTrue(isinstance(result, list))
-       self.assertTrue(self.check.browse_user(self.user))
-       self.assertTrue(self.check.delete_user(self.user))
-       self.assertTrue(self.check.add_user(self.user))
-       self.assertTrue(self.check.change_user(self.user))
 
 class GenericAssignBehaviourTest(TestCase):
     """
@@ -93,7 +110,7 @@ class GenericAssignBehaviourTest(TestCase):
     - permission add (test_add),
     - permission delete for him (test_delete),
     """
-    fixtures = ['tests.json',]
+    fixtures = ['tests.json']
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.user = User.objects.get(username='jezdez')
@@ -106,17 +123,23 @@ class GenericAssignBehaviourTest(TestCase):
         self.assertTrue(self.check.add_user())
 
     def test_delete(self):
-        result = self.check.assign(content_object=self.user, check='delete', generic=True)
+        result = self.check.assign(
+            content_object=self.user,
+            check='delete',
+            generic=True,
+        )
 
         self.assertTrue(isinstance(result[0], Permission))
         self.assertFalse(self.check.delete_user())
         self.assertTrue(self.check.delete_user(self.user))
 
+
 class AssignExceptionsTest(TestCase):
     """
-    Tests that exceptions are thrown if assign() was called with inconsistent arguments.
+    Tests that exceptions are thrown if assign() was called with inconsistent
+    arguments.
     """
-    fixtures = ['tests.json',]
+    fixtures = ['tests.json']
 
     def setUp(self):
         self.user = User.objects.get(username='jezdez')
@@ -135,3 +158,193 @@ class AssignExceptionsTest(TestCase):
         except NotAModel:
             return True
         self.fail()
+
+
+class SmartCachingTestCase(TestCase):
+    """
+    The base test case for all tests that have to do with smart caching.
+    """
+    fixtures = ['tests.json']
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        # Create a user.
+        self.user = User.objects.get(username='jezdez')
+
+        # Create a group.
+        self.group = Group.objects.create()
+        self.group.user_set.add(self.user)
+
+        # Make the checks
+        self.user_check = UserPermission(user=self.user)
+        self.group_check = GroupPermission(group=self.group)
+
+        # Ensure we are using the smart cache.
+        settings.AUTHORITY_USE_SMART_CACHE = True
+
+    def _old_permission_check(self):
+        # This is what the old, pre-cache system would check to see if a user
+        # had a given permission.
+        return Permission.objects.user_permissions(
+            self.user,
+            'foo',
+            self.user,
+            approved=True,
+            check_groups=True,
+        )
+
+
+class PerformanceTest(SmartCachingTestCase):
+    """
+    Tests that permission are actually cached and that the number of queries
+    stays constant.
+    """
+
+    def test_has_user_perms(self):
+        # Show that when calling has_user_perms multiple times no additional
+        # queries are done.
+
+        # Make sure the has_user_perms check does not get short-circuited.
+        assert not self.user.is_superuser
+        assert self.user.is_active
+
+        # Regardless of how many times has_user_perms is called, the number of
+        # queries is the same.
+        with self.assertNumQueries(1):
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, False)
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, False)
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, False)
+
+    def test_has_user_perms_check_group(self):
+        # Regardless of the number groups permissions, it should only take one
+        # query to check both users and groups.
+        with self.assertNumQueries(1):
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms(
+                'foo',
+                self.user,
+                approved=True,
+                check_groups=True,
+            )
+
+    def test_invalidate_permissions_cache(self):
+        # Show that calling invalidate_permissions_cache will cause extra
+        # queries.
+        with self.assertNumQueries(2):
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, False)
+
+            # Invalidate the cache to show that a query will be generated when
+            # checking perms again.
+            self.user_check.invalidate_permissions_cache()
+
+            # One query to re generate the cache.
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, False)
+
+    def test_has_user_perms_check_group_multiple(self):
+        # Create a permission with just a group.
+        Permission.objects.create(
+            content_type=Permission.objects.get_content_type(User),
+            object_id=self.user.pk,
+            codename='foo',
+            group=self.group,
+            approved=True,
+        )
+
+        # Check the number of queries.
+        with self.assertNumQueries(1):
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, True)
+
+        # Create a second group.
+        new_group = Group.objects.create(name='new_group')
+        new_group.user_set.add(self.user)
+
+        # Create a permission object for it.
+        Permission.objects.create(
+            content_type=Permission.objects.get_content_type(User),
+            object_id=self.user.pk,
+            codename='foo',
+            group=new_group,
+            approved=True,
+        )
+
+        self.user_check.invalidate_permissions_cache()
+
+        # Make sure it is the same number of queries.
+        with self.assertNumQueries(1):
+            self.user_check.has_user_perms('foo', self.user, True, True)
+
+
+class GroupPermissionCacheTestCase(SmartCachingTestCase):
+    """
+    Tests that peg expected behaviour
+    """
+
+    def test_has_user_perms_with_groups(self):
+        perms = self._old_permission_check()
+        self.assertEqual([], list(perms))
+
+        # Use the new cached user perms to show that the user does not have the
+        # perms.
+        can_foo_with_group = self.user_check.has_user_perms(
+            'foo',
+            self.user,
+            approved=True,
+            check_groups=True,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(can_foo_with_group)
+
+        # Create a permission with just that group.
+        perm = Permission.objects.create(
+            content_type=Permission.objects.get_content_type(User),
+            object_id=self.user.pk,
+            codename='foo',
+            group=self.group,
+            approved=True,
+        )
+
+        # Old permission check
+        perms = self._old_permission_check()
+        self.assertEqual([perm], list(perms))
+
+        # Invalidate the cache.
+        self.user_check.invalidate_permissions_cache()
+        can_foo_with_group = self.user_check.has_user_perms(
+            'foo',
+            self.user,
+            approved=True,
+            check_groups=True,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(can_foo_with_group)
+
+    def test_has_group_perms_no_user(self):
+        # Make sure calling has_user_perms on a permission that does not have a
+        # user does not throw any errors.
+        can_foo_with_group = self.group_check.has_group_perms(
+            'foo',
+            self.user,
+            approved=True,
+        )
+        self.assertFalse(can_foo_with_group)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.group_check._perm_cache, {})
+        self.assertEqual(self.group_check._group_perm_cache, {})
+
+        # Create a permission with just that group.
+        Permission.objects.create(
+            content_type=Permission.objects.get_content_type(User),
+            object_id=self.user.pk,
+            codename='foo',
+            group=self.group,
+            approved=True,
+        )
+
+        # Invalidate the cache.
+        self.group_check.invalidate_permissions_cache()
+
+        can_foo_with_group = self.group_check.has_group_perms(
+            'foo',
+            self.user,
+            approved=True,
+        )
+        self.assertTrue(can_foo_with_group)
+
+        self.assertEqual(self.group_check._perm_cache, {})
+        self.assertEqual(self.group_check._group_perm_cache, {})
diff --git a/docs/conf.py b/docs/conf.py
index 1137de2..84cd272 100644
--- a/docs/conf.py
+++ b/docs/conf.py
@@ -46,10 +46,10 @@ copyright = u'2009, the django-authority team'
 # built documents.
 #
 # The short X.Y version.
-version = '0.4'
+version = '0.5'
 
 # The full version, including alpha/beta/rc tags.
-release = '0.4dev'
+release = '0.5dev'
 
 # The language for content autogenerated by Sphinx. Refer to documentation
 # for a list of supported languages.
diff --git a/docs/configuration.txt b/docs/configuration.txt
index bcf734a..c0aa19f 100644
--- a/docs/configuration.txt
+++ b/docs/configuration.txt
@@ -32,6 +32,11 @@ context processors::
         'django.core.context_processors.request',
     )
 
+django-authority defaults to using a smart cache when checking permissions.
+This can be disabled by adding the following line to ``settings.py``::
+
+    AUTHORITY_USE_SMART_CACHE = False
+
 urls.py
 =======
 
diff --git a/docs/index.txt b/docs/index.txt
index 6f9fda9..baa244c 100644
--- a/docs/index.txt
+++ b/docs/index.txt
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ This application provides three abilities:
    voodoo-code to Django's ``contrib.auth`` system, it keeps your existing
    permission system intact!
 
+django-authority uses a cache that is stored on the user object to help improve
+performance. However, if the ``Permission`` table changes the cache will need
+to be invalidated. More information about this can be found in the tips and
+tricks section.
+
 .. warning:: We have just started with the documentation and it's far from
    being perfect. If you find glitches, errors or just have feedback, please
    contact the team: :ref:`support`.
diff --git a/docs/tips_tricks.txt b/docs/tips_tricks.txt
index 6f77da7..ff5ae71 100644
--- a/docs/tips_tricks.txt
+++ b/docs/tips_tricks.txt
@@ -31,3 +31,38 @@ Within a permission class, you can refer to Django's basic permissions::
                 # ...
 
     authority.register(Flatpage, FlagpagePermisson)
+
+If the ``Permission`` table changes during the lifespan of a django-authority
+permission instance and the smart cache is being used, you will need to call
+invalidate_permissions_cache in order to see that changes::
+
+    class UserPermission(permission.BasePermission):
+        label = 'user_permission'
+        checks = ('do_foo',)
+    authority.register(User, UserPermission)
+
+    user_permission = UserPermission(user)
+
+    # can_foo is False here since the permission has not yet been added.
+    can_foo = user_permission.has_user_perms('foo', user)
+
+    Permission.objects.create(
+        content_type=Permission.objects.get_content_type(User),
+        object_id=user.pk,
+        codename='foo',
+        user=user,
+        approved=True,
+    )
+
+    # can_foo is still False because the permission cache has not been
+    invalidated yet.
+    can_foo = user_permission.has_user_perms('foo', user)
+
+    user_permission.invalidate_permissions_cache()
+
+    # can_foo is now True
+    can_foo = user_permission.has_user_perms('foo', user)
+
+This is particularly useful if you are using the permission instances during a
+request, where it is unlikely that the state of the ``Permission`` table will
+change.