diff --git a/zephyr/lib/actions.py b/zephyr/lib/actions.py
index 1d45a1402e..9eaa7cec4a 100644
--- a/zephyr/lib/actions.py
+++ b/zephyr/lib/actions.py
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ from zephyr.lib.context_managers import lockfile
 from zephyr.models import Realm, Stream, UserProfile, UserActivity, \
     Subscription, Recipient, Message, UserMessage, \
     DefaultStream, StreamColor, UserPresence, \
-    MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH, get_client, get_stream
+    MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH, get_client, get_stream, get_recipient
 from django.db import transaction, IntegrityError
 from django.db.models import F
 from zephyr.lib.initial_password import initial_password
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ def internal_send_message(sender_email, recipient_type, recipient,
     else:
         type_id = UserProfile.objects.get(user__email__iexact=recipient).id
 
-    message.recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=type_id, type=recipient_type)
+    message.recipient = get_recipient(recipient_type, type_id)
 
     message.subject = subject
     message.content = content
@@ -248,7 +248,7 @@ def pick_color(user_profile):
 
 def get_subscription(stream_name, user_profile):
     stream = get_stream(stream_name, user_profile.realm)
-    recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
+    recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
     return Subscription.objects.filter(user_profile=user_profile,
                                        recipient=recipient, active=True)
 
@@ -262,8 +262,7 @@ def set_stream_color(user_profile, stream_name, color=None):
     stream_color.save()
 
 def do_add_subscription(user_profile, stream, no_log=False):
-    recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id,
-                                      type=Recipient.STREAM)
+    recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
     (subscription, created) = Subscription.objects.get_or_create(
         user_profile=user_profile, recipient=recipient,
         defaults={'active': True})
@@ -281,8 +280,7 @@ def do_add_subscription(user_profile, stream, no_log=False):
     return did_subscribe
 
 def do_remove_subscription(user_profile, stream, no_log=False):
-    recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id,
-                                      type=Recipient.STREAM)
+    recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
     maybe_sub = Subscription.objects.filter(user_profile=user_profile,
                                     recipient=recipient)
     if len(maybe_sub) == 0:
diff --git a/zephyr/models.py b/zephyr/models.py
index deaf001d4f..93aa770c9a 100644
--- a/zephyr/models.py
+++ b/zephyr/models.py
@@ -192,6 +192,10 @@ def get_stream(stream_name, realm):
     except Stream.DoesNotExist:
         return None
 
+@cache_with_key(lambda type, type_id: "get_recipient:%s:%s" % (type, type_id,))
+def get_recipient(type, type_id):
+    return Recipient.objects.get(type_id=type_id, type=type)
+
 # NB: This function is currently unused, but may come in handy.
 def linebreak(string):
     return string.replace('\n\n', '<p/>').replace('\n', '<br/>')
diff --git a/zephyr/views.py b/zephyr/views.py
index ddeeae7d0d..2716bf6c31 100644
--- a/zephyr/views.py
+++ b/zephyr/views.py
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ from django.core.mail import send_mail, mail_admins
 from zephyr.models import Message, UserProfile, Stream, Subscription, \
     Recipient, get_huddle, Realm, UserMessage, \
     PreregistrationUser, get_client, MitUser, User, UserActivity, \
-    MAX_SUBJECT_LENGTH, MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH, get_stream, UserPresence
+    MAX_SUBJECT_LENGTH, MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH, get_stream, UserPresence, \
+    get_recipient
 from zephyr.lib.actions import do_add_subscription, do_remove_subscription, \
     do_change_password, create_mit_user_if_needed, do_change_full_name, \
     do_change_enable_desktop_notifications, do_change_enter_sends, \
@@ -520,7 +521,7 @@ class NarrowBuilder(object):
         stream = get_stream(operand, self.user_profile.realm)
         if stream is None:
             raise BadNarrowOperator('unknown stream ' + operand)
-        recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type=Recipient.STREAM, type_id=stream.id)
+        recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, type_id=stream.id)
         return Q(message__recipient=recipient)
 
     def by_subject(self, operand):
@@ -541,8 +542,7 @@ class NarrowBuilder(object):
             return Q(message__recipient=recipient)
         else:
             # Personal message
-            self_recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type=Recipient.PERSONAL,
-                                                   type_id=self.user_profile.id)
+            self_recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.PERSONAL, type_id=self.user_profile.id)
             if operand == self.user_profile.user.email:
                 # Personals with self
                 return Q(message__recipient__type=Recipient.PERSONAL,
@@ -554,8 +554,7 @@ class NarrowBuilder(object):
             except UserProfile.DoesNotExist:
                 raise BadNarrowOperator('unknown user ' + operand)
 
-            narrow_recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type=Recipient.PERSONAL,
-                                                     type_id=narrow_profile.id)
+            narrow_recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.PERSONAL, narrow_profile.id)
             return ((Q(message__sender=narrow_profile) & Q(message__recipient=self_recipient)) |
                     (Q(message__sender=self.user_profile) & Q(message__recipient=narrow_recipient)))
 
@@ -604,7 +603,7 @@ def get_old_messages_backend(request, anchor = POST(converter=int),
                              user_profile=None, apply_markdown=True):
     if stream is not None:
         stream = get_public_stream(request, stream, user_profile.realm)
-        recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
+        recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
         query = UserMessage.objects.select_related('message').filter(message__recipient=recipient,
                                                                      user_profile=user_profile) \
                                                     .order_by('id')
@@ -779,10 +778,9 @@ def recipient_for_emails(emails, not_forged_zephyr_mirror, user_profile, sender)
         # Make sure the sender is included in huddle messages
         recipient_profile_ids.add(sender.id)
         huddle = get_huddle(list(recipient_profile_ids))
-        return Recipient.objects.get(type_id=huddle.id, type=Recipient.HUDDLE)
+        return get_recipient(Recipient.HUDDLE, huddle.id)
     else:
-        return Recipient.objects.get(type_id=list(recipient_profile_ids)[0],
-                                     type=Recipient.PERSONAL)
+        return get_recipient(Recipient.PERSONAL, list(recipient_profile_ids)[0])
 
 @authenticated_json_post_view
 @has_request_variables
@@ -890,7 +888,7 @@ def send_message_backend(request, user_profile, client,
         stream = get_stream(stream_name, user_profile.realm)
         if stream is None:
             return json_error("Stream does not exist")
-        recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
+        recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
     elif message_type_name == 'private':
         not_forged_zephyr_mirror = client and client.name == "zephyr_mirror" and not forged
         try:
@@ -1127,7 +1125,7 @@ def json_stream_exists(request, user_profile, stream=POST):
     stream = get_stream(stream, user_profile.realm)
     result = {"exists": bool(stream)}
     if stream is not None:
-        recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
+        recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
         result["subscribed"] = Subscription.objects.filter(user_profile=user_profile,
                                                            recipient=recipient,
                                                            active=True).exists()
@@ -1137,7 +1135,7 @@ def get_subscription_or_die(stream_name, user_profile):
     stream = get_stream(stream_name, user_profile.realm)
     if not stream:
         raise JsonableError("Invalid stream %s" % (stream.name,))
-    recipient = Recipient.objects.get(type_id=stream.id, type=Recipient.STREAM)
+    recipient = get_recipient(Recipient.STREAM, stream.id)
     subscription = Subscription.objects.filter(user_profile=user_profile,
                                                recipient=recipient, active=True)