diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator.java b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ee1de59
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator.java
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2014 gitblit.com.
+ *
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not
+ * use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of
+ * the License at
+ *
+ * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ *
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
+ * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
+ * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
+ * the License.
+ */
+package com.gitblit.transport.ssh;
+
+import java.security.PublicKey;
+import java.util.HashMap;
+import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Locale;
+import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap;
+
+import org.apache.sshd.common.Session;
+import org.apache.sshd.common.SessionListener;
+import org.apache.sshd.server.PublickeyAuthenticator;
+import org.apache.sshd.server.session.ServerSession;
+import org.slf4j.Logger;
+import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
+
+import com.gitblit.manager.IAuthenticationManager;
+import com.gitblit.models.UserModel;
+import com.google.common.base.Preconditions;
+
+/**
+ * 
+ * @author Eric Myrhe
+ * 
+ */
+public class CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator implements PublickeyAuthenticator,
+		SessionListener {
+
+	protected final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(getClass());
+
+	protected final IKeyManager keyManager;
+
+	protected final IAuthenticationManager authManager;
+
+	private final Map<ServerSession, Map<PublicKey, Boolean>> cache =
+			new ConcurrentHashMap<ServerSession, Map<PublicKey, Boolean>>();
+
+	public CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator(IKeyManager keyManager,
+			IAuthenticationManager authManager) {
+		this.keyManager = keyManager;
+		this.authManager = authManager;
+	}
+
+	@Override
+	public boolean authenticate(String username, PublicKey key,
+			ServerSession session) {
+		Map<PublicKey, Boolean> map = cache.get(session);
+		if (map == null) {
+			map = new HashMap<PublicKey, Boolean>();
+			cache.put(session, map);
+			session.addListener(this);
+		}
+		if (map.containsKey(key)) {
+			return map.get(key);
+		}
+		boolean result = doAuthenticate(username, key, session);
+		map.put(key, result);
+		return result;
+	}
+
+	private boolean doAuthenticate(String username, PublicKey suppliedKey,
+			ServerSession session) {
+		SshDaemonClient client = session.getAttribute(SshDaemonClient.KEY);
+		Preconditions.checkState(client.getUser() == null);
+		username = username.toLowerCase(Locale.US);
+		List<PublicKey> keys = keyManager.getKeys(username);
+		if (keys == null || keys.isEmpty()) {
+			log.info("{} has not added any public keys for ssh authentication",
+					username);
+			return false;
+		}
+
+		for (PublicKey key : keys) {
+			if (key.equals(suppliedKey)) {
+				UserModel user = authManager.authenticate(username, key);
+				if (user != null) {
+					client.setUser(user);
+					return true;
+				}
+			}
+		}
+
+		log.warn(
+				"could not authenticate {} for SSH using the supplied public key",
+				username);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	public IKeyManager getKeyManager() {
+		return keyManager;
+	}
+
+	public void sessionCreated(Session session) {
+	}
+
+	public void sessionEvent(Session sesssion, Event event) {
+	}
+
+	public void sessionClosed(Session session) {
+		cache.remove(session);
+	}
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/PublicKeyAuthenticator.java b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/PublicKeyAuthenticator.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 84e7afa..0000000
--- a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/PublicKeyAuthenticator.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,83 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright 2014 gitblit.com.
- *
- * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License"); you may not
- * use this file except in compliance with the License. You may obtain a copy of
- * the License at
- *
- * http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
- *
- * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
- * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT
- * WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the
- * License for the specific language governing permissions and limitations under
- * the License.
- */
-package com.gitblit.transport.ssh;
-
-import java.security.PublicKey;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Locale;
-
-import org.apache.sshd.server.PublickeyAuthenticator;
-import org.apache.sshd.server.session.ServerSession;
-import org.slf4j.Logger;
-import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
-
-import com.gitblit.manager.IAuthenticationManager;
-import com.gitblit.models.UserModel;
-
-/**
- *
- * @author Eric Myrhe
- *
- */
-public class PublicKeyAuthenticator implements PublickeyAuthenticator {
-
-	protected final Logger log = LoggerFactory.getLogger(getClass());
-
-	protected final IKeyManager keyManager;
-
-	protected final IAuthenticationManager authManager;
-
-	public PublicKeyAuthenticator(IKeyManager keyManager, IAuthenticationManager authManager) {
-		this.keyManager = keyManager;
-		this.authManager = authManager;
-	}
-
-	@Override
-	public boolean authenticate(String username, final PublicKey suppliedKey,
-			final ServerSession session) {
-		final SshDaemonClient client = session.getAttribute(SshDaemonClient.KEY);
-
-		if (client.getUser() != null) {
-			// TODO why do we re-authenticate?
-			log.info("{} has already authenticated!", username);
-			return true;
-		}
-
-		username = username.toLowerCase(Locale.US);
-		List<PublicKey> keys = keyManager.getKeys(username);
-		if (keys == null || keys.isEmpty()) {
-			log.info("{} has not added any public keys for ssh authentication", username);
-			return false;
-		}
-
-		for (PublicKey key : keys) {
-			if (key.equals(suppliedKey)) {
-				UserModel user = authManager.authenticate(username, key);
-				if (user != null) {
-					client.setUser(user);
-					return true;
-				}
-			}
-		}
-
-		log.warn("could not authenticate {} for SSH using the supplied public key", username);
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	public IKeyManager getKeyManager() {
-		return keyManager;
-	}
-}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshCommandFactory.java b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshCommandFactory.java
index da57f76..48e8869 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshCommandFactory.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshCommandFactory.java
@@ -61,10 +61,12 @@
 	private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(SshCommandFactory.class);
 
 	private final IGitblit gitblit;
-	private final PublicKeyAuthenticator keyAuthenticator;
+	private final CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator keyAuthenticator;
 	private final ScheduledExecutorService startExecutor;
 
-	public SshCommandFactory(IGitblit gitblit, PublicKeyAuthenticator keyAuthenticator, IdGenerator idGenerator) {
+	public SshCommandFactory(IGitblit gitblit,
+			CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator keyAuthenticator,
+			IdGenerator idGenerator) {
 		this.gitblit = gitblit;
 		this.keyAuthenticator = keyAuthenticator;
 
@@ -252,6 +254,7 @@
 			}
 		}
 
+		@SuppressWarnings("unused")
 		private void onDestroy() {
 			synchronized (this) {
 				if (cmd != null) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshDaemon.java b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshDaemon.java
index c3d4860..c954b34 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshDaemon.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/SshDaemon.java
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@
 			addr = new InetSocketAddress(bindInterface, port);
 		}
 
-		PublicKeyAuthenticator keyAuthenticator = new PublicKeyAuthenticator(keyManager, gitblit);
+		CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator keyAuthenticator = 
+				new CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator(keyManager, gitblit);
 
 		sshd = SshServer.setUpDefaultServer();
 		sshd.setPort(addr.getPort());
@@ -176,6 +177,7 @@
 		}
 	}
 
+	@SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
 	protected IKeyManager getKeyManager() {
 		IKeyManager keyManager = null;
 		IStoredSettings settings = gitblit.getSettings();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/BaseKeyCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/BaseKeyCommand.java
index 3647524..f92ea6f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/BaseKeyCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/BaseKeyCommand.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import java.io.UnsupportedEncodingException;
 import java.util.List;
 
-import com.gitblit.transport.ssh.PublicKeyAuthenticator;
+import com.gitblit.transport.ssh.CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator;
 import com.google.common.base.Charsets;
 
 /**
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@
 		return sshKeys;
 	}
 
-	protected PublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator;
-	public void setAuthenticator(PublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator) {
+	protected CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator;
+	public void setAuthenticator(CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator) {
 		this.authenticator = authenticator;
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/DispatchCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/DispatchCommand.java
index 1e43e2f..3c041af 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/DispatchCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/gitblit/transport/ssh/commands/DispatchCommand.java
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
 import com.gitblit.git.RepositoryResolver;
 import com.gitblit.models.UserModel;
 import com.gitblit.transport.ssh.CommandMetaData;
-import com.gitblit.transport.ssh.PublicKeyAuthenticator;
+import com.gitblit.transport.ssh.CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator;
 import com.gitblit.transport.ssh.SshDaemonClient;
 import com.gitblit.utils.cli.SubcommandHandler;
 import com.google.common.base.Charsets;
@@ -237,9 +237,9 @@
 		this.gitblitReceivePackFactory = gitblitReceivePackFactory;
 	}
 
-	private PublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator;
+	private CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator;
 
-	public void setAuthenticator(PublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator) {
+	public void setAuthenticator(CachingPublicKeyAuthenticator authenticator) {
 		this.authenticator = authenticator;
 	}
 }