diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index c172399..5b6b123 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,6 +27,13 @@
 git-refs-filter is slightly slower than using Git's hideRefs and it does require the configuration
 of the change_notes cache in `gerrit.config` to avoid potentially high overhead.
 
+Additionally, this plugin uses an in-memory cache to store previously computed
+open/close change statuses to avoid processing them over and over again.
+
+Explicit invalidation of such cache is not necessary, since the change revision
+is part of the cache key, so that previous entries automatically become obsolete
+once a change status is updated.
+
 ### Gerrit ACLs
 
 Use the Gerrit ACLs when you need to hide some of the refs on a per-project basis or when
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ChangeOpenCache.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ChangeOpenCache.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..0587524
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ChangeOpenCache.java
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2022 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// 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.googlesource.gerrit.modules.gitrefsfilter;
+
+import com.google.auto.value.AutoValue;
+import com.google.common.cache.CacheLoader;
+import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
+import com.google.gerrit.common.Nullable;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.Change;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.cache.CacheModule;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNotes;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.project.NoSuchChangeException;
+import com.google.inject.Inject;
+import com.google.inject.Module;
+import com.google.inject.Singleton;
+import com.google.inject.TypeLiteral;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
+
+public class ChangeOpenCache {
+  public static final String OPEN_CHANGES_CACHE = "open_changes";
+
+  public static Module module() {
+    return new CacheModule() {
+      @Override
+      protected void configure() {
+        cache(OPEN_CHANGES_CACHE, Key.class, new TypeLiteral<Boolean>() {}).loader(Loader.class);
+      }
+    };
+  }
+
+  @AutoValue
+  public abstract static class Key {
+    /* Note: `repo` and `changeId` need to be part of the cache key because the
+    Loader requires them in order to compute the relevant changeNote to extract
+    the change openness status from. */
+    public abstract Repository repo();
+
+    public abstract Change.Id changeId();
+
+    @Nullable
+    public abstract ObjectId changeRevision();
+
+    public abstract Project.NameKey project();
+
+    static Key create(
+        Repository repo,
+        Change.Id changeId,
+        @Nullable ObjectId changeRevision,
+        Project.NameKey project) {
+      return new AutoValue_ChangeOpenCache_Key(repo, changeId, changeRevision, project);
+    }
+  }
+
+  @Singleton
+  static class Loader extends CacheLoader<Key, Boolean> {
+    private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
+    private final ChangeNotes.Factory changeNotesFactory;
+
+    @Inject
+    Loader(ChangeNotes.Factory changeNotesFactory) {
+      this.changeNotesFactory = changeNotesFactory;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Boolean load(Key key) throws Exception {
+      try {
+        ChangeNotes changeNotes =
+            changeNotesFactory.createChecked(
+                key.repo(), key.project(), key.changeId(), key.changeRevision());
+        return changeNotes.getChange().getStatus().isOpen();
+      } catch (NoSuchChangeException e) {
+        logger.atFine().withCause(e).log(
+            "Change %d does not exist: hiding from the advertised refs", key.changeId());
+        return false;
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ForProjectWrapper.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ForProjectWrapper.java
index 23c26ac..1c59ab7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ForProjectWrapper.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/ForProjectWrapper.java
@@ -14,24 +14,28 @@
 
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.modules.gitrefsfilter;
 
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.modules.gitrefsfilter.ChangeOpenCache.OPEN_CHANGES_CACHE;
+
+import com.google.common.cache.LoadingCache;
 import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
+import com.google.gerrit.common.Nullable;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Change;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.access.CoreOrPluginProjectPermission;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.conditions.BooleanCondition;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.notedb.ChangeNotes;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackend.ForProject;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackend.ForRef;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackend.RefFilterOptions;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackendException;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.project.NoSuchChangeException;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.assistedinject.Assisted;
+import com.google.inject.name.Named;
 import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.concurrent.ExecutionException;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
@@ -40,9 +44,9 @@
 public class ForProjectWrapper extends ForProject {
   private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
 
+  private final LoadingCache<ChangeOpenCache.Key, Boolean> openChangesCache;
   private final ForProject defaultForProject;
   private final Project.NameKey project;
-  private final ChangeNotes.Factory changeNotesFactory;
   private final FilterRefsConfig config;
 
   public interface Factory {
@@ -51,13 +55,13 @@
 
   @Inject
   public ForProjectWrapper(
-      ChangeNotes.Factory changeNotesFactory,
       FilterRefsConfig config,
+      @Named(OPEN_CHANGES_CACHE) LoadingCache<ChangeOpenCache.Key, Boolean> openChangesCache,
       @Assisted ForProject defaultForProject,
       @Assisted Project.NameKey project) {
+    this.openChangesCache = openChangesCache;
     this.defaultForProject = defaultForProject;
     this.project = project;
-    this.changeNotesFactory = changeNotesFactory;
     this.config = config;
   }
 
@@ -115,15 +119,15 @@
     return isChangeRef(changeKey) && changeKey.endsWith("/meta");
   }
 
-  private boolean isOpen(Repository repo, Change.Id changeId, ObjectId changeRevision) {
+  private boolean isOpen(Repository repo, Change.Id changeId, @Nullable ObjectId changeRevision) {
     try {
-      ChangeNotes changeNotes =
-          changeNotesFactory.createChecked(repo, project, changeId, changeRevision);
-      return changeNotes.getChange().getStatus().isOpen();
-    } catch (NoSuchChangeException e) {
-      logger.atFine().withCause(e).log(
-          "Change %d does not exist: hiding from the advertised refs", changeId);
-      return false;
+      return openChangesCache.get(
+          ChangeOpenCache.Key.create(repo, changeId, changeRevision, project));
+    } catch (ExecutionException e) {
+      logger.atWarning().withCause(e).log(
+          "Error getting change '%d' from the cache. Do not hide from the advertised refs",
+          changeId);
+      return true;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/RefsFilterModule.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/RefsFilterModule.java
index 98ce862..9a3f65f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/RefsFilterModule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/modules/gitrefsfilter/RefsFilterModule.java
@@ -41,5 +41,7 @@
         .annotatedWith(Exports.named(FilterRefsCapability.HIDE_CLOSED_CHANGES_REFS))
         .to(FilterRefsCapability.class)
         .in(Scopes.SINGLETON);
+
+    install(ChangeOpenCache.module());
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/AbstractGitDaemonTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/AbstractGitDaemonTest.java
index ea1d61e..c58f0b8 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/AbstractGitDaemonTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/AbstractGitDaemonTest.java
@@ -43,11 +43,12 @@
   @Inject private RequestScopeOperations requestScopeOperations;
   @Inject private ProjectOperations projectOperations;
 
-  protected void createChangeAndAbandon() throws Exception, RestApiException {
+  protected int createChangeAndAbandon() throws Exception, RestApiException {
     requestScopeOperations.setApiUser(admin.id());
     createChange();
     int changeNum = changeNumOfRef(getChangesRefsAs(admin).get(0));
     gApi.changes().id(changeNum).abandon();
+    return changeNum;
   }
 
   protected void createFilteredRefsGroup() throws Exception {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/GitRefsFilterTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/GitRefsFilterTest.java
index 957d4f7..864469a 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/GitRefsFilterTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/libmodule/plugins/test/GitRefsFilterTest.java
@@ -15,7 +15,9 @@
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.libmodule.plugins.test;
 
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.modules.gitrefsfilter.ChangeOpenCache.OPEN_CHANGES_CACHE;
 
+import com.google.common.cache.LoadingCache;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.GitUtil;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.NoHttpd;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.Sandboxed;
@@ -23,12 +25,17 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.config.GerritConfig;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.request.RequestScopeOperations;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.BranchNameKey;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.Change;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.Module;
+import com.google.inject.name.Named;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.modules.gitrefsfilter.ChangeOpenCache;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.modules.gitrefsfilter.RefsFilterModule;
 import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
+import java.util.Map;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import java.util.stream.Stream;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.storage.dfs.DfsRepositoryDescription;
@@ -36,6 +43,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.jgit.junit.TestRepository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Config;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.FetchResult;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.util.FS;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -46,6 +54,9 @@
 public class GitRefsFilterTest extends AbstractGitDaemonTest {
   @Inject private RequestScopeOperations requestScopeOperations;
 
+  @Inject
+  private @Named(OPEN_CHANGES_CACHE) LoadingCache<ChangeOpenCache.Key, Boolean> changeOpenCache;
+
   @Override
   public Module createModule() {
     return new RefsFilterModule();
@@ -116,6 +127,44 @@
         .isNotEmpty();
   }
 
+  @Test
+  public void testShouldCacheChangeIsClosedWhenAbandoned() throws Exception {
+    Change.Id changeId = Change.id(createChangeAndAbandon());
+    Ref metaRef = getMetaId(changeId);
+
+    assertThat(getRefs(cloneProjectChangesRefs(user))).isEmpty();
+
+    assertThat(changeOpenCache.asMap().size()).isEqualTo(1);
+
+    Map.Entry<ChangeOpenCache.Key, Boolean> cacheEntry =
+        new ArrayList<>(changeOpenCache.asMap().entrySet()).get(0);
+
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getKey().project()).isEqualTo(project);
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getKey().changeId()).isEqualTo(changeId);
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getKey().changeRevision()).isEqualTo(metaRef.getObjectId());
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getValue()).isFalse();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void testShouldCacheWhenChangeIsOpen() throws Exception {
+    createChange();
+    List<Ref> refs = getRefs(cloneProjectChangesRefs(user));
+
+    assertThat(refs).isNotEmpty();
+
+    Change.Id changeId = Change.id(changeNumOfRef(refs.get(0)));
+
+    assertThat(changeOpenCache.asMap().size()).isEqualTo(1);
+
+    Map.Entry<ChangeOpenCache.Key, Boolean> cacheEntry =
+        new ArrayList<>(changeOpenCache.asMap().entrySet()).get(0);
+
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getKey().project()).isEqualTo(project);
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getKey().changeId()).isEqualTo(changeId);
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getKey().changeRevision()).isEqualTo(getMetaId(changeId).getObjectId());
+    assertThat(cacheEntry.getValue()).isTrue();
+  }
+
   protected Stream<String> fetchAllRefs(TestAccount testAccount) throws Exception {
     DfsRepositoryDescription desc = new DfsRepositoryDescription("clone of " + project.get());
 
@@ -137,4 +186,10 @@
       throws IOException {
     return repo.getRepository().getRefDatabase().getRefsByPrefix(prefix);
   }
+
+  private Ref getMetaId(Change.Id changeId) throws Exception {
+    try (Repository r = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
+      return r.exactRef(RefNames.changeMetaRef(changeId));
+    }
+  }
 }