diff --git a/src/mesh/PacketCache.cpp b/src/mesh/PacketCache.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..0edf81741
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mesh/PacketCache.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,253 @@
+#include "PacketCache.h"
+#include "Router.h"
+
+PacketCache packetCache{};
+
+/**
+ * Allocate a new cache entry and copy the packet header and payload into it
+ */
+PacketCacheEntry *PacketCache::cache(const meshtastic_MeshPacket *p, bool preserveMetadata)
+{
+    size_t payload_size =
+        (p->which_payload_variant == meshtastic_MeshPacket_encrypted_tag) ? p->encrypted.size : p->decoded.payload.size;
+    PacketCacheEntry *e = (PacketCacheEntry *)malloc(sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + payload_size +
+                                                     (preserveMetadata ? sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata) : 0));
+    if (!e) {
+        LOG_ERROR("Unable to allocate memory for packet cache entry");
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    *e = {};
+    e->header.from = p->from;
+    e->header.to = p->to;
+    e->header.id = p->id;
+    e->header.channel = p->channel;
+    e->header.next_hop = p->next_hop;
+    e->header.relay_node = p->relay_node;
+    e->header.flags = (p->hop_limit & PACKET_FLAGS_HOP_LIMIT_MASK) | (p->want_ack ? PACKET_FLAGS_WANT_ACK_MASK : 0) |
+                      (p->via_mqtt ? PACKET_FLAGS_VIA_MQTT_MASK : 0) |
+                      ((p->hop_start << PACKET_FLAGS_HOP_START_SHIFT) & PACKET_FLAGS_HOP_START_MASK);
+
+    PacketCacheMetadata m{};
+    if (preserveMetadata) {
+        e->has_metadata = true;
+        m.rx_rssi = (uint8_t)(p->rx_rssi + 200);
+        m.rx_snr = (uint8_t)((p->rx_snr + 30.0f) / 0.25f);
+        m.rx_time = p->rx_time;
+        m.transport_mechanism = p->transport_mechanism;
+        m.priority = p->priority;
+    }
+    if (p->which_payload_variant == meshtastic_MeshPacket_encrypted_tag) {
+        e->encrypted = true;
+        e->payload_len = p->encrypted.size;
+        memcpy(((unsigned char *)e) + sizeof(PacketCacheEntry), p->encrypted.bytes, p->encrypted.size);
+    } else if (p->which_payload_variant == meshtastic_MeshPacket_decoded_tag) {
+        e->encrypted = false;
+        if (preserveMetadata) {
+            m.portnum = p->decoded.portnum;
+            m.want_response = p->decoded.want_response;
+            m.emoji = p->decoded.emoji;
+            m.bitfield = p->decoded.bitfield;
+            if (p->decoded.reply_id)
+                m.reply_id = p->decoded.reply_id;
+            else if (p->decoded.request_id)
+                m.request_id = p->decoded.request_id;
+        }
+        e->payload_len = p->decoded.payload.size;
+        memcpy(((unsigned char *)e) + sizeof(PacketCacheEntry), p->decoded.payload.bytes, p->decoded.payload.size);
+    } else {
+        LOG_ERROR("Unable to cache packet with unknown payload type %d", p->which_payload_variant);
+        free(e);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+    if (preserveMetadata)
+        memcpy(((unsigned char *)e) + sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + e->payload_len, &m, sizeof(m));
+
+    size += sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + e->payload_len + (e->has_metadata ? sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata) : 0);
+    insert(e);
+    return e;
+};
+
+/**
+ * Dump a list of packets into the provided buffer
+ */
+void PacketCache::dump(void *dest, const PacketCacheEntry **entries, size_t num_entries)
+{
+    unsigned char *pos = (unsigned char *)dest;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < num_entries; i++) {
+        size_t entry_len =
+            sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + entries[i]->payload_len + (entries[i]->has_metadata ? sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata) : 0);
+        memcpy(pos, entries[i], entry_len);
+        pos += entry_len;
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Calculate the length of buffer needed to dump the specified entries
+ */
+size_t PacketCache::dumpSize(const PacketCacheEntry **entries, size_t num_entries)
+{
+    size_t total_size = 0;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < num_entries; i++) {
+        total_size += sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + entries[i]->payload_len;
+        if (entries[i]->has_metadata)
+            total_size += sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata);
+    }
+    return total_size;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Find a packet in the cache
+ */
+PacketCacheEntry *PacketCache::find(NodeNum from, PacketId id)
+{
+    uint16_t h = PACKET_HASH(from, id);
+    PacketCacheEntry *e = buckets[PACKET_CACHE_BUCKET(h)];
+    while (e) {
+        if (e->header.from == from && e->header.id == id)
+            return e;
+        e = e->next;
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Find a packet in the cache by its hash
+ */
+PacketCacheEntry *PacketCache::find(PacketHash h)
+{
+    PacketCacheEntry *e = buckets[PACKET_CACHE_BUCKET(h)];
+    while (e) {
+        if (PACKET_HASH(e->header.from, e->header.id) == h)
+            return e;
+        e = e->next;
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Load a list of packets from the provided buffer
+ */
+bool PacketCache::load(void *src, PacketCacheEntry **entries, size_t num_entries)
+{
+    memset(entries, 0, sizeof(PacketCacheEntry *) * num_entries);
+    unsigned char *pos = (unsigned char *)src;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < num_entries; i++) {
+        PacketCacheEntry e{};
+        memcpy(&e, pos, sizeof(PacketCacheEntry));
+        size_t entry_len = sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + e.payload_len + (e.has_metadata ? sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata) : 0);
+        entries[i] = (PacketCacheEntry *)malloc(entry_len);
+        size += entry_len;
+        if (!entries[i]) {
+            LOG_ERROR("Unable to allocate memory for packet cache entry");
+            for (size_t j = 0; j < i; j++) {
+                size -= sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + entries[j]->payload_len +
+                        (entries[j]->has_metadata ? sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata) : 0);
+                free(entries[j]);
+                entries[j] = NULL;
+            }
+            return false;
+        }
+        memcpy(entries[i], pos, entry_len);
+        pos += entry_len;
+    }
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < num_entries; i++)
+        insert(entries[i]);
+    return true;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Copy the cached packet into the provided MeshPacket structure
+ */
+void PacketCache::rehydrate(const PacketCacheEntry *e, meshtastic_MeshPacket *p)
+{
+    if (!e || !p)
+        return;
+
+    *p = {};
+    p->from = e->header.from;
+    p->to = e->header.to;
+    p->id = e->header.id;
+    p->channel = e->header.channel;
+    p->next_hop = e->header.next_hop;
+    p->relay_node = e->header.relay_node;
+    p->hop_limit = e->header.flags & PACKET_FLAGS_HOP_LIMIT_MASK;
+    p->want_ack = !!(e->header.flags & PACKET_FLAGS_WANT_ACK_MASK);
+    p->via_mqtt = !!(e->header.flags & PACKET_FLAGS_VIA_MQTT_MASK);
+    p->hop_start = (e->header.flags & PACKET_FLAGS_HOP_START_MASK) >> PACKET_FLAGS_HOP_START_SHIFT;
+    p->which_payload_variant = e->encrypted ? meshtastic_MeshPacket_encrypted_tag : meshtastic_MeshPacket_decoded_tag;
+
+    unsigned char *payload = ((unsigned char *)e) + sizeof(PacketCacheEntry);
+    PacketCacheMetadata m{};
+    if (e->has_metadata) {
+        memcpy(&m, (payload + e->payload_len), sizeof(m));
+        p->rx_rssi = ((int)m.rx_rssi) - 200;
+        p->rx_snr = ((float)m.rx_snr * 0.25f) - 30.0f;
+        p->rx_time = m.rx_time;
+        p->transport_mechanism = (meshtastic_MeshPacket_TransportMechanism)m.transport_mechanism;
+        p->priority = (meshtastic_MeshPacket_Priority)m.priority;
+    }
+    if (e->encrypted) {
+        memcpy(p->encrypted.bytes, payload, e->payload_len);
+        p->encrypted.size = e->payload_len;
+    } else {
+        memcpy(p->decoded.payload.bytes, payload, e->payload_len);
+        p->decoded.payload.size = e->payload_len;
+        if (e->has_metadata) {
+            // Decrypted-only metadata
+            p->decoded.portnum = (meshtastic_PortNum)m.portnum;
+            p->decoded.want_response = m.want_response;
+            p->decoded.emoji = m.emoji;
+            p->decoded.bitfield = m.bitfield;
+            if (m.reply_id)
+                p->decoded.reply_id = m.reply_id;
+            else if (m.request_id)
+                p->decoded.request_id = m.request_id;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Release a cache entry
+ */
+void PacketCache::release(PacketCacheEntry *e)
+{
+    if (!e)
+        return;
+    remove(e);
+    size -= sizeof(PacketCacheEntry) + e->payload_len + (e->has_metadata ? sizeof(PacketCacheMetadata) : 0);
+    free(e);
+}
+
+/**
+ * Insert a new entry into the hash table
+ */
+void PacketCache::insert(PacketCacheEntry *e)
+{
+    assert(e);
+    PacketHash h = PACKET_HASH(e->header.from, e->header.id);
+    PacketCacheEntry **target = &buckets[PACKET_CACHE_BUCKET(h)];
+    e->next = *target;
+    *target = e;
+    num_entries++;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Remove an entry from the hash table
+ */
+void PacketCache::remove(PacketCacheEntry *e)
+{
+    assert(e);
+    PacketHash h = PACKET_HASH(e->header.from, e->header.id);
+    PacketCacheEntry **target = &buckets[PACKET_CACHE_BUCKET(h)];
+    while (*target) {
+        if (*target == e) {
+            *target = e->next;
+            e->next = NULL;
+            num_entries--;
+            break;
+        } else {
+            target = &(*target)->next;
+        }
+    }
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/mesh/PacketCache.h b/src/mesh/PacketCache.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..81ad455da
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/mesh/PacketCache.h
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+#pragma once
+#include "RadioInterface.h"
+
+#define PACKET_HASH(a, b) ((((a ^ b) >> 16) ^ (a ^ b)) & 0xFFFF) // 16 bit fold of packet (from, id) tuple
+typedef uint16_t PacketHash;
+
+#define PACKET_CACHE_BUCKETS 64                                    // Number of hash table buckets
+#define PACKET_CACHE_BUCKET(h) (((h >> 12) ^ (h >> 6) ^ h) & 0x3F) // Fold hash down to 6-bit bucket index
+
+typedef struct PacketCacheEntry {
+    PacketCacheEntry *next;
+    PacketHeader header;
+    uint16_t payload_len = 0;
+    union {
+        uint16_t bitfield;
+        struct {
+            uint8_t encrypted : 1;    // Payload is encrypted
+            uint8_t has_metadata : 1; // Payload includes PacketCacheMetadata
+            uint8_t : 6;              // Reserved for future use
+            uint16_t : 8;             // Reserved for future use
+        };
+    };
+} PacketCacheEntry;
+
+typedef struct PacketCacheMetadata {
+    PacketCacheMetadata() : _bitfield(0), reply_id(0), _bitfield2(0) {}
+    union {
+        uint32_t _bitfield;
+        struct {
+            uint16_t portnum : 9;       // meshtastic_MeshPacket::decoded::portnum
+            uint16_t want_response : 1; // meshtastic_MeshPacket::decoded::want_response
+            uint16_t emoji : 1;         // meshtastic_MeshPacket::decoded::emoji
+            uint16_t bitfield : 5;      // meshtastic_MeshPacket::decoded::bitfield (truncated)
+            uint8_t rx_rssi : 8;        // meshtastic_MeshPacket::rx_rssi (map via actual RSSI + 200)
+            uint8_t rx_snr : 8;         // meshtastic_MeshPacket::rx_snr (map via (p->rx_snr + 30.0f) / 0.25f)
+        };
+    };
+    union {
+        uint32_t reply_id;   // meshtastic_MeshPacket::decoded.reply_id
+        uint32_t request_id; // meshtastic_MeshPacket::decoded.request_id
+    };
+    uint32_t rx_time = 0;            // meshtastic_MeshPacket::rx_time
+    uint8_t transport_mechanism = 0; // meshtastic_MeshPacket::transport_mechanism
+    struct {
+        uint8_t _bitfield2;
+        union {
+            uint8_t priority : 7; // meshtastic_MeshPacket::priority
+            uint8_t reserved : 1; // Reserved for future use
+        };
+    };
+} PacketCacheMetadata;
+
+class PacketCache
+{
+  public:
+    PacketCacheEntry *cache(const meshtastic_MeshPacket *p, bool preserveMetadata);
+    static void dump(void *dest, const PacketCacheEntry **entries, size_t num_entries);
+    size_t dumpSize(const PacketCacheEntry **entries, size_t num_entries);
+    PacketCacheEntry *find(NodeNum from, PacketId id);
+    PacketCacheEntry *find(PacketHash h);
+    bool load(void *src, PacketCacheEntry **entries, size_t num_entries);
+    size_t getNumEntries() { return num_entries; }
+    size_t getSize() { return size; }
+    void rehydrate(const PacketCacheEntry *e, meshtastic_MeshPacket *p);
+    void release(PacketCacheEntry *e);
+
+  private:
+    PacketCacheEntry *buckets[PACKET_CACHE_BUCKETS]{};
+    size_t num_entries = 0;
+    size_t size = 0;
+    void insert(PacketCacheEntry *e);
+    void remove(PacketCacheEntry *e);
+};
+
+extern PacketCache packetCache;
\ No newline at end of file