diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib.py b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib.py
index 9c4928a..8ceb5e7 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib.py
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib.py
@@ -65,11 +65,7 @@ class StateHandler(object):
         self._client = client
         self.marshal = lambda obj: json.dumps(obj)
         self.demarshal = lambda obj: json.loads(obj)
-        response = self._client.get_storage()
-        if response['result'] == 'success':
-            self.state_ = response['storage']
-        else:
-            raise StateHandlerError("Error initializing state: {}".format(str(response)))
+        self.state_ = dict()  # type: Dict[Text, Any]
 
     def put(self, key, value):
         # type: (Text, Any) -> None
@@ -80,7 +76,16 @@ class StateHandler(object):
 
     def get(self, key):
         # type: (Text) -> Any
-        return self.demarshal(self.state_[key])
+        if key in self.state_:
+            return self.demarshal(self.state_[key])
+
+        response = self._client.get_storage(keys=(key,))
+        if response['result'] != 'success':
+            raise StateHandlerError("Error fetching state: {}".format(str(response)))
+
+        marshalled_value = response['storage'][key]
+        self.state_[key] = marshalled_value
+        return self.demarshal(marshalled_value)
 
     def contains(self, key):
         # type: (Text) -> bool
diff --git a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib_tests.py b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib_tests.py
index 5116c5a..a974845 100644
--- a/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib_tests.py
+++ b/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/lib_tests.py
@@ -71,6 +71,34 @@ class LibTest(TestCase):
         val = state_handler.get('key')
         self.assertEqual(val, [1, 2, 3])
 
+    def test_state_handler(self):
+        client = MagicMock()
+
+        state_handler = StateHandler(client)
+        client.get_storage.assert_not_called()
+
+        client.update_storage = MagicMock(return_value=dict(result='success'))
+        state_handler.put('key', [1, 2, 3])
+        client.update_storage.assert_called_with(dict(storage=dict(key='[1, 2, 3]')))
+
+        val = state_handler.get('key')
+        client.get_storage.assert_not_called()
+        self.assertEqual(val, [1, 2, 3])
+
+        # force us to get non-cached values
+        client.get_storage = MagicMock(return_value=dict(
+            result='success',
+            storage=dict(non_cached_key='[5]')))
+        val = state_handler.get('non_cached_key')
+        client.get_storage.assert_called_with(keys=('non_cached_key',))
+        self.assertEqual(val, [5])
+
+        # value must already be cached
+        client.get_storage = MagicMock()
+        val = state_handler.get('non_cached_key')
+        client.get_storage.assert_not_called()
+        self.assertEqual(val, [5])
+
     def test_send_reply(self):
         client = FakeClient()
         profile = client.get_profile()