diff --git a/cache/classes/loaders.php b/cache/classes/loaders.php
index 2973394cb8e..e21856c99ad 100644
--- a/cache/classes/loaders.php
+++ b/cache/classes/loaders.php
@@ -404,6 +404,9 @@ class cache implements cache_loader {
                 if ($value instanceof cache_cached_object) {
                     $value = $value->restore_object();
                 }
+                if ($value !== false && $this->is_using_persist_cache()) {
+                    $this->set_in_persist_cache($key, $value);
+                }
                 $resultstore[$key] = $value;
             }
         }
@@ -800,6 +803,10 @@ class cache implements cache_loader {
     public function purge() {
         // 1. Purge the persist cache.
         $this->persistcache = array();
+        if ($this->persistmaxsize !== false) {
+            $this->persistkeys = array();
+            $this->persistcount = 0;
+        }
         // 2. Purge the store.
         $this->store->purge();
         // 3. Optionally pruge any stacked loaders.
@@ -1006,6 +1013,10 @@ class cache implements cache_loader {
         if ($key === (array)$key) {
             $key = $key['key'];
         }
+        if ($this->persistmaxsize !== false && isset($this->persistkeys[$key])) {
+            $this->persistcount--;
+            unset($this->persistkeys[$key]);
+        }
         $this->persistcache[$key] = $data;
         if ($this->persistmaxsize !== false) {
             $this->persistcount++;
diff --git a/cache/tests/cache_test.php b/cache/tests/cache_test.php
index 8ae741a716a..f85ae750867 100644
--- a/cache/tests/cache_test.php
+++ b/cache/tests/cache_test.php
@@ -1535,4 +1535,162 @@ class cache_phpunit_tests extends advanced_testcase {
         $this->assertInstanceOf('cache_request', $cache);
         $this->assertArrayHasKey('cache_is_searchable', $cache->phpunit_get_store_implements());
     }
+
+    public function test_persistent_cache() {
+        $instance = cache_config_phpunittest::instance();
+        $instance->phpunit_add_definition('phpunit/persistentapp', array(
+            'mode' => cache_store::MODE_APPLICATION,
+            'component' => 'phpunit',
+            'area' => 'persistentapp',
+            'persistentdata' => true,
+            'persistentmaxsize' => 3,
+        ));
+        $instance->phpunit_add_definition('phpunit/persistentapp2', array(
+            'mode' => cache_store::MODE_APPLICATION,
+            'component' => 'phpunit',
+            'area' => 'persistentapp2',
+            'persistentdata' => true,
+            'persistentmaxsize' => 3,
+        ));
+        $instance->phpunit_add_definition('phpunit/persistentapp3', array(
+            'mode' => cache_store::MODE_APPLICATION,
+            'component' => 'phpunit',
+            'area' => 'persistentapp3',
+            'persistentdata' => true,
+            'persistentmaxsize' => 3,
+        ));
+        $instance->phpunit_add_definition('phpunit/persistentapp4', array(
+            'mode' => cache_store::MODE_APPLICATION,
+            'component' => 'phpunit',
+            'area' => 'persistentapp3',
+            'persistentdata' => true,
+            'persistentmaxsize' => 4,
+        ));
+        $cache = cache::make('phpunit', 'persistentapp');
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('cache_phpunit_application', $cache);
+
+        // Set and get three elements.
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('b', 'B'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('c', 'C'));
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->get('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals(array('b' => 'B', 'c' => 'C'), $cache->get_many(array('b', 'c')));
+
+        // Make sure all items are in persistent cache.
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals('B', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertEquals('C', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+
+        // Add new value and make sure it is in cache and it is in persistcache.
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('d', 'D'));
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->get('d'));
+
+        // Now the least recent accessed item (a) is no longer in persistent cache.
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals('B', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertEquals('C', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+
+        // Adding and deleting element.
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->delete('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->has('a'));
+
+        // Make sure "purge" deletes from persist as well.
+        $cache->purge();
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+
+        // Check that persistent cache holds the last accessed items by get/set.
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('b', 'B'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('c', 'C'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('d', 'D'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('e', 'E'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertEquals('C', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+
+        /** @var cache_phpunit_application $cache */
+        $cache = cache::make('phpunit', 'persistentapp2');
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('cache_phpunit_application', $cache);
+
+        // Check that persistent cache holds the last accessed items by get/set.
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('b', 'B'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('c', 'C'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('d', 'D'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('e', 'E'));
+        // Current keys in persist cache: c, d, e.
+        $this->assertEquals('C', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->get('a'));
+        // Current keys in persist cache: d, e, a.
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+
+        // Current keys in persist cache: d, e, a.
+        $this->assertEquals(array('c' => 'C'), $cache->get_many(array('c')));
+        // Current keys in persist cache: e, a, c.
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals('C', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+
+
+        $cache = cache::make('phpunit', 'persistentapp3');
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('cache_phpunit_application', $cache);
+
+        // Check that persistent cache holds the last accessed items by get/set.
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('b', 'B'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('c', 'C'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('d', 'D'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('e', 'E'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertEquals('C', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('b', 'B2'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals('B2', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertEquals('D', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $cache->set_many(array('b' => 'B3', 'c' => 'C3')));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals('B3', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('b'));
+        $this->assertEquals('C3', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('c'));
+        $this->assertFalse($cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('d'));
+        $this->assertEquals('E', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('e'));
+
+        $cache = cache::make('phpunit', 'persistentapp4');
+        $this->assertInstanceOf('cache_phpunit_application', $cache);
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertTrue($cache->set('a', 'A'));
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache('a'));
+        $this->assertEquals('A', $cache->get('a'));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/cache/tests/fixtures/lib.php b/cache/tests/fixtures/lib.php
index b6d73584220..5f7364d84df 100644
--- a/cache/tests/fixtures/lib.php
+++ b/cache/tests/fixtures/lib.php
@@ -251,6 +251,17 @@ class cache_phpunit_application extends cache_application {
     public function phpunit_get_store_implements() {
         return class_implements($this->get_store());
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Returns the given key directly from the persistdata cache.
+     *
+     * @param string $key
+     * @return false|mixed
+     */
+    public function phpunit_get_directly_from_persistcache($key) {
+        $key = $this->parse_key($key);
+        return $this->get_from_persist_cache($key);
+    }
 }
 
 /**