diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8f5d4f1..14cc5d1 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -10,6 +10,11 @@ Current version: **1.0.x** [![Build Status](https://api.travis-ci.org/hapijs/cat
 ### Options
 
 - `maxByteSize` - sets an upper limit on the number of bytes that can be stored in the
-  cached. Once this limit is reached no additional items will be added to the cache
+  cache. Once this limit is reached no additional items will be added to the cache
   until some expire. The utilized memory calculation is a rough approximation and must
   not be relied on. Defaults to `104857600` (100MB).
+- `allowMixedContent` - by default, all data is cached as JSON strings, and converted
+  to an object using `JSON.parse()` on retrieval. By setting this option to `true`,
+  `Buffer` data can be stored alongside the stringified data. `Buffer`s are not 
+  stringified, and are copied before storage to prevent the value from changing while
+  in the cache. Defaults to `false`.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/lib/index.js b/lib/index.js
index 6071c32..6841c3d 100755
--- a/lib/index.js
+++ b/lib/index.js
@@ -9,24 +9,35 @@ var internals = {};
 
 
 internals.defaults = {
-    maxByteSize: 100 * 1024 * 1024          // 100MB
+    maxByteSize: 100 * 1024 * 1024,          // 100MB
+    allowMixedContent: false
 };
 
 // Provides a named reference for memory debugging
 internals.MemoryCacheSegment = function MemoryCacheSegment () {
 };
 
-internals.MemoryCacheEntry = function MemoryCacheEntry (key, value, ttl) {
+internals.MemoryCacheEntry = function MemoryCacheEntry (key, value, ttl, allowMixedContent) {
 
-    // stringify() to prevent value from changing while in the cache
-    var stringifiedValue = JSON.stringify(value);
+    var valueByteSize = 0;
+
+    if (allowMixedContent && Buffer.isBuffer(value)) {
+        this.item = new Buffer(value.length);
+        // copy buffer to prevent value from changing while in the cache
+        value.copy(this.item);
+        valueByteSize = this.item.length;
+    }
+    else {
+        // stringify() to prevent value from changing while in the cache
+        this.item = JSON.stringify(value);
+        valueByteSize = Buffer.byteLength(this.item);
+    }
 
-    this.item = stringifiedValue;
     this.stored = Date.now();
     this.ttl = ttl;
 
     // Approximate cache entry size without value: 144 bytes
-    this.byteSize = 144 + Buffer.byteLength(stringifiedValue) + Buffer.byteLength(key.segment) + Buffer.byteLength(key.id);
+    this.byteSize = 144 + valueByteSize + Buffer.byteLength(key.segment) + Buffer.byteLength(key.id);
 
     this.timeoutId = null;
 };
@@ -36,6 +47,7 @@ exports = module.exports = internals.Connection = function MemoryCache (options)
 
     Hoek.assert(this.constructor === internals.Connection, 'Memory cache client must be instantiated using new');
     Hoek.assert(!options || options.maxByteSize === undefined || options.maxByteSize >= 0, 'Invalid cache maxByteSize value');
+    Hoek.assert(!options || options.allowMixedContent === undefined || typeof options.allowMixedContent === 'boolean', 'Invalid allowMixedContent value');
 
     this.settings = Hoek.applyToDefaults(internals.defaults, options || {});
     this.cache = null;
@@ -102,11 +114,16 @@ internals.Connection.prototype.get = function (key, callback) {
     }
 
     var value = null;
-    try {
-        value = JSON.parse(envelope.item);
+
+    if (Buffer.isBuffer(envelope.item)) {
+        value = envelope.item;
     }
-    catch (err) {
-        return callback(new Error('Bad value content'));
+    else {
+        value = internals.parseJSON(envelope.item);
+
+        if (value instanceof Error) {
+            return callback(new Error('Bad value content'));
+        }
     }
 
     var result = {
@@ -135,7 +152,7 @@ internals.Connection.prototype.set = function (key, value, ttl, callback) {
 
     var envelope = null;
     try {
-        envelope = new internals.MemoryCacheEntry(key, value, ttl);
+        envelope = new internals.MemoryCacheEntry(key, value, ttl, this.settings.allowMixedContent);
     } catch (err) {
         return callback(err);
     }
@@ -192,3 +209,18 @@ internals.Connection.prototype.drop = function (key, callback) {
 
     return callback();
 };
+
+
+internals.parseJSON = function (json) {
+
+    var obj = null;
+
+    try {
+        obj = JSON.parse(json);
+    }
+    catch (err) {
+        obj = err;
+    }
+
+    return obj;
+};
diff --git a/test/index.js b/test/index.js
index 54cf11e..2e82f8f 100755
--- a/test/index.js
+++ b/test/index.js
@@ -74,6 +74,74 @@ describe('Memory', function () {
         });
     });
 
+    it('buffers can be set and retrieved when allowMixedContent is true', function (done) {
+
+        var buffer = new Buffer('string value');
+        var client = new Catbox.Client(new Memory({ allowMixedContent: true }));
+
+        client.start(function (err) {
+
+            var key = { id: 'x', segment: 'test' };
+
+            client.set(key, buffer, 500, function (err) {
+
+                expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                client.get(key, function (err, result) {
+
+                    expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                    expect(result.item instanceof Buffer).to.equal(true);
+                    expect(result.item).to.deep.equal(buffer);
+                    done();
+                });
+            });
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('buffers are copied before storing when allowMixedContent is true', function (done) {
+
+        var buffer = new Buffer('string value');
+        var client = new Catbox.Client(new Memory({ allowMixedContent: true }));
+
+        client.start(function (err) {
+
+            var key = { id: 'x', segment: 'test' };
+
+            client.set(key, buffer, 500, function (err) {
+
+                expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                client.get(key, function (err, result) {
+
+                    expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                    expect(result.item).to.not.equal(buffer);
+                    done();
+                });
+            });
+        });
+    });
+
+    it('buffers are stringified when allowMixedContent is not true', function (done) {
+
+        var buffer = new Buffer('string value');
+        var client = new Catbox.Client(new Memory());
+
+        client.start(function (err) {
+
+            var key = { id: 'x', segment: 'test' };
+
+            client.set(key, buffer, 500, function (err) {
+
+                expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                client.get(key, function (err, result) {
+
+                    expect(err).to.not.exist;
+                    expect(result.item instanceof Buffer).to.equal(false);
+                    expect(result.item).to.deep.equal(JSON.parse(JSON.stringify(buffer)));
+                    done();
+                });
+            });
+        });
+    });
+
     it('gets an item after setting it (no memory limit)', function (done) {
 
         var client = new Catbox.Client(new Memory({ maxByteSize: 0 }));