diff --git a/eth_monitor/cli/arg.py b/eth_monitor/cli/arg.py
index c5316d4..4a00ed9 100644
--- a/eth_monitor/cli/arg.py
+++ b/eth_monitor/cli/arg.py
@@ -2,7 +2,9 @@ def process_args(argparser, args, flags):
     # session flags
     argparser.add_argument('--state-dir', dest='state_dir', type=str, help='Directory to store sync state')
     argparser.add_argument('--session-id', dest='session_id', type=str, help='Use state from specified session id')
+    # TODO: deprecate!
     argparser.add_argument('--cache-dir', dest='cache_dir', type=str, help='Directory to store tx data')
+    argparser.add_argument('--cache-spec', dest='cache_spec', type=str, help='URL backend selector to store tx data')
 
     # address rules flags
     argparser.add_argument('--input', action='append', type=str, help='Add input (recipient) addresses to includes list')
diff --git a/eth_monitor/cli/config.py b/eth_monitor/cli/config.py
index 0a96308..458aff6 100644
--- a/eth_monitor/cli/config.py
+++ b/eth_monitor/cli/config.py
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ def process_config(config, arg, args, flags):
 
     config.add(getattr(args, 'session_id'), '_SESSION_ID', False)
     config.add(getattr(args, 'cache_dir'), '_CACHE_DIR', False)
+    config.add(getattr(args, 'cache_spec'), '_CACHE_SPEC', False)
     config.add(getattr(args, 'run_dir'), '_RUN_DIR', False)
     config.add(getattr(args, 'fresh'), '_FRESH', False)
 
diff --git a/eth_monitor/filters/cache.py b/eth_monitor/filters/cache.py
index 262e5f3..a184504 100644
--- a/eth_monitor/filters/cache.py
+++ b/eth_monitor/filters/cache.py
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ class Filter(RuledFilter):
 
     def filter(self, conn, block, tx, **kwargs):
         r = super(Filter, self).filter(conn, block, tx, **kwargs)
+
         if r == True:
             return True
 
diff --git a/eth_monitor/settings.py b/eth_monitor/settings.py
index f90b18b..a5f42e8 100644
--- a/eth_monitor/settings.py
+++ b/eth_monitor/settings.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ from eth_monitor.config import override, list_from_prefix
 from eth_monitor.filters.out import OutFilter
 from eth_monitor.filters.block import Filter as BlockFilter
 from eth_monitor.filters.run import Filter as RunFilter
+from eth_monitor.cache import from_cache_spec
 
 logg = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -280,20 +281,22 @@ def process_arg_rules(settings, config):
 
 
 def process_cache_store(settings, config):
-    cache_dir = config.get('_CACHE_DIR')
-    store = None
-    if cache_dir == None:
-        logg.warning('no cache dir specified, will discard everything!!')
-        from eth_cache.store.null import NullStore
-        store = NullStore()
-    else:
-        store = FileStore(settings.get('CHAIN_SPEC'), cache_dir)
-        cache_dir = os.path.realpath(cache_dir)
+    cache_spec = config.get('_CACHE_SPEC')
+    store = from_cache_spec(settings.get('CHAIN_SPEC'), cache_spec)
+    if store == None:
+        cache_dir = config.get('_CACHE_DIR')
         if cache_dir == None:
-            import tempfile
-            cache_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
-    logg.info('using cache store {}'.format(store))
+            logg.warning('no cache dir specified, will discard everything!!')
+            from eth_cache.store.null import NullStore
+            store = NullStore()
+        else:
+            store = FileStore(settings.get('CHAIN_SPEC'), cache_dir)
+            cache_dir = os.path.realpath(cache_dir)
+            if cache_dir == None:
+                import tempfile
+                cache_dir = tempfile.mkdtemp()
 
+    logg.info('using cache store {}'.format(store))
     settings.set('CACHE_STORE', store)
 
     return settings
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index e4a3bfd..1dfa9dd 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [metadata]
 name = eth-monitor
-version = 0.8.9
+version = 0.8.10
 description = Monitor and cache transactions using match filters
 author = Louis Holbrook
 author_email = dev@holbrook.no