diff --git a/bin/install_openstackbmc.sh b/bin/install_openstackbmc.sh
index 2a6afde..c706a7c 100644
--- a/bin/install_openstackbmc.sh
+++ b/bin/install_openstackbmc.sh
@@ -57,6 +57,10 @@ export OS_PROJECT_DOMAIN_ID=$os__project_domain
 private_subnet=$(neutron net-show -f value -c subnets $private_net | sed "s/\[u'\(.*\)'\]/\1/")
 default_gw=$(neutron subnet-show $private_subnet -f value -c gateway_ip)
 prefix_len=$(neutron subnet-show -f value -c cidr $private_subnet | awk -F / '{print $2}')
+cache_status=
+if [ "$bmc_use_cache" != "False" ]; then
+    cache_status="--cache-status"
+fi
 
 mkdir /etc/os-net-config
 echo "network_config:" > /etc/os-net-config/config.yaml
@@ -108,7 +112,7 @@ Requires=config-bmc-ips.service
 After=config-bmc-ips.service
 
 [Service]
-ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/openstackbmc  --os-user $os_user --os-password $os_password --os-tenant "$os_tenant" --os-auth-url $os_auth_url --os-project "$os_project" --os-user-domain "$os_user_domain" --os-project-domain "$os_project_domain" --instance $bm_instance --address $bmc_ip
+ExecStart=/usr/local/bin/openstackbmc  --os-user $os_user --os-password $os_password --os-tenant "$os_tenant" --os-auth-url $os_auth_url --os-project "$os_project" --os-user-domain "$os_user_domain" --os-project-domain "$os_project_domain" --instance $bm_instance --address $bmc_ip $cache_status
 Restart=always
 
 User=root
diff --git a/openstack_virtual_baremetal/openstackbmc.py b/openstack_virtual_baremetal/openstackbmc.py
index d4871d6..b849058 100755
--- a/openstack_virtual_baremetal/openstackbmc.py
+++ b/openstack_virtual_baremetal/openstackbmc.py
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ import pyghmi.ipmi.bmc as bmc
 
 class OpenStackBmc(bmc.Bmc):
     def __init__(self, authdata, port, address, instance, user, password, tenant,
-                 auth_url, project, user_domain, project_domain):
+                 auth_url, project, user_domain, project_domain, cache_status):
         super(OpenStackBmc, self).__init__(authdata, port=port, address=address)
         if not '/v3' in auth_url:
             # novaclient 7+ is backwards-incompatible :-(
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ class OpenStackBmc(bmc.Bmc):
                                                 user_domain_name=user_domain,
                                                 project_domain_name=project_domain)
         self.instance = None
+        self.cache_status = cache_status
         self.cached_status = None
         self.target_status = None
         # At times the bmc service is started before important things like
@@ -113,7 +114,9 @@ class OpenStackBmc(bmc.Bmc):
         sys.exit(0)
 
     def _instance_active(self):
-        if self.cached_status is None or self.cached_status != self.target_status:
+        if (self.cached_status is None or
+                self.cached_status != self.target_status or
+                not self.cache_status):
             self.cached_status = self.novaclient.servers.get(self.instance).status
         return self.cached_status == 'ACTIVE'
 
@@ -220,6 +223,14 @@ def main():
                         required=False,
                         default='',
                         help='The project domain for connecting to OpenStack')
+    parser.add_argument('--cache-status',
+                        dest='cache_status',
+                        default=False,
+                        action='store_true',
+                        help='Cache the status of the managed instance.  This '
+                             'can reduce load on the host cloud, but if the '
+                             'instance status is changed outside the BMC then '
+                             'it may become out of sync.')
     args = parser.parse_args()
     # Default to ipv6 format, but if we get an ipv4 address passed in use the
     # appropriate format for pyghmi to listen on it.
@@ -235,7 +246,8 @@ def main():
                          auth_url=args.auth_url,
                          project=args.project,
                          user_domain=args.user_domain,
-                         project_domain=args.project_domain)
+                         project_domain=args.project_domain,
+                         cache_status=args.cache_status)
     mybmc.listen()
 
 
diff --git a/openstack_virtual_baremetal/tests/test_openstackbmc.py b/openstack_virtual_baremetal/tests/test_openstackbmc.py
index 29f5484..dee2f9f 100755
--- a/openstack_virtual_baremetal/tests/test_openstackbmc.py
+++ b/openstack_virtual_baremetal/tests/test_openstackbmc.py
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ class TestOpenStackBmcInit(unittest.TestCase):
                                         auth_url='http://keystone:5000',
                                         project='',
                                         user_domain='',
-                                        project_domain=''
+                                        project_domain='',
+                                        cache_status=False
                                         )
         if old_nova:
             mock_nova.assert_called_once_with(2, 'admin', 'password', 'admin',
@@ -91,7 +92,8 @@ class TestOpenStackBmcInit(unittest.TestCase):
                                         auth_url='http://keystone:5000/v3',
                                         project='admin',
                                         user_domain='default',
-                                        project_domain='default'
+                                        project_domain='default',
+                                        cache_status=False
                                         )
         mock_nova.assert_called_once_with(2, 'admin', 'password',
                                           auth_url='http://keystone:5000/v3',
@@ -125,7 +127,8 @@ class TestOpenStackBmcInit(unittest.TestCase):
                                         auth_url='http://keystone:5000',
                                         project='',
                                         user_domain='',
-                                        project_domain=''
+                                        project_domain='',
+                                        cache_status=False
                                         )
         mock_nova.assert_called_once_with(2, 'admin', 'password', 'admin',
                                           'http://keystone:5000')
@@ -159,12 +162,14 @@ class TestOpenStackBmc(unittest.TestCase):
                                              auth_url='http://keystone:5000',
                                              project='',
                                              user_domain='',
-                                             project_domain=''
+                                             project_domain='',
+                                             cache_status=False
                                              )
         self.bmc.novaclient = self.mock_client
         self.bmc.instance = 'abc-123'
         self.bmc.cached_status = None
         self.bmc.target_status = None
+        self.bmc.cache_status = False
 
     def test_find_instance(self, mock_nova, mock_log, mock_init):
         self._create_bmc(mock_nova)
@@ -263,15 +268,26 @@ class TestOpenStackBmc(unittest.TestCase):
         self.mock_client.servers.get.return_value = mock_server
         self.bmc.target_status = 'ACTIVE'
         self.bmc.cached_status = 'SHUTOFF'
+        self.bmc.cache_status = True
         self.assertTrue(self.bmc._instance_active())
 
     def test_instance_active_cached(self, mock_nova, mock_log, mock_init):
         self._create_bmc(mock_nova)
         self.bmc.target_status = 'ACTIVE'
         self.bmc.cached_status = 'ACTIVE'
+        self.bmc.cache_status = True
         self.assertTrue(self.bmc._instance_active())
         self.assertFalse(self.mock_client.servers.get.called)
 
+    def test_cache_disabled(self, mock_nova, mock_log, mock_init):
+        self._create_bmc(mock_nova)
+        self.bmc.target_status = 'ACTIVE'
+        self.bmc.cached_status = 'ACTIVE'
+        mock_server = mock.Mock()
+        mock_server.status = 'SHUTOFF'
+        self.mock_client.servers.get.return_value = mock_server
+        self.assertFalse(self.bmc._instance_active())
+
     @mock.patch('openstack_virtual_baremetal.openstackbmc.OpenStackBmc.'
                 '_instance_active')
     def test_get_power_state(self, mock_active, mock_nova, mock_log,
@@ -364,7 +380,8 @@ class TestMain(unittest.TestCase):
                                          auth_url='http://host:5000/v2.0',
                                          project='',
                                          user_domain='',
-                                         project_domain=''
+                                         project_domain='',
+                                         cache_status=False
                                          )
         mock_instance.listen.assert_called_once_with()
 
@@ -388,6 +405,7 @@ class TestMain(unittest.TestCase):
                                          auth_url='http://host:5000/v2.0',
                                          project='',
                                          user_domain='',
-                                         project_domain=''
+                                         project_domain='',
+                                         cache_status=False
                                          )
         mock_instance.listen.assert_called_once_with()
diff --git a/templates/virtual-baremetal.yaml b/templates/virtual-baremetal.yaml
index cb373bd..fe0d7d7 100644
--- a/templates/virtual-baremetal.yaml
+++ b/templates/virtual-baremetal.yaml
@@ -17,6 +17,14 @@ parameters:
       The base image for the bmc instance.  A CentOS 7 image is currently the
       only one supported.
 
+  bmc_use_cache:
+    type: boolean
+    default: false
+    description: |
+      Enable instance status caching on the BMC.  This can reduce load on the
+      host cloud, but if an instance's status is changed outside the BMC it may
+      become out of sync.
+
   baremetal_flavor:
     type: string
     default: baremetal
@@ -172,6 +180,7 @@ resources:
             $bm_node_count: {get_param: node_count}
             $bmc_prefix: {get_param: bmc_prefix}
             $bmc_utility: {get_attr: [bmc_port, ip_address]}
+            $bmc_use_cache: {get_param: bmc_use_cache}
             $bm_prefix: {get_param: baremetal_prefix}
             $private_net: {get_param: private_net}
             $openstackbmc_script: {get_file: ../bin/openstackbmc}