diff --git a/lib/bcoin/chain.js b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
index db40ab22..88551ecc 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/chain.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/chain.js
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ function Chain(options) {
   this.prefix = 'bt/chain/';
   this.storage = this.options.storage;
   this.strict = this.options.strict || false;
+  this.cacheLimit = this.options.cacheLimit || 2000;
   this.block = {
     list: [],
 
@@ -256,12 +257,12 @@ Chain.prototype.add = function add(block) {
 };
 
 Chain.prototype._compress = function compress() {
-  // Keep at least 1000 blocks and at most 2000
-  if (this.block.list.length < 2000)
+  // Keep at least 1000 blocks and at most 2000 by default
+  if (this.block.list.length < this.cacheLimit)
     return;
 
   // Bloom filter rebuilt is needed
-  this.block.list = this.block.list.slice(-1000);
+  this.block.list = this.block.list.slice(-(this.cacheLimit / 2 | 0));
   this.block.bloom.reset();
 
   for (var i = 0; i < this.block.list.length; i++)
diff --git a/lib/bcoin/pool.js b/lib/bcoin/pool.js
index b41aa8e5..a21185c9 100644
--- a/lib/bcoin/pool.js
+++ b/lib/bcoin/pool.js
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@ function Pool(options) {
   EventEmitter.call(this);
 
   this.options = options || {};
-  this.storage = this.options.storage;
   this.options.relay = this.options.relay !== false;
+  this.storage = this.options.storage;
   this.destroyed = false;
   this.size = options.size || 32;
   this.parallel = options.parallel || 2000;
@@ -36,7 +36,12 @@ function Pool(options) {
   };
   this.maxRetries = options.maxRetries || 42;
   this.requestTimeout = options.requestTimeout || 10000;
-  this.chain = new bcoin.chain({ storage: this.storage });
+  this.chain = new bcoin.chain({
+    storage: this.storage,
+    // Since regular blocks contain transactions and full merkle
+    // trees, it's risky to cache 2000 blocks. Let's do 100.
+    cacheLimit: !this.options.relay ? 100 : null
+  });
   this.watchMap = {};
   this.bloom = new bcoin.bloom(8 * 1024,
                                10,