diff --git a/Changelog.draft.rst b/Changelog.draft.rst
index fe70cfe..66501e2 100644
--- a/Changelog.draft.rst
+++ b/Changelog.draft.rst
@@ -17,6 +17,9 @@ New Features
   readonly = True. When e.g. using offlineimap for backup purposes you
   can thus make sure that no changes in your backup trickle back into
   the main IMAP server.
+* optional: experimental SQLite-based backend for the LocalStatus
+  cache. Plain text remains the default. Enable by setting
+  status_backend=sqlite in the [Account ...] section
 
 Changes
 -------
@@ -41,11 +44,3 @@ Pending for the next major release
 
 * UIs get shorter and nicer names. (API changing)
 * Implement IDLE feature. (delayed until next major release)
-
-
-Stalled
-=======
-
-* Learn Sqlite support.
-    Stalled: it would need to learn the ability to choose between the current
-    format and SQL to help testing the long term.
diff --git a/offlineimap.conf b/offlineimap.conf
index f8506b2..33a0810 100644
--- a/offlineimap.conf
+++ b/offlineimap.conf
@@ -197,6 +197,23 @@ remoterepository = RemoteExample
 # You can also specify parameters to the commands
 # presynchook = imapfilter -c someotherconfig.lua
 
+# OfflineImap caches the state of the synchronisation to e.g. be able to
+# determine if a mail has been deleted on one side or added on the
+# other.
+#
+# The default and historical backend is 'plain' which writes out the
+# state in plain text files. On Repositories with large numbers of
+# mails, the performance might not be optimal, as we write out the
+# complete file for each change.  Another new backend 'sqlite' is
+# available which stores the status in sqlite databases. BE AWARE THIS
+# IS EXPERIMENTAL STUFF.
+#
+# If you switch the backend, you may want to delete the old cache
+# directory in ~/.offlineimap/Account-<account>/LocalStatus manually
+# once you are sure that things work.
+#
+#status_backend = plain
+
 # If you have a limited amount of bandwidth available you can exclude larger
 # messages (e.g. those with large attachments etc).  If you do this it
 # will appear to offlineimap that these messages do not exist at all.  They
diff --git a/offlineimap/repository/LocalStatus.py b/offlineimap/repository/LocalStatus.py
index 722f6c3..7d38596 100644
--- a/offlineimap/repository/LocalStatus.py
+++ b/offlineimap/repository/LocalStatus.py
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@
 
 from Base import BaseRepository
 from offlineimap import folder
-import offlineimap.folder.LocalStatus
+from offlineimap.folder.LocalStatus import LocalStatusFolder
+from offlineimap.folder.LocalStatusSQLite import LocalStatusSQLiteFolder
 import os
 import re
 
@@ -26,9 +27,25 @@ class LocalStatusRepository(BaseRepository):
     def __init__(self, reposname, account):
         BaseRepository.__init__(self, reposname, account)
         self.directory = os.path.join(account.getaccountmeta(), 'LocalStatus')
+
+        #statusbackend can be 'plain' or 'sqlite'
+        backend = self.account.getconf('status_backend', 'plain')
+        if backend == 'sqlite':
+            self._backend = 'sqlite'
+            self.LocalStatusFolderClass = LocalStatusSQLiteFolder
+            self.directory += '-sqlite'
+        elif backend == 'plain':
+            self._backend = 'plain'
+            self.LocalStatusFolderClass = LocalStatusFolder
+        else:
+            raise SyntaxWarning("Unknown status_backend '%s' for account '%s'" \
+                                % (backend, account.name))
+
         if not os.path.exists(self.directory):
             os.mkdir(self.directory, 0700)
-        self.folders = None
+
+        # self._folders is a list of LocalStatusFolders()
+        self._folders = None
 
     def getsep(self):
         return '.'
@@ -40,16 +57,22 @@ class LocalStatusRepository(BaseRepository):
         return os.path.join(self.directory, foldername)
 
     def makefolder(self, foldername):
-        # "touch" the file, truncating it.
+        """Create a LocalStatus Folder
+
+        Empty Folder for plain backend. NoOp for sqlite backend as those
+        are created on demand."""
+        # Invalidate the cache.
+        self._folders = None
+        if self._backend == 'sqlite':
+            return
+
         filename = self.getfolderfilename(foldername)
         file = open(filename + ".tmp", "wt")
         file.write(offlineimap.folder.LocalStatus.magicline + '\n')
-        file.flush()
-        os.fsync(file.fileno())
         file.close()
         os.rename(filename + ".tmp", filename)
         # Invalidate the cache.
-        self.folders = None
+        self._folders = None
 
     def getfolder(self, foldername):
         """Return the Folder() object for a foldername"""
@@ -72,4 +95,3 @@ class LocalStatusRepository(BaseRepository):
         """Forgets the cached list of folders, if any.  Useful to run
         after a sync run."""
         self._folders = None
-