diff --git a/r2/example.ini b/r2/example.ini
index 6af8e7ab3..beb0ac34e 100644
--- a/r2/example.ini
+++ b/r2/example.ini
@@ -41,6 +41,11 @@ email_db_host = 127.0.0.1
 email_db_user = reddit
 email_db_pass = password
 
+query_queue_db_name = query_queue
+query_queue_db_host = 127.0.0.1
+query_queue_db_user = reddit
+query_queue_db_pass = password
+
 ###
 # Other magic settings
 ###
@@ -48,6 +53,14 @@ email_db_pass = password
 timezone = UTC
 monitored_servers = localhost
 
+#query cache settings
+query_caches = 127.0.0.1:11211
+num_query_queue_workers = 
+query_queue_worker = 
+enable_doquery = False
+use_query_cache = False
+write_query_queue = False
+
 stylesheet = reddit.css
 stylesheet_rtl = reddit_rtl.css
 
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
index 0611f195f..b67836a8b 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/api.py
@@ -705,19 +705,20 @@ class ApiController(RedditController):
             organic = vote_type == 'organic'
             v = Vote.vote(user, thing, dir, ip, spam, organic)
 
-            #update last modified
-            set_last_modified(c.user, 'liked')
-            set_last_modified(c.user, 'disliked')
+            #update relevant caches
+            if isinstance(thing, Link):
+                sr = thing.subreddit_slow
+                set_last_modified(c.user, 'liked')
+                set_last_modified(c.user, 'disliked')
 
-            #update the queries
-            if g.write_query_queue:
-                queries.new_vote(v)
+                if v.valid_thing:
+                    expire_hot(sr)
+                    if g.write_query_queue:
+                        queries.new_vote(v)
 
             # flag search indexer that something has changed
             tc.changed(thing)
 
-
-
     @Json
     @validate(VUser(),
               VModhash(),
diff --git a/r2/r2/controllers/listingcontroller.py b/r2/r2/controllers/listingcontroller.py
index 0c2a15d49..f731b447a 100644
--- a/r2/r2/controllers/listingcontroller.py
+++ b/r2/r2/controllers/listingcontroller.py
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ class HotController(FixListing, ListingController):
     def query(self):
         #no need to worry when working from the cache
         if g.use_query_cache or c.site == Default:
-            fix_listing = False
+            self.fix_listing = False
 
         if c.site == Default:
             user = c.user if c.user_is_loggedin else None
diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/db/queries.py b/r2/r2/lib/db/queries.py
index 948158d27..54164ed25 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/db/queries.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/db/queries.py
@@ -12,11 +12,16 @@ from pylons import g
 query_cache = g.query_cache
 
 precompute_limit = 1000
-db_sorts = dict(hot = desc('_hot'),
-                new = desc('_date'),
-                top = desc('_score'),
-                controversial = desc('_controversy'),
-                old = asc('_date'))
+
+db_sorts = dict(hot = (desc, '_hot'),
+                new = (desc, '_date'),
+                top = (desc, '_score'),
+                controversial = (desc, '_controversy'),
+                old = (asc, '_date'))
+
+def db_sort(sort):
+    cls, col = db_sorts[sort]
+    return cls(col)
 
 db_times = dict(all = None,
                 hour = Thing.c._date >= timeago('1 hour'),
@@ -114,7 +119,7 @@ def merge_results(*results):
 def get_links(sr, sort, time):
     """General link query for a subreddit."""
     q = Link._query(Link.c.sr_id == sr._id,
-                    sort = db_sorts[sort])
+                    sort = db_sort(sort))
     if time != 'all':
         q._filter(db_times[time])
     return CachedResults(q)
@@ -123,7 +128,7 @@ def user_query(kind, user, sort, time):
     """General profile-page query."""
     q = kind._query(kind.c.author_id == user._id,
                     kind.c._spam == (True, False),
-                    sort = db_sorts[sort])
+                    sort = db_sort(sort))
     if time != 'all':
         q._filter(db_times[time])
     return CachedResults(q)
diff --git a/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py b/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
index faebbaafd..b15ffc893 100644
--- a/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
+++ b/r2/r2/models/subreddit.py
@@ -363,7 +363,7 @@ class FriendsSR(FakeSubreddit):
             raise UserRequiredException
 
         q = Link._query(self.c.author_id == c.user.friends,
-                        sort = queries.db_sorts[sort])
+                        sort = queries.db_sort(sort))
         if time != 'all':
             q._filter(queries.db_times[time])
         return q
@@ -381,7 +381,7 @@ class AllSR(FakeSubreddit):
     def get_links(self, sort, time):
         from r2.models import Link
         from r2.lib.db import queries
-        q = Link._query(sort = queries.db_sorts[sort])
+        q = Link._query(sort = queries.db_sort(sort))
         if time != 'all':
             q._filter(queries.db_times[time])
         return q
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ class DefaultSR(FakeSubreddit):
 
             return queries.merge_results(*results)
         else:
-            q = Link._query(sort = queries.db_sorts[sort])
+            q = Link._query(sort = queries.db_sort(sort))
             if time != 'all':
                 q._filter(queries.db_times[time])
             return q
diff --git a/r2/r2/models/vote.py b/r2/r2/models/vote.py
index 5b7360f69..bf85455cb 100644
--- a/r2/r2/models/vote.py
+++ b/r2/r2/models/vote.py
@@ -116,10 +116,6 @@ class Vote(MultiRelation('vote',
             if sub._id != obj.author_id:
                 incr_counts([sr])
 
-        #expire the sr
-        if kind == 'link' and v.valid_thing:
-            expire_hot(sr)
-
         return v
 
     #TODO make this generic and put on multirelation?