diff --git a/r2/r2/lib/migrate/migrate.py b/r2/r2/lib/migrate/migrate.py
index 08d315537..31b80c608 100644
--- a/r2/r2/lib/migrate/migrate.py
+++ b/r2/r2/lib/migrate/migrate.py
@@ -381,3 +381,19 @@ def port_cassahides():
     for sh in q:
         CassandraHide._hide(sh._thing1, sh._thing2,
                             write_consistency_level=CL.ONE)
+
+def convert_query_cache_to_json():
+    import cPickle
+    from r2.models.query_cache import json, UserQueryCache
+
+    with UserQueryCache._cf.batch() as m:
+        for key, columns in UserQueryCache._cf.get_range():
+            out = {}
+            for ckey, cvalue in columns.iteritems():
+                try:
+                    raw = cPickle.loads(cvalue)
+                except cPickle.UnpicklingError:
+                    continue
+                out[ckey] = json.dumps(raw)
+            m.insert(key, out)
+
diff --git a/r2/r2/models/query_cache.py b/r2/r2/models/query_cache.py
index a94ee26ac..9f0a1f113 100644
--- a/r2/r2/models/query_cache.py
+++ b/r2/r2/models/query_cache.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 import random
-import cPickle
 import datetime
 import collections
 
 from pylons import g
-from pycassa.system_manager import ASCII_TYPE
+from pycassa.system_manager import ASCII_TYPE, UTF8_TYPE
 from pycassa.batch import Mutator
 
 from r2.models import Thing
@@ -19,6 +18,16 @@ PRUNE_CHANCE = g.querycache_prune_chance
 MAX_CACHED_ITEMS = 1000
 
 
+# if cjson is installed, use it. it's faster.
+try:
+    import cjson as json
+except ImportError:
+    LOG.warning("Couldn't import cjson. Using (slower) python implementation.")
+    import json
+else:
+    json.dumps, json.loads = json.encode, json.decode
+
+
 class ThingTupleComparator(object):
     def __init__(self, sorts):
         self.sorts = sorts
@@ -260,7 +269,8 @@ def merged_cached_query(fn):
 class BaseQueryCache(object):
     __metaclass__ = tdb_cassandra.ThingMeta
     _connection_pool = 'main'
-    _extra_schema_creation_args = dict(key_validation_class=ASCII_TYPE)
+    _extra_schema_creation_args = dict(key_validation_class=ASCII_TYPE,
+                                       default_validation_class=UTF8_TYPE)
     _compare_with = ASCII_TYPE
     _use_db = False
 
@@ -278,8 +288,8 @@ class BaseQueryCache(object):
             timestamps = []
 
             for (key, (value, timestamp)) in columns.iteritems():
-                value = cPickle.loads(value)
-                data.append((key,) + value)
+                value = json.loads(value)
+                data.append((key,) + tuple(value))
                 timestamps.append((key, timestamp))
 
             res[row] = (data, dict(timestamps))
@@ -289,7 +299,7 @@ class BaseQueryCache(object):
     @classmethod
     @tdb_cassandra.will_write
     def insert(cls, mutator, key, columns):
-        updates = dict((key, cPickle.dumps(value, protocol=2))
+        updates = dict((key, json.dumps(value))
                        for key, value in columns.iteritems())
         mutator.insert(cls._cf, key, updates)