diff --git a/x/stake/keeper/keeper.go b/x/stake/keeper/keeper.go
index a66daa1a5..b53190398 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper/keeper.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper/keeper.go
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 package keeper
 
 import (
+	"container/list"
+
 	"github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/codec"
 	sdk "github.com/cosmos/cosmos-sdk/types"
 
@@ -11,12 +13,14 @@ import (
 
 // keeper of the stake store
 type Keeper struct {
-	storeKey   sdk.StoreKey
-	storeTKey  sdk.StoreKey
-	cdc        *codec.Codec
-	bankKeeper bank.Keeper
-	hooks      sdk.StakingHooks
-	paramstore params.Subspace
+	storeKey           sdk.StoreKey
+	storeTKey          sdk.StoreKey
+	cdc                *codec.Codec
+	bankKeeper         bank.Keeper
+	hooks              sdk.StakingHooks
+	paramstore         params.Subspace
+	validatorCache     map[string]cachedValidator
+	validatorCacheList *list.List
 
 	// codespace
 	codespace sdk.CodespaceType
@@ -24,13 +28,15 @@ type Keeper struct {
 
 func NewKeeper(cdc *codec.Codec, key, tkey sdk.StoreKey, ck bank.Keeper, paramstore params.Subspace, codespace sdk.CodespaceType) Keeper {
 	keeper := Keeper{
-		storeKey:   key,
-		storeTKey:  tkey,
-		cdc:        cdc,
-		bankKeeper: ck,
-		paramstore: paramstore.WithTypeTable(ParamTypeTable()),
-		hooks:      nil,
-		codespace:  codespace,
+		storeKey:           key,
+		storeTKey:          tkey,
+		cdc:                cdc,
+		bankKeeper:         ck,
+		paramstore:         paramstore.WithTypeTable(ParamTypeTable()),
+		hooks:              nil,
+		validatorCache:     make(map[string]cachedValidator, 500),
+		validatorCacheList: list.New(),
+		codespace:          codespace,
 	}
 	return keeper
 }
diff --git a/x/stake/keeper/validator.go b/x/stake/keeper/validator.go
index 8ec062605..8dca50389 100644
--- a/x/stake/keeper/validator.go
+++ b/x/stake/keeper/validator.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package keeper
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
-	"container/list"
 	"fmt"
 	"time"
 
@@ -19,10 +18,6 @@ type cachedValidator struct {
 	marshalled string // marshalled amino bytes for the validator object (not operator address)
 }
 
-// validatorCache-key: validator amino bytes
-var validatorCache = make(map[string]cachedValidator, 500)
-var validatorCacheList = list.New()
-
 // get a single validator
 func (k Keeper) GetValidator(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) (validator types.Validator, found bool) {
 	store := ctx.KVStore(k.storeKey)
@@ -33,7 +28,7 @@ func (k Keeper) GetValidator(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) (validator ty
 
 	// If these amino encoded bytes are in the cache, return the cached validator
 	strValue := string(value)
-	if val, ok := validatorCache[strValue]; ok {
+	if val, ok := k.validatorCache[strValue]; ok {
 		valToReturn := val.val
 		// Doesn't mutate the cache's value
 		valToReturn.OperatorAddr = addr
@@ -43,13 +38,13 @@ func (k Keeper) GetValidator(ctx sdk.Context, addr sdk.ValAddress) (validator ty
 	// amino bytes weren't found in cache, so amino unmarshal and add it to the cache
 	validator = types.MustUnmarshalValidator(k.cdc, addr, value)
 	cachedVal := cachedValidator{validator, strValue}
-	validatorCache[strValue] = cachedValidator{validator, strValue}
-	validatorCacheList.PushBack(cachedVal)
+	k.validatorCache[strValue] = cachedValidator{validator, strValue}
+	k.validatorCacheList.PushBack(cachedVal)
 
 	// if the cache is too big, pop off the last element from it
-	if validatorCacheList.Len() > 500 {
-		valToRemove := validatorCacheList.Remove(validatorCacheList.Front()).(cachedValidator)
-		delete(validatorCache, valToRemove.marshalled)
+	if k.validatorCacheList.Len() > 500 {
+		valToRemove := k.validatorCacheList.Remove(k.validatorCacheList.Front()).(cachedValidator)
+		delete(k.validatorCache, valToRemove.marshalled)
 	}
 
 	validator = types.MustUnmarshalValidator(k.cdc, addr, value)