diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index cc16cbc..205cb16 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ var (
 	config     *configFile
 	configLock = new(sync.RWMutex)
 
-	store = newStorageFile()
+	store = newStorageFile(false)
 
 	version = "dev"
 )
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ func init() {
 	for _, a := range os.Args {
 		if strings.HasPrefix(a, "-test.") {
 			// Skip initialize for test run
+			store = newStorageFile(true) // Use in-mem-store for tests
 			return
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/rule.go b/rule.go
index 494802a..e178500 100644
--- a/rule.go
+++ b/rule.go
@@ -91,15 +91,15 @@ func (r *Rule) matches(m *irc.Message, event *string) bool {
 
 func (r *Rule) setCooldown(m *irc.Message) {
 	if r.Cooldown != nil {
-		timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, "", r.MatcherID())
+		timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, "", r.MatcherID(), time.Now().Add(*r.Cooldown))
 	}
 
 	if r.ChannelCooldown != nil && len(m.Params) > 0 {
-		timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.Params[0], r.MatcherID())
+		timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.Params[0], r.MatcherID(), time.Now().Add(*r.ChannelCooldown))
 	}
 
 	if r.UserCooldown != nil {
-		timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.User, r.MatcherID())
+		timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.User, r.MatcherID(), time.Now().Add(*r.UserCooldown))
 	}
 }
 
@@ -135,7 +135,7 @@ func (r *Rule) allowExecuteChannelCooldown(logger *log.Entry, m *irc.Message, ev
 		return true
 	}
 
-	if !timerStore.InCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.Params[0], r.MatcherID(), *r.ChannelCooldown) {
+	if !timerStore.InCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.Params[0], r.MatcherID()) {
 		return true
 	}
 
@@ -299,7 +299,7 @@ func (r *Rule) allowExecuteRuleCooldown(logger *log.Entry, m *irc.Message, event
 		return true
 	}
 
-	if !timerStore.InCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, "", r.MatcherID(), *r.Cooldown) {
+	if !timerStore.InCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, "", r.MatcherID()) {
 		return true
 	}
 
@@ -318,7 +318,7 @@ func (r *Rule) allowExecuteUserCooldown(logger *log.Entry, m *irc.Message, event
 		return true
 	}
 
-	if !timerStore.InCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.User, r.MatcherID(), *r.UserCooldown) {
+	if !timerStore.InCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, m.User, r.MatcherID()) {
 		return true
 	}
 
diff --git a/rule_test.go b/rule_test.go
index 854a6af..62b9068 100644
--- a/rule_test.go
+++ b/rule_test.go
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ func TestAllowExecuteChannelCooldown(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Add cooldown
-	timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, c1.Params[0], r.MatcherID())
+	timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, c1.Params[0], r.MatcherID(), time.Now().Add(*r.ChannelCooldown))
 
 	if r.allowExecuteChannelCooldown(testLogger, c1, nil, badgeCollection{}) {
 		t.Error("Call after cooldown added was allowed")
@@ -189,7 +189,7 @@ func TestAllowExecuteRuleCooldown(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Add cooldown
-	timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, "", r.MatcherID())
+	timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, "", r.MatcherID(), time.Now().Add(*r.Cooldown))
 
 	if r.allowExecuteRuleCooldown(testLogger, nil, nil, badgeCollection{}) {
 		t.Error("Call after cooldown added was allowed")
@@ -210,7 +210,7 @@ func TestAllowExecuteUserCooldown(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	// Add cooldown
-	timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, c1.User, r.MatcherID())
+	timerStore.AddCooldown(timerTypeCooldown, c1.User, r.MatcherID(), time.Now().Add(*r.UserCooldown))
 
 	if r.allowExecuteUserCooldown(testLogger, c1, nil, badgeCollection{}) {
 		t.Error("Call after cooldown added was allowed")
diff --git a/store.go b/store.go
index ba398d6..0ea8ec3 100644
--- a/store.go
+++ b/store.go
@@ -5,21 +5,26 @@ import (
 	"encoding/json"
 	"os"
 	"sync"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 )
 
 type storageFile struct {
-	Counters map[string]int64 `json:"counters"`
+	Counters map[string]int64      `json:"counters"`
+	Timers   map[string]timerEntry `json:"timers"`
 
-	lock *sync.RWMutex
+	inMem bool
+	lock  *sync.RWMutex
 }
 
-func newStorageFile() *storageFile {
+func newStorageFile(inMemStore bool) *storageFile {
 	return &storageFile{
 		Counters: map[string]int64{},
+		Timers:   map[string]timerEntry{},
 
-		lock: new(sync.RWMutex),
+		inMem: inMemStore,
+		lock:  new(sync.RWMutex),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -30,10 +35,23 @@ func (s *storageFile) GetCounterValue(counter string) int64 {
 	return s.Counters[counter]
 }
 
+func (s *storageFile) HasTimer(id string) bool {
+	s.lock.RLock()
+	defer s.lock.RUnlock()
+
+	return s.Timers[id].Time.After(time.Now())
+}
+
 func (s *storageFile) Load() error {
 	s.lock.Lock()
 	defer s.lock.Unlock()
 
+	if s.inMem {
+		// In-Memory store is active, do not load from disk
+		// for testing purposes only!
+		return nil
+	}
+
 	f, err := os.Open(cfg.StorageFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		if os.IsNotExist(err) {
@@ -60,6 +78,25 @@ func (s *storageFile) Save() error {
 	// NOTE(kahlers): DO NOT LOCK THIS, all calling functions are
 	// modifying functions and must have locks in place
 
+	if s.inMem {
+		// In-Memory store is active, do not store to disk
+		// for testing purposes only!
+		return nil
+	}
+
+	// Cleanup timers
+	var timerIDs []string
+	for id := range s.Timers {
+		timerIDs = append(timerIDs, id)
+	}
+
+	for _, i := range timerIDs {
+		if s.Timers[i].Time.Before(time.Now()) {
+			delete(s.Timers, i)
+		}
+	}
+
+	// Write store to disk
 	f, err := os.Create(cfg.StorageFile)
 	if err != nil {
 		return errors.Wrap(err, "create storage file")
@@ -75,6 +112,15 @@ func (s *storageFile) Save() error {
 	)
 }
 
+func (s *storageFile) SetTimer(kind timerType, id string, expiry time.Time) error {
+	s.lock.Lock()
+	defer s.lock.Unlock()
+
+	s.Timers[id] = timerEntry{Kind: kind, Time: expiry}
+
+	return errors.Wrap(s.Save(), "saving store")
+}
+
 func (s *storageFile) UpdateCounter(counter string, value int64, absolute bool) error {
 	s.lock.Lock()
 	defer s.lock.Unlock()
diff --git a/timers.go b/timers.go
index 78eff7c..120c356 100644
--- a/timers.go
+++ b/timers.go
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@ import (
 	"crypto/sha256"
 	"fmt"
 	"strings"
-	"sync"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -18,33 +17,27 @@ const (
 var timerStore = newTimer()
 
 type timerEntry struct {
-	kind timerType
-	time time.Time
+	Kind timerType `json:"kind"`
+	Time time.Time `json:"time"`
 }
 
-type timer struct {
-	timers map[string]timerEntry
-	lock   *sync.RWMutex
-}
+type timer struct{}
 
 func newTimer() *timer {
-	return &timer{
-		timers: map[string]timerEntry{},
-		lock:   new(sync.RWMutex),
-	}
+	return &timer{}
 }
 
 // Cooldown timer
 
-func (t *timer) AddCooldown(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string) {
-	t.add(timerTypeCooldown, t.getCooldownTimerKey(tt, limiter, ruleID))
+func (t *timer) AddCooldown(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string, expiry time.Time) {
+	store.SetTimer(timerTypeCooldown, t.getCooldownTimerKey(tt, limiter, ruleID), expiry)
 }
 
-func (t *timer) InCooldown(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string, cooldown time.Duration) bool {
-	return t.has(t.getCooldownTimerKey(tt, limiter, ruleID), cooldown)
+func (t *timer) InCooldown(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string) bool {
+	return store.HasTimer(t.getCooldownTimerKey(tt, limiter, ruleID))
 }
 
-func (t timer) getCooldownTimerKey(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string) string {
+func (timer) getCooldownTimerKey(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string) string {
 	h := sha256.New()
 	fmt.Fprintf(h, "%d:%s:%s", tt, limiter, ruleID)
 	return fmt.Sprintf("sha256:%x", h.Sum(nil))
@@ -53,31 +46,15 @@ func (t timer) getCooldownTimerKey(tt timerType, limiter, ruleID string) string
 // Permit timer
 
 func (t *timer) AddPermit(channel, username string) {
-	t.add(timerTypePermit, t.getPermitTimerKey(channel, username))
+	store.SetTimer(timerTypePermit, t.getPermitTimerKey(channel, username), time.Now().Add(config.PermitTimeout))
 }
 
 func (t *timer) HasPermit(channel, username string) bool {
-	return t.has(t.getPermitTimerKey(channel, username), config.PermitTimeout)
+	return store.HasTimer(t.getPermitTimerKey(channel, username))
 }
 
-func (t timer) getPermitTimerKey(channel, username string) string {
+func (timer) getPermitTimerKey(channel, username string) string {
 	h := sha256.New()
 	fmt.Fprintf(h, "%d:%s:%s", timerTypePermit, channel, strings.ToLower(strings.TrimLeft(username, "@")))
 	return fmt.Sprintf("sha256:%x", h.Sum(nil))
 }
-
-// Generic
-
-func (t *timer) add(kind timerType, id string) {
-	t.lock.Lock()
-	defer t.lock.Unlock()
-
-	t.timers[id] = timerEntry{kind: kind, time: time.Now()}
-}
-
-func (t *timer) has(id string, validity time.Duration) bool {
-	t.lock.RLock()
-	defer t.lock.RUnlock()
-
-	return time.Since(t.timers[id].time) < validity
-}