diff --git a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters.py b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters.py
index bddaa023c..1d147ba05 100644
--- a/ceilometer/compute/pollsters.py
+++ b/ceilometer/compute/pollsters.py
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ class CPUPollster(plugin.ComputePollster):
 
     utilization_map = {}
 
-    def get_cpu_util(self, instance, cpu_info):
+    def _get_cpu_util(self, instance, cpu_info):
         prev_times = self.utilization_map.get(instance.id)
         self.utilization_map[instance.id] = (cpu_info.time,
                                              datetime.datetime.now())
@@ -259,6 +259,14 @@ class CPUPollster(plugin.ComputePollster):
             cpu_util = 100 * cores_fraction * time_used / elapsed
         return cpu_util
 
+    CACHE_KEY_CPU = 'cpu'
+
+    def _get_cpu_info(self, inspector, instance_name, cache):
+        i_cache = cache.setdefault(self.CACHE_KEY_CPU, {})
+        if instance_name not in i_cache:
+            i_cache[instance_name] = inspector.inspect_cpus(instance_name)
+        return i_cache[instance_name]
+
     @staticmethod
     def get_counter_names():
         return ['cpu', 'cpu_util']
@@ -267,10 +275,14 @@ class CPUPollster(plugin.ComputePollster):
         self.LOG.info('checking instance %s', instance.id)
         instance_name = _instance_name(instance)
         try:
-            cpu_info = manager.inspector.inspect_cpus(instance_name)
+            cpu_info = self._get_cpu_info(
+                manager.inspector,
+                instance_name,
+                cache,
+            )
             self.LOG.info("CPUTIME USAGE: %s %d",
                           instance.__dict__, cpu_info.time)
-            cpu_util = self.get_cpu_util(instance, cpu_info)
+            cpu_util = self._get_cpu_util(instance, cpu_info)
             self.LOG.info("CPU UTILIZATION %%: %s %0.2f",
                           instance.__dict__, cpu_util)
             # FIXME(eglynn): once we have a way of configuring which measures
diff --git a/tests/compute/test_pollsters.py b/tests/compute/test_pollsters.py
index b7fe91135..6623ccf44 100644
--- a/tests/compute/test_pollsters.py
+++ b/tests/compute/test_pollsters.py
@@ -316,7 +316,8 @@ class TestCPUPollster(TestPollsterBase):
         pollster = pollsters.CPUPollster()
 
         def _verify_cpu_metering(zero, expected_time):
-            counters = list(pollster.get_counters(mgr, {}, self.instance))
+            cache = {}
+            counters = list(pollster.get_counters(mgr, cache, self.instance))
             self.assertEquals(len(counters), 2)
             self.assertEqual(set([c.name for c in counters]),
                              set(pollster.get_counter_names()))
@@ -325,9 +326,37 @@ class TestCPUPollster(TestPollsterBase):
                     counters[0].volume > 0.0)
             assert counters[1].name == 'cpu'
             assert counters[1].volume == expected_time
+            assert pollster.CACHE_KEY_CPU in cache
+            assert self.instance.name in cache[pollster.CACHE_KEY_CPU]
             # ensure elapsed time between polling cycles is non-zero
             time.sleep(0.001)
 
         _verify_cpu_metering(True, 1 * (10 ** 6))
         _verify_cpu_metering(False, 3 * (10 ** 6))
         _verify_cpu_metering(False, 2 * (10 ** 6))
+
+    @mock.patch('ceilometer.pipeline.setup_pipeline', mock.MagicMock())
+    def test_get_counters_cache(self):
+        # self.inspector.inspect_cpus(self.instance.name).AndReturn(
+        #     virt_inspector.CPUStats(time=1 * (10 ** 6), number=2))
+        # self.inspector.inspect_cpus(self.instance.name).AndReturn(
+        #     virt_inspector.CPUStats(time=3 * (10 ** 6), number=2))
+        # # cpu_time resets on instance restart
+        # self.inspector.inspect_cpus(self.instance.name).AndReturn(
+        #     virt_inspector.CPUStats(time=2 * (10 ** 6), number=2))
+        self.mox.ReplayAll()
+
+        mgr = manager.AgentManager()
+        pollster = pollsters.CPUPollster()
+
+        cache = {
+            pollster.CACHE_KEY_CPU: {
+                self.instance.name: virt_inspector.CPUStats(
+                    time=10 ** 6,
+                    number=2,
+                ),
+            },
+        }
+        counters = list(pollster.get_counters(mgr, cache, self.instance))
+        self.assertEquals(len(counters), 2)
+        self.assertEquals(counters[1].volume, 10 ** 6)