diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 7e631e18..6945dfff 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
 coverage
 nimcache
+tests/data
 tests/testAll
diff --git a/libp2pdht.nimble b/libp2pdht.nimble
index 54cd6715..5d21ff8c 100644
--- a/libp2pdht.nimble
+++ b/libp2pdht.nimble
@@ -19,7 +19,9 @@ requires "nim >= 1.2.0",
          "secp256k1 >= 0.5.2 & < 0.6.0",
          "stew#head",
          "stint",
-         "asynctest >= 0.3.1 & < 0.4.0"
+         "asynctest >= 0.3.1 & < 0.4.0",
+         "questionable >= 0.10.5 & < 0.11.0",
+         "https://github.com/status-im/nim-datastore#methods_close_query"
 
 task coverage, "generates code coverage report":
   var (output, exitCode) = gorgeEx("which lcov")
@@ -57,4 +59,3 @@ task coverage, "generates code coverage report":
   exec("genhtml coverage/coverage.f.info --output-directory coverage/report")
   echo "Opening HTML coverage report in browser..."
   exec("open coverage/report/index.html")
-  
diff --git a/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim b/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim
index fbd0ef3f..b9bf7e2b 100644
--- a/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim
+++ b/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/protocol.nim
@@ -74,12 +74,15 @@
 {.push raises: [Defect].}
 
 import
-  std/[tables, sets, options, math, sequtils, algorithm],
+  std/[tables, sets, options, math, sequtils, algorithm, hashes],
   stew/shims/net as stewNet, json_serialization/std/net,
-  stew/[base64, endians2, results], chronicles, chronicles/chronos_tools, chronos, chronos/timer, stint, bearssl,
+  stew/[base64, endians2], chronicles, chronicles/chronos_tools, chronos, chronos/timer, stint, bearssl,
+  stew/results as stewResults,
   metrics,
-  libp2p/[crypto/crypto, routing_record],
-  "."/[transport, messages, messages_encoding, node, routing_table, spr, random2, ip_vote, nodes_verification]
+  libp2p/[crypto/crypto, routing_record, signed_envelope],
+  "."/[transport, messages, messages_encoding, node, routing_table, spr, random2, ip_vote, nodes_verification],
+  questionable, questionable/results,
+  datastore/sqlite_datastore
 
 import nimcrypto except toHex
 
@@ -135,7 +138,7 @@ type
     talkProtocols*: Table[seq[byte], TalkProtocol] # TODO: Table is a bit of
     # overkill here, use sequence
     rng*: ref BrHmacDrbgContext
-    providers: Table[NodeId, seq[SignedPeerRecord]]
+    providers: Datastore
 
   TalkProtocolHandler* = proc(p: TalkProtocol, request: seq[byte], fromId: NodeId, fromUdpAddress: Address): seq[byte]
     {.gcsafe, raises: [Defect].}
@@ -315,19 +318,52 @@ proc handleTalkReq(d: Protocol, fromId: NodeId, fromAddr: Address,
     kind = MessageKind.talkresp
   d.sendResponse(fromId, fromAddr, talkresp, reqId)
 
-proc addProviderLocal(p: Protocol, cId: NodeId, prov: SignedPeerRecord) =
+proc fromBytes(T: type SignedPeerRecord, bytes: seq[byte]): ?!T =
+  let decodeRes = T.decode(bytes)
+  if decodeRes.isErr:
+    failure $decodeRes.error
+  else:
+    success decodeRes.get
+
+proc toBytes(prov: SignedPeerRecord): ?!seq[byte] =
+  let encodeRes = prov.encode
+  if encodeRes.isErr:
+    failure $encodeRes.error
+  else:
+    success encodeRes.get
+
+proc addProviderLocal(p: Protocol, cId: NodeId, prov: SignedPeerRecord) {.async.} =
   trace "adding provider to local db", n=p.localNode, cId, prov
-  p.providers.mgetOrPut(cId, @[]).add(prov)
+  without provBytes =? prov.toBytes, error:
+    trace "error when encoding SPR", cId, error = error.msg
+
+  without key =? Key.init($cid & "/" & $provBytes.hash), error:
+    trace "error when encoding cId as a key", cId, error = error.msg
+
+  let putRes = await p.providers.put(key, provBytes)
+  if putRes.isErr:
+    trace "error when storing encoded SPR in database", cId, error = error.msg
 
 proc handleAddProvider(d: Protocol, fromId: NodeId, fromAddr: Address,
-    addProvider: AddProviderMessage, reqId: RequestId) =
-  d.addProviderLocal(addProvider.cId, addProvider.prov)
+    addProvider: AddProviderMessage, reqId: RequestId) {.async.} =
+  await d.addProviderLocal(addProvider.cId, addProvider.prov)
 
 proc handleGetProviders(d: Protocol, fromId: NodeId, fromAddr: Address,
-    getProviders: GetProvidersMessage, reqId: RequestId) =
+    getProviders: GetProvidersMessage, reqId: RequestId) {.async.} =
 
   #TODO: add checks, add signed version
-  let provs = d.providers.getOrDefault(getProviders.cId)
+  var provs: seq[SignedPeerRecord]
+  let cId = getProviders.cId
+  without queryKey =? Key.init($cId & "/*"), error:
+    trace "error when encoding cId as a query key", cId, error = error.msg
+
+  let q = d.providers.query; for kv in q(d.providers, Query.init(queryKey)):
+    let (_, provBytes) = await kv
+    without prov =? SignedPeerRecord.fromBytes(provBytes), error:
+      trace "error when decoding SPR retrieved from database", cId , error = error.msg
+
+    provs.add prov
+
   trace "providers:", provs
 
   ##TODO: handle multiple messages
@@ -335,7 +371,7 @@ proc handleGetProviders(d: Protocol, fromId: NodeId, fromAddr: Address,
   d.sendResponse(fromId, fromAddr, response, reqId)
 
 proc handleMessage(d: Protocol, srcId: NodeId, fromAddr: Address,
-    message: Message) =
+    message: Message) {.async.} =
   case message.kind
   of ping:
     discovery_message_requests_incoming.inc()
@@ -352,10 +388,10 @@ proc handleMessage(d: Protocol, srcId: NodeId, fromAddr: Address,
   of addProvider:
     discovery_message_requests_incoming.inc()
     discovery_message_requests_incoming.inc(labelValues = ["no_response"])
-    d.handleAddProvider(srcId, fromAddr, message.addProvider, message.reqId)
+    await d.handleAddProvider(srcId, fromAddr, message.addProvider, message.reqId)
   of getProviders:
     discovery_message_requests_incoming.inc()
-    d.handleGetProviders(srcId, fromAddr, message.getProviders, message.reqId)
+    await d.handleGetProviders(srcId, fromAddr, message.getProviders, message.reqId)
   of regTopic, topicQuery:
     discovery_message_requests_incoming.inc()
     discovery_message_requests_incoming.inc(labelValues = ["no_response"])
@@ -643,7 +679,7 @@ proc addProvider*(
     if toNode != d.localNode:
       discard d.sendRequest(toNode, AddProviderMessage(cId: cId, prov: pr))
     else:
-      d.addProviderLocal(cId, pr)
+      await d.addProviderLocal(cId, pr)
 
   return res
 
@@ -677,11 +713,20 @@ proc getProvidersLocal*(
     d: Protocol,
     cId: NodeId,
     maxitems: int = 5,
-  ): seq[SignedPeerRecord] {.raises: [KeyError,Defect].} =
+  ): Future[seq[SignedPeerRecord]] {.async.} =
+
+  var provs: seq[SignedPeerRecord]
+  without queryKey =? Key.init($cId & "/*"), error:
+    trace "error when encoding cId as a query key", cId, error = error.msg
 
-  return
-    if (cId in d.providers): d.providers[cId]
-    else: @[]
+  let q = d.providers.query; for kv in q(d.providers, Query.init(queryKey)):
+    let (_, provBytes) = await kv
+    without prov =? SignedPeerRecord.fromBytes(provBytes), error:
+      trace "error when decoding SPR retrieved from database", cId , error = error.msg
+
+    provs.add prov
+
+  return provs
 
 proc getProviders*(
     d: Protocol,
@@ -691,7 +736,7 @@ proc getProviders*(
   ): Future[DiscResult[seq[SignedPeerRecord]]] {.async.} =
 
   # What providers do we know about?
-  var res = d.getProvidersLocal(cId, maxitems)
+  var res = await d.getProvidersLocal(cId, maxitems)
   trace "local providers:", res
 
   let nodesNearby = await d.lookup(cId)
@@ -959,7 +1004,9 @@ proc newProtocol*(
     bindIp = IPv4_any(),
     enrAutoUpdate = false,
     config = defaultDiscoveryConfig,
-    rng = newRng()):
+    rng = newRng(),
+    dataDir: string,
+    dbName: string):
     Protocol =
   # TODO: Tried adding bindPort = udpPort as parameter but that gave
   # "Error: internal error: environment misses: udpPort" in nim-beacon-chain.
@@ -996,6 +1043,9 @@ proc newProtocol*(
   # TODO Consider whether this should be a Defect
   doAssert rng != nil, "RNG initialization failed"
 
+  without providers =? SQLiteDatastore.new(dataDir, dbName), error:
+    raise (ref Defect)(msg: error.msg)
+
   result = Protocol(
     privateKey: privKey,
     localNode: node,
@@ -1004,7 +1054,8 @@ proc newProtocol*(
     enrAutoUpdate: enrAutoUpdate,
     routingTable: RoutingTable.init(
       node, config.bitsPerHop, config.tableIpLimits, rng),
-    rng: rng)
+    rng: rng,
+    providers: providers)
 
   result.transport = newTransport(result, privKey, node, bindPort, bindIp, rng)
 
@@ -1021,7 +1072,7 @@ proc start*(d: Protocol) =
   d.revalidateLoop = revalidateLoop(d)
   d.ipMajorityLoop = ipMajorityLoop(d)
 
-proc close*(d: Protocol) =
+proc close*(d: Protocol) {.async.} =
   doAssert(not d.transport.closed)
 
   debug "Closing discovery node", node = d.localNode
@@ -1033,6 +1084,7 @@ proc close*(d: Protocol) =
     d.ipMajorityLoop.cancel()
 
   d.transport.close()
+  await d.providers.close()
 
 proc closeWait*(d: Protocol) {.async.} =
   doAssert(not d.transport.closed)
@@ -1046,3 +1098,4 @@ proc closeWait*(d: Protocol) {.async.} =
     await d.ipMajorityLoop.cancelAndWait()
 
   await d.transport.closeWait()
+  await d.providers.close()
diff --git a/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/transport.nim b/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/transport.nim
index 4faf0bb5..d7e960d8 100644
--- a/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/transport.nim
+++ b/libp2pdht/private/eth/p2p/discoveryv5/transport.nim
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ proc sendWhoareyou(t: Transport, toId: NodeId, a: Address,
   else:
     debug "Node with this id already has ongoing handshake, ignoring packet"
 
-proc receive*(t: Transport, a: Address, packet: openArray[byte]) =
+proc receive*(t: Transport, a: Address, packet: seq[byte]) {.async.} =
   let decoded = t.codec.decodePacket(a, packet)
   if decoded.isOk:
     let packet = decoded[]
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ proc receive*(t: Transport, a: Address, packet: openArray[byte]) =
         let message = packet.messageOpt.get()
         trace "Received message packet", srcId = packet.srcId, address = a,
           kind = message.kind, packet
-        t.client.handleMessage(packet.srcId, a, message)
+        await t.client.handleMessage(packet.srcId, a, message)
       else:
         trace "Not decryptable message packet received",
           srcId = packet.srcId, address = a
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ proc receive*(t: Transport, a: Address, packet: openArray[byte]) =
     of HandshakeMessage:
       trace "Received handshake message packet", srcId = packet.srcIdHs,
         address = a, kind = packet.message.kind
-      t.client.handleMessage(packet.srcIdHs, a, packet.message)
+      await t.client.handleMessage(packet.srcIdHs, a, packet.message)
       # For a handshake message it is possible that we received an newer SPR.
       # In that case we can add/update it to the routing table.
       if packet.node.isSome():
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ proc processClient[T](transp: DatagramTransport, raddr: TransportAddress):
              return
   let a = Address(ip: ValidIpAddress.init(ip), port: raddr.port)
 
-  t.receive(a, buf)
+  await t.receive(a, buf)
 
 proc open*[T](t: Transport[T]) {.raises: [Defect, CatchableError].} =
   info "Starting transport", bindAddress = t.bindAddress
diff --git a/tests/dht/test_helper.nim b/tests/dht/test_helper.nim
index f6d49572..465b25eb 100644
--- a/tests/dht/test_helper.nim
+++ b/tests/dht/test_helper.nim
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
+import
+  std/[oids, os]
+
 import
   bearssl,
   chronos,
+  datastore/sqlite_datastore,
   libp2p/crypto/[crypto, secp],
   libp2p/multiaddress,
   libp2pdht/discv5/[node, routing_table, spr],
@@ -22,6 +26,10 @@ proc example*(T: type NodeId, rng: ref HmacDrbgContext): NodeId =
     pubKey = privKey.getPublicKey.expect("Valid private key for public key")
   pubKey.toNodeId().expect("Public key valid for node id")
 
+const testDataDir* = "tests/data"
+
+proc randDbName*(): string = "dht_" & $genOid() & dbExt
+
 proc initDiscoveryNode*(
     rng: ref BrHmacDrbgContext,
     privKey: PrivateKey,
@@ -42,7 +50,9 @@ proc initDiscoveryNode*(
     localEnrFields = localEnrFields,
     previousRecord = previousRecord,
     config = config,
-    rng = rng)
+    rng = rng,
+    dataDir = testDataDir,
+    dbName = randDbName())
 
   protocol.open()
 
diff --git a/tests/dht/test_providers.nim b/tests/dht/test_providers.nim
index 09d3f036..e75f3ae3 100644
--- a/tests/dht/test_providers.nim
+++ b/tests/dht/test_providers.nim
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 {.used.}
 
 import
-  std/[options, sequtils],
+  std/[options, os, sequtils],
   asynctest,
   bearssl,
   chronicles,
@@ -78,6 +78,9 @@ suite "Providers Tests: node alone":
     peerRec0: PeerRecord
 
   setupAll:
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
+    createDir(testDataDir)
     rng = newRng()
     nodes = await bootstrapNetwork(nodecount=1)
     targetId = NodeId.example(rng)
@@ -89,6 +92,8 @@ suite "Providers Tests: node alone":
     for (n, _) in nodes:
       await n.closeWait()
     await sleepAsync(chronos.seconds(3))
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
 
 
   test "Node in isolation should store":
@@ -99,7 +104,7 @@ suite "Providers Tests: node alone":
     debug "---- STARTING CHECKS ---"
     check (addedTo.len == 1)
     check (addedTo[0].id == node0.localNode.id)
-    check (node0.getProvidersLocal(targetId)[0].data.peerId == peerRec0.peerId)
+    check ((await node0.getProvidersLocal(targetId))[0].data.peerId == peerRec0.peerId)
 
   test "Node in isolation should retrieve":
 
@@ -138,8 +143,11 @@ suite "Providers Tests: two nodes":
     peerRec0: PeerRecord
 
   setupAll:
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
+    createDir(testDataDir)
     rng = newRng()
-    nodes = await bootstrapNetwork(nodecount=3)
+    nodes = await bootstrapNetwork(nodecount=2)
     targetId = NodeId.example(rng)
     (node0, privKey0) = nodes[0]
     signedPeerRec0 = privKey0.toSignedPeerRecord
@@ -149,6 +157,8 @@ suite "Providers Tests: two nodes":
     for (n, _) in nodes:
       await n.closeWait()
     await sleepAsync(chronos.seconds(3))
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
 
   test "2 nodes, store and retrieve from same":
 
@@ -187,6 +197,9 @@ suite "Providers Tests: 20 nodes":
     peerRec0: PeerRecord
 
   setupAll:
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
+    createDir(testDataDir)
     rng = newRng()
     nodes = await bootstrapNetwork(nodecount=20)
     targetId = NodeId.example(rng)
@@ -199,6 +212,8 @@ suite "Providers Tests: 20 nodes":
   teardownAll:
     for (n, _) in nodes: # if last test is enabled, we need nodes[1..^1] here
       await n.closeWait()
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
 
   test "20 nodes, store and retrieve from same":
 
diff --git a/tests/discv5/test_discoveryv5.nim b/tests/discv5/test_discoveryv5.nim
index eb6d9eff..c0d7be6e 100644
--- a/tests/discv5/test_discoveryv5.nim
+++ b/tests/discv5/test_discoveryv5.nim
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
 {.used.}
 
 import
-  std/tables,
+  std/[os, tables],
   chronos, chronicles, stint, asynctest, stew/shims/net,
+  datastore/sqlite_datastore,
   stew/byteutils, bearssl,
   libp2p/crypto/crypto,
   libp2pdht/discv5/[transport, spr, node, routing_table, encoding, sessions, messages, nodes_verification],
@@ -16,6 +17,16 @@ suite "Discovery v5 Tests":
   setup:
     rng = newRng()
 
+  setupAll:
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
+    createDir(testDataDir)
+
+  teardownAll:
+    removeDir(testDataDir)
+    require(not dirExists(testDataDir))
+    discard
+
   test "GetNode":
     # TODO: This could be tested in just a routing table only context
     let
@@ -439,15 +450,18 @@ suite "Discovery v5 Tests":
       ip = some(ValidIpAddress.init("127.0.0.1"))
       port = Port(20301)
       node = newProtocol(privKey, ip, some(port), some(port), bindPort = port,
-        rng = rng)
+        rng = rng, dataDir = testDataDir, dbName = randDbName())
       noUpdatesNode = newProtocol(privKey, ip, some(port), some(port),
-        bindPort = port, rng = rng, previousRecord = some(node.getRecord()))
+        bindPort = port, rng = rng, previousRecord = some(node.getRecord()),
+        dataDir = testDataDir, dbName = randDbName())
       updatesNode = newProtocol(privKey, ip, some(port), some(Port(20302)),
         bindPort = port, rng = rng,
-        previousRecord = some(noUpdatesNode.getRecord()))
+        previousRecord = some(noUpdatesNode.getRecord()), dataDir = testDataDir,
+        dbName = randDbName())
       moreUpdatesNode = newProtocol(privKey, ip, some(port), some(port),
         bindPort = port, rng = rng, localEnrFields = {"addfield": @[byte 0]},
-        previousRecord = some(updatesNode.getRecord()))
+        previousRecord = some(updatesNode.getRecord()), dataDir = testDataDir,
+        dbName = randDbName())
     check:
       node.getRecord().seqNum == 1
       noUpdatesNode.getRecord().seqNum == 1
@@ -458,7 +472,8 @@ suite "Discovery v5 Tests":
     expect ResultDefect:
       let incorrectKeyUpdates = newProtocol(PrivateKey.example(rng),
         ip, some(port), some(port), bindPort = port, rng = rng,
-        previousRecord = some(updatesNode.getRecord()))
+        previousRecord = some(updatesNode.getRecord()), dataDir = testDataDir,
+        dbName = randDbName())
 
   test "Update node record with revalidate":
     let
@@ -631,7 +646,7 @@ suite "Discovery v5 Tests":
 
       let (packet, _) = encodeMessagePacket(rng[], codec,
         receiveNode.localNode.id, receiveNode.localNode.address.get(), @[])
-      receiveNode.transport.receive(a, packet)
+      await receiveNode.transport.receive(a, packet)
 
     # Checking different nodeIds but same address
     check receiveNode.transport.codec.handshakes.len == 5
@@ -661,7 +676,7 @@ suite "Discovery v5 Tests":
       let a = localAddress(20303 + i)
       let (packet, _) = encodeMessagePacket(rng[], codec,
         receiveNode.localNode.id, receiveNode.localNode.address.get(), @[])
-      receiveNode.transport.receive(a, packet)
+      await receiveNode.transport.receive(a, packet)
 
     # Checking different nodeIds but same address
     check receiveNode.transport.codec.handshakes.len == 5
@@ -693,7 +708,7 @@ suite "Discovery v5 Tests":
     for i in 0 ..< 5:
       let (packet, requestNonce) = encodeMessagePacket(rng[], codec,
         receiveNode.localNode.id, receiveNode.localNode.address.get(), @[])
-      receiveNode.transport.receive(a, packet)
+      await receiveNode.transport.receive(a, packet)
       if i == 0:
         firstRequestNonce = requestNonce