diff --git a/setup/start/collectd/collectd.conf b/setup/start/collectd/collectd.conf
index b11151bca..695a22436 100644
--- a/setup/start/collectd/collectd.conf
+++ b/setup/start/collectd/collectd.conf
@@ -164,7 +164,9 @@ LoadPlugin swap
 #LoadPlugin vmem
 #LoadPlugin vserver
 #LoadPlugin wireless
-LoadPlugin write_graphite
+<LoadPlugin write_graphite>
+   FlushInterval 20
+</LoadPlugin>
 #LoadPlugin write_http
 #LoadPlugin write_riemann
 
diff --git a/setup/start/collectd/du.py b/setup/start/collectd/du.py
index e0fa890ff..006a953eb 100644
--- a/setup/start/collectd/du.py
+++ b/setup/start/collectd/du.py
@@ -6,19 +6,26 @@ PATHS = [] # { name, dir, exclude }
 # there is a pattern in carbon/storage-schemas.conf which stores values every 12h for a year
 INTERVAL = 60 * 60 * 12 # twice a day. change values in docker-graphite if you change this
 
+# we used to pass the INTERVAL as a parameter to register_read. however, collectd write_graphite
+# takes a bit to load (tcp connection) and drops the du data. this then means that we have to wait
+# for INTERVAL secs for du data. instead, we just cache the value for INTERVAL instead
+CACHE = dict()
+CACHE_TIME = 0
+
 def du(pathinfo):
     # -B1 makes du print block sizes and not apparent sizes (to match df which also uses block sizes)
-    cmd = 'timeout 1800 du -DsB1 "{}"'.format(pathinfo['dir'])
+    dirname = pathinfo['dir']
+    cmd = 'timeout 1800 du -DsB1 "{}"'.format(dirname)
     if pathinfo['exclude'] != '':
         cmd += ' --exclude "{}"'.format(pathinfo['exclude'])
 
     collectd.info('computing size with command: %s' % cmd);
     try:
         size = subprocess.check_output(cmd, shell=True).split()[0].decode('utf-8')
-        collectd.info('\tsize of %s is %s (time: %i)' % (pathinfo['dir'], size, int(time.time())))
+        collectd.info('\tsize of %s is %s (time: %i)' % (dirname, size, int(time.time())))
         return size
     except Exception as e:
-        collectd.info('\terror getting the size of %s: %s' % (pathinfo['dir'], str(e)))
+        collectd.info('\terror getting the size of %s: %s' % (dirname, str(e)))
         return 0
 
 def parseSize(size):
@@ -64,19 +71,35 @@ def init():
     collectd.info('custom du plugin initialized with %s %s' % (PATHS, sys.version))
 
 def read():
+    global CACHE, CACHE_TIME
+
+    # read from cache if < 12 hours
+    read_cache = (time.time() - CACHE_TIME) < INTERVAL
+
+    if not read_cache:
+        CACHE_TIME = time.time()
+
     for pathinfo in PATHS:
-        size = du(pathinfo)
+        dirname = pathinfo['dir']
+        if read_cache and dirname in CACHE:
+            size = CACHE[dirname]
+        else:
+            size = du(pathinfo)
+            CACHE[dirname] = size
 
         # type comes from https://github.com/collectd/collectd/blob/master/src/types.db
         val = collectd.Values(type='capacity', plugin='du', plugin_instance=pathinfo['name'])
         val.dispatch(values=[size], type_instance='usage')
 
-    size = dockerSize()
+    if read_cache and 'docker' in CACHE:
+        size = CACHE['docker']
+    else:
+        size = dockerSize()
+        CACHE['docker'] = size
+
     val = collectd.Values(type='capacity', plugin='du', plugin_instance='docker')
     val.dispatch(values=[size], type_instance='usage')
 
-
-
 collectd.register_init(init)
 collectd.register_config(configure)
-collectd.register_read(read, INTERVAL)
+collectd.register_read(read)