diff --git a/main.c b/main.c
index c55d067..abc9101 100644
--- a/main.c
+++ b/main.c
@@ -41,6 +41,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
   /* parse command line arguments */
   gchar* config_dir     = NULL;
   gchar* data_dir       = NULL;
+  gchar* cache_dir      = NULL;
   gchar* plugin_path    = NULL;
   gchar* loglevel       = NULL;
   gchar* password       = NULL;
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
     { "reparent",               'e',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_INT,      &embed,          _("Reparents to window specified by xid"),              "xid"  },
     { "config-dir",             'c',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &config_dir,     _("Path to the config directory"),                      "path" },
     { "data-dir",               'd',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &data_dir,       _("Path to the data directory"),                        "path" },
+    { "cache-dir",              '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_FILENAME, &cache_dir,      _("Path to the cache directory"),                       "path"},
     { "plugins-dir",            'p',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &plugin_path,    _("Path to the directories containing plugins"),        "path" },
     { "fork",                   '\0', 0, G_OPTION_ARG_NONE,     &forkback,       _("Fork into the background"),                          NULL },
     { "password",               'w',  0, G_OPTION_ARG_STRING,   &password,       _("Document password"),                                 "password" },
@@ -156,6 +158,7 @@ main(int argc, char* argv[])
   zathura_set_xid(zathura, embed);
   zathura_set_config_dir(zathura, config_dir);
   zathura_set_data_dir(zathura, data_dir);
+  zathura_set_cache_dir(zathura, cache_dir);
   zathura_set_plugin_dir(zathura, plugin_path);
   zathura_set_argv(zathura, argv);
 
diff --git a/zathura.c b/zathura.c
index b67950d..57cfe22 100644
--- a/zathura.c
+++ b/zathura.c
@@ -348,6 +348,7 @@ zathura_free(zathura_t* zathura)
   /* free config variables */
   g_free(zathura->config.config_dir);
   g_free(zathura->config.data_dir);
+  g_free(zathura->config.cache_dir);
 
   /* free jumplist */
   if (zathura->jumplist.list != NULL) {
@@ -386,6 +387,8 @@ zathura_set_config_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir)
 void
 zathura_set_data_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir)
 {
+  g_return_if_fail(zathura != NULL);
+
   if (dir != NULL) {
     zathura->config.data_dir = g_strdup(dir);
   } else {
@@ -393,8 +396,20 @@ zathura_set_data_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir)
     zathura->config.data_dir = g_build_filename(path, "zathura", NULL);
     g_free(path);
   }
+}
 
+void
+zathura_set_cache_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir)
+{
   g_return_if_fail(zathura != NULL);
+
+  if (dir != NULL) {
+    zathura->config.cache_dir = g_strdup(dir);
+  } else {
+    gchar* path = girara_get_xdg_path(XDG_CACHE);
+    zathura->config.cache_dir = g_build_filename(path, "zathura", NULL);
+    g_free(path);
+  }
 }
 
 void
diff --git a/zathura.h b/zathura.h
index fda81ae..5722f69 100644
--- a/zathura.h
+++ b/zathura.h
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ struct zathura_s
   {
     gchar* config_dir; /**< Path to the configuration directory */
     gchar* data_dir; /**< Path to the data directory */
+    gchar* cache_dir; /**< Path to the cache directory */
   } config;
 
   struct
@@ -249,6 +250,14 @@ void zathura_set_config_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir);
  */
 void zathura_set_data_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir);
 
+/**
+ * Set the path to the cache directory.
+ *
+ * @param zathura The Zathura session
+ * @param dir Directory path
+ */
+void zathura_set_cache_dir(zathura_t* zathura, const char* dir);
+
 /**
  * Set the path to the plugin directory
  *