diff --git a/examples/textarea/index.js b/examples/textarea/index.js
index 9e7403bd..d58ab9d1 100644
--- a/examples/textarea/index.js
+++ b/examples/textarea/index.js
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 /* global Y */
 
+// eslint-disable-next-line
+let search = new URLSearchParams(location.search)
+let url = search.get('url')
+
 // initialize a shared object. This function call returns a promise!
 Y({
   db: {
@@ -8,7 +12,7 @@ Y({
   connector: {
     name: 'websockets-client',
     room: 'Textarea-example',
-    url: 'http://127.0.0.1:1234'
+    url: url || 'http://127.0.0.1:1234'
   },
   sourceDir: '/bower_components',
   share: {
diff --git a/src/Connector.js b/src/Connector.js
index 94bcf14f..46fc263f 100644
--- a/src/Connector.js
+++ b/src/Connector.js
@@ -210,7 +210,8 @@ export default function extendConnector (Y/* :any */) {
     /*
       You received a raw message, and you know that it is intended for Yjs. Then call this function.
     */
-    receiveMessage (sender, buffer) {
+    receiveMessage (sender, buffer, skipAuth) {
+      skipAuth = skipAuth || false
       if (!(buffer instanceof ArrayBuffer || buffer instanceof Uint8Array)) {
         return Promise.reject(new Error('Expected Message to be an ArrayBuffer or Uint8Array!'))
       }
@@ -227,7 +228,7 @@ export default function extendConnector (Y/* :any */) {
       this.log('%s: Receive \'%s\' from %s', this.userId, messageType, sender)
       this.logMessage('Message: %Y', buffer)
 
-      if (senderConn == null) {
+      if (senderConn == null && !skipAuth) {
         throw new Error('Received message from unknown peer!')
       }
 
@@ -253,21 +254,21 @@ export default function extendConnector (Y/* :any */) {
           })
         }
       }
-      if (senderConn.auth != null) {
-        return this.computeMessage(messageType, senderConn, decoder, encoder, sender)
+      if (skipAuth || senderConn.auth != null) {
+        return this.computeMessage(messageType, senderConn, decoder, encoder, sender, skipAuth)
       } else {
-        senderConn.processAfterAuth.push([messageType, senderConn, decoder, encoder, sender])
+        senderConn.processAfterAuth.push([messageType, senderConn, decoder, encoder, sender, false])
       }
     }
 
-    computeMessage (messageType, senderConn, decoder, encoder, sender) {
+    computeMessage (messageType, senderConn, decoder, encoder, sender, skipAuth) {
       if (messageType === 'sync step 1' && (senderConn.auth === 'write' || senderConn.auth === 'read')) {
         // cannot wait for sync step 1 to finish, because we may wait for sync step 2 in sync step 1 (->lock)
         computeMessageSyncStep1(decoder, encoder, this, senderConn, sender)
         return this.y.db.whenTransactionsFinished()
       } else if (messageType === 'sync step 2' && senderConn.auth === 'write') {
         return computeMessageSyncStep2(decoder, encoder, this, senderConn, sender)
-      } else if (messageType === 'update' && senderConn.auth === 'write') {
+      } else if (messageType === 'update' && (skipAuth || senderConn.auth === 'write')) {
         return computeMessageUpdate(decoder, encoder, this, senderConn, sender)
       } else {
         return Promise.reject(new Error('Unable to receive message'))
diff --git a/src/Database.js b/src/Database.js
index e3656c7d..7f904628 100644
--- a/src/Database.js
+++ b/src/Database.js
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export default function extendDatabase (Y /* :any */) {
     startGarbageCollector () {
       this.gc = this.dbOpts.gc
       if (this.gc) {
-        this.gcTimeout = !this.dbOpts.gcTimeout ? 100000 : this.dbOpts.gcTimeout
+        this.gcTimeout = !this.dbOpts.gcTimeout ? 30000 : this.dbOpts.gcTimeout
       } else {
         this.gcTimeout = -1
       }
diff --git a/src/Encoding.js b/src/Encoding.js
index 2308d22e..bceb3431 100644
--- a/src/Encoding.js
+++ b/src/Encoding.js
@@ -7,37 +7,46 @@ export class BinaryEncoder {
   constructor () {
     this.data = []
   }
+
   get pos () {
     return this.data.length
   }
+
   createBuffer () {
     return Uint8Array.from(this.data).buffer
   }
+
   writeUint8 (num) {
     this.data.push(num & bits8)
   }
+
   setUint8 (pos, num) {
     this.data[pos] = num & bits8
   }
+
   writeUint16 (num) {
     this.data.push(num & bits8, (num >>> 8) & bits8)
   }
+
   setUint16 (pos, num) {
     this.data[pos] = num & bits8
     this.data[pos + 1] = (num >>> 8) & bits8
   }
+
   writeUint32 (num) {
     for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
       this.data.push(num & bits8)
       num >>>= 8
     }
   }
+
   setUint32 (pos, num) {
     for (let i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
       this.data[pos + i] = num & bits8
       num >>>= 8
     }
   }
+
   writeVarUint (num) {
     while (num >= 0b10000000) {
       this.data.push(0b10000000 | (bits7 & num))
@@ -45,6 +54,7 @@ export class BinaryEncoder {
     }
     this.data.push(bits7 & num)
   }
+
   writeVarString (str) {
     let bytes = utf8.setBytesFromString(str)
     let len = bytes.length
@@ -53,6 +63,7 @@ export class BinaryEncoder {
       this.data.push(bytes[i])
     }
   }
+
   writeOpID (id) {
     let user = id[0]
     this.writeVarUint(user)
@@ -68,19 +79,22 @@ export class BinaryDecoder {
   constructor (buffer) {
     if (buffer instanceof ArrayBuffer) {
       this.uint8arr = new Uint8Array(buffer)
-    } else if (buffer instanceof Uint8Array) {
+    } else if (buffer instanceof Uint8Array || (typeof Buffer !== 'undefined' && buffer instanceof Buffer)) {
       this.uint8arr = buffer
     } else {
       throw new Error('Expected an ArrayBuffer or Uint8Array!')
     }
     this.pos = 0
   }
+
   skip8 () {
     this.pos++
   }
+
   readUint8 () {
     return this.uint8arr[this.pos++]
   }
+
   readUint32 () {
     let uint =
       this.uint8arr[this.pos] +
@@ -90,9 +104,11 @@ export class BinaryDecoder {
     this.pos += 4
     return uint
   }
+
   peekUint8 () {
     return this.uint8arr[this.pos]
   }
+
   readVarUint () {
     let num = 0
     let len = 0
@@ -108,6 +124,7 @@ export class BinaryDecoder {
       }
     }
   }
+
   readVarString () {
     let len = this.readVarUint()
     let bytes = new Array(len)
@@ -116,12 +133,14 @@ export class BinaryDecoder {
     }
     return utf8.getStringFromBytes(bytes)
   }
+
   peekVarString () {
     let pos = this.pos
     let s = this.readVarString()
     this.pos = pos
     return s
   }
+
   readOpID () {
     let user = this.readVarUint()
     if (user !== 0xFFFFFF) {
diff --git a/src/MessageHandler.js b/src/MessageHandler.js
index 0fdecf74..c62280eb 100644
--- a/src/MessageHandler.js
+++ b/src/MessageHandler.js
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ export function logMessageUpdate (decoder, strBuilder) {
 }
 
 export function computeMessageUpdate (decoder, encoder, conn) {
-  if (conn.y.db.forwardAppliedOperations) {
+  if (conn.y.db.forwardAppliedOperations || conn.y.persistence != null) {
     let messagePosition = decoder.pos
     let len = decoder.readUint32()
     let delops = []
@@ -45,7 +45,12 @@ export function computeMessageUpdate (decoder, encoder, conn) {
       }
     }
     if (delops.length > 0) {
-      conn.broadcastOps(delops)
+      if (conn.y.db.forwardAppliedOperations) {
+        conn.broadcastOps(delops)
+      }
+      if (conn.y.persistence) {
+        conn.y.persistence.saveOperations(delops)
+      }
     }
     decoder.pos = messagePosition
   }
diff --git a/src/Persistence.js b/src/Persistence.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c5dbd681
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Persistence.js
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import { BinaryEncoder } from './Encoding.js'
+
+export default function extendPersistence (Y) {
+  class AbstractPersistence {
+    constructor (y, opts) {
+      this.y = y
+      this.opts = opts
+      this.saveOperationsBuffer = []
+      this.log = Y.debug('y:persistence')
+    }
+    saveToMessageQueue (binary) {
+      this.log('Room %s: Save message to message queue', this.y.options.connector.room)
+    }
+    saveOperations (ops) {
+      ops = ops.map(function (op) {
+        return Y.Struct[op.struct].encode(op)
+      })
+      const saveOperations = () => {
+        if (this.saveOperationsBuffer.length > 0) {
+          let encoder = new BinaryEncoder()
+          encoder.writeVarString(this.opts.room)
+          encoder.writeVarString('update')
+          let ops = this.saveOperationsBuffer
+          this.saveOperationsBuffer = []
+          let length = ops.length
+          encoder.writeUint32(length)
+          for (var i = 0; i < length; i++) {
+            let op = ops[i]
+            Y.Struct[op.struct].binaryEncode(encoder, op)
+          }
+          this.saveToMessageQueue(encoder.createBuffer())
+        }
+      }
+      if (this.saveOperationsBuffer.length === 0) {
+        this.saveOperationsBuffer = ops
+        this.y.db.whenTransactionsFinished().then(saveOperations)
+      } else {
+        this.saveOperationsBuffer = this.saveOperationsBuffer.concat(ops)
+      }
+    }
+  }
+  Y.AbstractPersistence = AbstractPersistence
+}
diff --git a/src/Transaction.js b/src/Transaction.js
index a708619f..4e6932cd 100644
--- a/src/Transaction.js
+++ b/src/Transaction.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { BinaryEncoder, BinaryDecoder } from './Encoding.js'
 
 /*
   Partial definition of a transaction
@@ -97,6 +98,9 @@ export default function extendTransaction (Y) {
       if (send.length > 0) { // TODO: && !this.store.forwardAppliedOperations (but then i don't send delete ops)
         // is connected, and this is not going to be send in addOperation
         this.store.y.connector.broadcastOps(send)
+        if (this.store.y.persistence != null) {
+          this.store.y.persistence.saveOperations(send)
+        }
       }
     }
 
@@ -679,10 +683,15 @@ export default function extendTransaction (Y) {
             yield * this.garbageCollectOperation(o.id)
           }
         }
-        if (this.store.forwardAppliedOperations) {
+        if (this.store.forwardAppliedOperations || this.store.y.persistence != null) {
           var ops = []
           ops.push({struct: 'Delete', target: [del[0], del[1]], length: del[2]})
-          this.store.y.connector.broadcastOps(ops)
+          if (this.store.forwardAppliedOperations) {
+            this.store.y.connector.broadcastOps(ops)
+          }
+          if (this.store.y.persistence != null) {
+            this.store.y.persistence.saveOperations(ops)
+          }
         }
       }
     }
@@ -733,9 +742,14 @@ export default function extendTransaction (Y) {
     * addOperation (op) {
       yield * this.os.put(op)
       // case op is created by this user, op is already broadcasted in applyCreatedOperations
-      if (op.id[0] !== this.store.userId && this.store.forwardAppliedOperations && typeof op.id[1] !== 'string') {
-        // is connected, and this is not going to be send in addOperation
-        this.store.y.connector.broadcastOps([op])
+      if (op.id[0] !== this.store.userId && typeof op.id[1] !== 'string') {
+        if (this.store.forwardAppliedOperations) {
+          // is connected, and this is not going to be send in addOperation
+          this.store.y.connector.broadcastOps([op])
+        }
+        if (this.store.y.persistence != null) {
+          this.store.y.persistence.saveOperations([op])
+        }
       }
     }
     // if insertion, try to combine with left insertion (if both have content property)
@@ -1072,6 +1086,20 @@ export default function extendTransaction (Y) {
         Y.Struct[op.struct].binaryEncode(encoder, Y.Struct[op.struct].encode(op))
       }
     }
+
+    * toBinary () {
+      let encoder = new BinaryEncoder()
+      yield * this.writeOperationsUntransformed(encoder)
+      yield * this.writeDeleteSet(encoder)
+      return encoder.createBuffer()
+    }
+
+    * fromBinary (buffer) {
+      let decoder = new BinaryDecoder(buffer)
+      yield * this.applyOperationsUntransformed(decoder)
+      yield * this.applyDeleteSet(decoder)
+    }
+
     /*
      * Get the plain untransformed operations from the database.
      * You can apply these operations using .applyOperationsUntransformed(ops)
diff --git a/src/y.js b/src/y.js
index 7f43bd12..0dd86e43 100644
--- a/src/y.js
+++ b/src/y.js
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import extendConnector from './Connector.js'
+import extendPersistence from './Persistence.js'
 import extendDatabase from './Database.js'
 import extendTransaction from './Transaction.js'
 import extendStruct from './Struct.js'
@@ -7,6 +8,7 @@ import debug from 'debug'
 import { formatYjsMessage, formatYjsMessageType } from './MessageHandler.js'
 
 extendConnector(Y)
+extendPersistence(Y)
 extendDatabase(Y)
 extendTransaction(Y)
 extendStruct(Y)
@@ -159,6 +161,11 @@ class YConfig extends Y.utils.NamedEventHandler {
     this.options = opts
     this.db = new Y[opts.db.name](this, opts.db)
     this.connector = new Y[opts.connector.name](this, opts.connector)
+    if (opts.persistence != null) {
+      this.persistence = new Y[opts.persistence.name](this, opts.persistence)
+    } else {
+      this.persistence = null
+    }
     this.connected = true
   }
   init (callback) {
@@ -188,9 +195,15 @@ class YConfig extends Y.utils.NamedEventHandler {
         }
         share[propertyname] = yield * this.store.initType.call(this, id, args)
       }
-      this.store.whenTransactionsFinished()
-        .then(callback)
     })
+    if (this.persistence != null) {
+      this.persistence.retrieveContent()
+        .then(() => this.db.whenTransactionsFinished())
+        .then(callback)
+    } else {
+      this.db.whenTransactionsFinished()
+        .then(callback)
+    }
   }
   isConnected () {
     return this.connector.isSynced