diff --git a/.circleci/config.yml b/.circleci/config.yml
index 2d29d8f..9bc6713 100644
--- a/.circleci/config.yml
+++ b/.circleci/config.yml
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ jobs:
     docker:
       - image: circleci/node:dubnium
       - image: ibmcom/cloudant-developer
+      - image: redis
     steps:
       - checkout
       - restore_cache:
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 7c88b62..776e1d5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ run:
 npm install
 ```
 
+### Redis
+
+Be sure that redis is running on the default port (6379).
+For convenience you can run: `npm run redis`.
+
 
 ### Database (CouchDB 2.x + Clouseau + Dreyfus)
 
@@ -75,7 +80,7 @@ docker logs cloudant-developer
 
 ### App
 
-Once cloudant is running run:
+Once cloudant and redis are running run:
 
 ```sh
 npm run init
@@ -131,7 +136,7 @@ For chrome:
 
 ### Tests
 
-Once cloudant is running run:
+Once cloudant and redis are running run:
 
 ```sh
 npm test
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 85f3f33..35fcb12 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -4469,6 +4469,11 @@
         }
       }
     },
+    "connect-redis": {
+      "version": "4.0.3",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/connect-redis/-/connect-redis-4.0.3.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Php0P0ShNfilW6f2d/2v7Q0VAiFeBYsg0bIgu8ST3x26CcQ1JtzV6vxPLUwK0uiq10hQSMR+HzSNhWbcvx6nLg=="
+    },
     "console-browserify": {
       "version": "1.1.0",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/console-browserify/-/console-browserify-1.1.0.tgz",
@@ -5420,6 +5425,11 @@
         "dotenv-defaults": "^1.0.2"
       }
     },
+    "double-ended-queue": {
+      "version": "2.1.0-0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/double-ended-queue/-/double-ended-queue-2.1.0-0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-ED01J/0xUo9AGIEwyEHv3XgmTlw="
+    },
     "duplexer": {
       "version": "0.1.1",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/duplexer/-/duplexer-0.1.1.tgz",
@@ -12602,6 +12612,26 @@
         "minimatch": "3.0.4"
       }
     },
+    "redis": {
+      "version": "2.8.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/redis/-/redis-2.8.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-M1OkonEQwtRmZv4tEWF2VgpG0JWJ8Fv1PhlgT5+B+uNq2cA3Rt1Yt/ryoR+vQNOQcIEgdCdfH0jr3bDpihAw1A==",
+      "requires": {
+        "double-ended-queue": "^2.1.0-0",
+        "redis-commands": "^1.2.0",
+        "redis-parser": "^2.6.0"
+      }
+    },
+    "redis-commands": {
+      "version": "1.5.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/redis-commands/-/redis-commands-1.5.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-6KxamqpZ468MeQC3bkWmCB1fp56XL64D4Kf0zJSwDZbVLLm7KFkoIcHrgRvQ+sk8dnhySs7+yBg94yIkAK7aJg=="
+    },
+    "redis-parser": {
+      "version": "2.6.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/redis-parser/-/redis-parser-2.6.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha1-Uu0J2srBCPGmMcB+m2mUHnoZUEs="
+    },
     "redux": {
       "version": "4.0.4",
       "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/redux/-/redux-4.0.4.tgz",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 3870b00..f1e0992 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
   "main": "index.js",
   "scripts": {
     "cloudant": "docker restart cloudant-developer",
+    "redis": "redis-server /usr/local/etc/redis.conf",
     "log-cloudant": "docker logs cloudant-developer",
     "extension:watch": "webpack --config webpack-extension.config.js --watch --mode development",
     "extension:build": "cross-env NODE_ENV=production webpack --config webpack-extension.config.js --mode production",
@@ -190,6 +191,7 @@
     "classnames": "^2.2.6",
     "clipboard-copy": "^3.1.0",
     "concat-stream": "^2.0.0",
+    "connect-redis": "^4.0.3",
     "cors": "^2.8.5",
     "date-fns": "^2.5.1",
     "doi-regex": "^0.1.10",
@@ -217,6 +219,7 @@
     "react-dropzone": "^10.1.10",
     "react-icons": "^3.7.0",
     "react-router-dom": "^5.1.2",
+    "redis": "^2.8.0",
     "slug": "^1.1.0",
     "uuid": "^3.3.3",
     "xmldom": "^0.1.27"
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 839dc20..5438b0a 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -2,13 +2,18 @@ import path from 'path';
 import { STATUS_CODES } from 'http';
 import express from 'express';
 import session from 'express-session';
+import redis from 'redis';
+import connectRedis from 'connect-redis';
 import authRoutes from './routes/auth-routes';
 import appRoutes from './routes/app-routes';
 import apiRoutes from './routes/api-routes';
 import addDb from './middlewares/add-db';
 import { createPassport } from './utils/orcid';
+import { createRedisConfig } from './utils/redis';
 
 export function rapid(config = {}) {
+  const RedisStore = connectRedis(session);
+
   const passport = createPassport(config);
 
   const app = express();
@@ -24,7 +29,10 @@ export function rapid(config = {}) {
       secret:
         config.sessionSecret || process.env.SESSION_SECRET || 'rapid-prereview',
       resave: false,
-      saveUninitialized: false
+      saveUninitialized: false,
+      store: new RedisStore({
+        client: redis.createClient(createRedisConfig(config, { ns: 'sess' }))
+      })
     })
   );
   app.use(passport.initialize());
diff --git a/src/utils/redis.js b/src/utils/redis.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..850eacb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/utils/redis.js
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+export function createRedisConfig(config = {}, { ns } = {}) {
+  const opts = {
+    host: config.redisHost || process.env['REDIS_HOST'] || '127.0.0.1',
+    port: config.redisPort || process.env['REDIS_PORT'] || 6379
+  };
+
+  let redisPrefix = config.redisPrefix || 'rpos:';
+  if (ns) {
+    redisPrefix += `${ns}:`;
+  }
+
+  opts.prefix = redisPrefix;
+
+  const redisPassword = config.redisPassword || process.env['REDIS_PASSWORD'];
+  if (redisPassword) {
+    opts.pass = redisPassword; // for compatibility with RedisStore (used in the session middleware)
+    opts.password = redisPassword;
+  }
+
+  return opts;
+}