diff --git a/superscore/backends/filestore.py b/superscore/backends/filestore.py
index 7d317cd..613e08b 100644
--- a/superscore/backends/filestore.py
+++ b/superscore/backends/filestore.py
@@ -286,6 +286,7 @@ def search(self, *search_terms: SearchTermType) -> Generator[Entry, None, None]:
         Keys are attributes on `Entry` subclasses, or special keywords.
         Values can be a single value or a tuple of values depending on operator.
         """
+        cached_progeny = cache(self._gather_progeny)
         with self._load_and_store_context() as db:
             for entry in db.values():
                 conditions = []
@@ -294,7 +295,7 @@ def search(self, *search_terms: SearchTermType) -> Generator[Entry, None, None]:
                     if attr == "entry_type":
                         conditions.append(isinstance(entry, target))
                     elif attr == "ancestor":
-                        conditions.append(entry.uuid in self._gather_progeny(target))
+                        conditions.append(entry.uuid in cached_progeny(target))
                     else:
                         try:
                             # check entry attribute by name
@@ -305,7 +306,6 @@ def search(self, *search_terms: SearchTermType) -> Generator[Entry, None, None]:
                 if all(conditions):
                     yield entry
 
-    @cache
     def _gather_progeny(self, ancestor: UUID) -> Container[UUID]:
         """
         Finds all entries accessible from ancestor, and returns their UUIDs. This