diff --git a/jsonattrs/__init__.py b/jsonattrs/__init__.py
index 872472ae..b5fb6c4e 100644
--- a/jsonattrs/__init__.py
+++ b/jsonattrs/__init__.py
@@ -1 +1 @@
-__version__ = '0.1.22'
+__version__ = '0.1.23'
diff --git a/jsonattrs/models.py b/jsonattrs/models.py
index 7541a6d7..3db7553e 100644
--- a/jsonattrs/models.py
+++ b/jsonattrs/models.py
@@ -105,8 +105,11 @@ def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
 def compose_schemas(*schemas):
     key = 'jsonattrs:compose:' + ','.join([str(s.pk) for s in schemas])
     cached = caches['jsonattrs'].get(key)
-    if cached is not None:
-        return cached
+    if cached:
+        s_attrs, required_attrs, default_attrs = cached
+        # Deserialize attrs when retrieving from cache
+        attrs = OrderedDict((k, Attribute(**v)) for k, v in s_attrs.items())
+        return attrs, required_attrs, default_attrs
 
     # Extract schema attributes, names of required attributes and
     # names of attributes with defaults, composing schemas.
@@ -123,7 +126,9 @@ def compose_schemas(*schemas):
     default_attrs = {n for n, a in attrs.items()
                      if a.default is not None and a.default != ''}
 
-    caches['jsonattrs'].set(key, (attrs, required_attrs, default_attrs))
+    # Serialize attrs to make it smaller in cache
+    s_attrs = OrderedDict((k, v.to_dict()) for k, v in attrs.items())
+    caches['jsonattrs'].set(key, (s_attrs, required_attrs, default_attrs))
     return attrs, required_attrs, default_attrs
 
 
@@ -251,6 +256,12 @@ class Meta:
 
     objects = AttributeManager()
 
+    def __str__(self):
+        return "<Attribute #{0.id}: name={0.name}>".format(self)
+
+    def __repr__(self):
+        return str(self)
+
     @property
     def long_name(self):
         if self.long_name_xlat is None or isinstance(self.long_name_xlat, str):
@@ -344,3 +355,9 @@ def render(self, val):
                 return ', '.join(result)
             else:
                 return self.choice_dict.get(val, val)
+
+    def to_dict(self):
+        return {
+            k: v for k, v in self.__dict__.items()
+            if k in [f.attname for f in self._meta.fields]
+        }
diff --git a/tests/test_models.py b/tests/test_models.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2774da03
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+from collections import OrderedDict
+from django.test import TestCase
+from unittest.mock import patch, MagicMock
+
+from jsonattrs.models import Schema, Attribute, AttributeType, compose_schemas
+from .fixtures import create_fixtures
+
+
+class ComposeSchemaTest(TestCase):
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.fixtures = create_fixtures(do_schemas=False, load_attr_types=True)
+        self.schema = Schema.objects.create(
+            content_type=self.fixtures['party_t'], selectors=()
+        )
+        self.attr_type = AttributeType.objects.get(name='select_one')
+
+    @patch('jsonattrs.models.caches')
+    def test_compose_schemas_cache_deserialize(self, mock_caches):
+        attr1, attr2 = Attribute.objects.bulk_create(Attribute(
+            id=i,
+            schema_id=self.schema.id,
+            name='testattr%s' % i,
+            long_name='Test attribute%s' % i,
+            index=i,
+            attr_type_id=self.attr_type.id,
+            required=bool(i % 2),
+            default=i**i if not bool(i % 2) else '') for i in range(1, 3)
+        )
+        cache_value = (
+            OrderedDict([
+                ('testattr1', attr1.to_dict()),
+                ('testattr2', attr2.to_dict())
+            ]),
+            {'testattr1'},
+            {'testattr2'}
+        )
+        mock_cache = MagicMock(get=MagicMock(return_value=cache_value))
+        mock_caches.__getitem__.return_value = mock_cache
+
+        assert compose_schemas(self.schema) == (
+            OrderedDict([
+                ('testattr1', attr1),
+                ('testattr2', attr2)
+            ]),
+            {'testattr1'},
+            {'testattr2'}
+        )
+        assert not mock_cache.set.called
+
+    @patch('jsonattrs.models.caches')
+    def test_compose_schemas_cache_serialize(self, mock_caches):
+        mock_cache = MagicMock(get=MagicMock(return_value=None))
+        mock_caches.__getitem__.return_value = mock_cache
+
+        attr1, attr2 = Attribute.objects.bulk_create(Attribute(
+            id=i,
+            schema_id=self.schema.id,
+            name='testattr%s' % i,
+            long_name='Test attribute%s' % i,
+            index=i,
+            attr_type_id=self.attr_type.id,
+            required=bool(i % 2),
+            default=i**i if not bool(i % 2) else '') for i in range(1, 3)
+        )
+        attr1.refresh_from_db()
+        attr2.refresh_from_db()
+
+        assert compose_schemas(self.schema) == (
+            OrderedDict([
+                ('testattr1', attr1),
+                ('testattr2', attr2)
+            ]),
+            {'testattr1'},
+            {'testattr2'}
+        )
+        mock_cache.set.assert_called_once_with(
+            'jsonattrs:compose:{}'.format(self.schema.id),
+            (
+                OrderedDict([
+                    ('testattr1', attr1.to_dict()),
+                    ('testattr2', attr2.to_dict())
+                ]),
+                {'testattr1'},
+                {'testattr2'}
+            )
+        )
+
+    def test_serialize_deserialize(self):
+        attr = Attribute.objects.create(
+            schema_id=self.schema.id,
+            name='testattr',
+            long_name='Test attribute',
+            index=1,
+            attr_type_id=self.attr_type.id,
+        )
+        assert Attribute(**attr.to_dict()) == attr
+
+    def test_str(self):
+        attr = Attribute(name='testattr', id=123)
+        assert str(attr) == '<Attribute #123: name=testattr>'
+        assert repr(attr) == '<Attribute #123: name=testattr>'