diff --git a/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c b/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c
index 16f7a221..1910b345 100644
--- a/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c
+++ b/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ ac_init(void)
     ac_shared->req_batches[idx].mutex = mutex_alloc();
     ac_shared->req_batches[idx].arena = arena_alloc();
   }
+  ac_shared->cancel_thread = thread_launch(ac_cancel_thread_entry_point, 0);
 }
 
 ////////////////////////////////
@@ -161,8 +162,8 @@ ac_artifact_from_key_(Access *access, String8 key, AC_ArtifactParams *params, U6
           }
           n->v.key = str8_copy(req_batch->arena, key);
           n->v.gen = params->gen;
+          n->v.cancel_signal = &node->cancelled;
           n->v.create = params->create;
-          n->v.cancel_signal = params->cancel_signal;
         }
         cond_var_broadcast(async_tick_start_cond_var);
         ins_atomic_u32_eval_assign(&async_loop_again, 1);
@@ -576,3 +577,60 @@ ac_async_tick(void)
   
   scratch_end(scratch);
 }
+
+////////////////////////////////
+//~ rjf: Cancel Thread
+
+internal void
+ac_cancel_thread_entry_point(void *p)
+{
+  for(;;)
+  {
+    os_sleep_milliseconds(100);
+    
+    //- rjf: scan in-flight nodes for expiration
+    for EachIndex(cache_slot_idx, ac_shared->cache_slots_count)
+    {
+      Stripe *cache_stripe = stripe_from_slot_idx(&ac_shared->cache_stripes, cache_slot_idx);
+      RWMutexScope(cache_stripe->rw_mutex, 0)
+      {
+        for EachNode(cache, AC_Cache, ac_shared->cache_slots[cache_slot_idx])
+        {
+          Rng1U64 slot_range = lane_range(cache->slots_count);
+          for EachInRange(slot_idx, slot_range)
+          {
+            AC_Slot *slot = &cache->slots[slot_idx];
+            Stripe *stripe = stripe_from_slot_idx(&cache->stripes, slot_idx);
+            for(B32 write_mode = 0; write_mode <= 1; write_mode += 1)
+            {
+              B32 slot_has_work = 0;
+              RWMutexScope(stripe->rw_mutex, write_mode)
+              {
+                for(AC_Node *n = slot->first, *next = 0; n != 0; n = next)
+                {
+                  next = n->next;
+                  if(access_pt_is_expired(&n->access_pt, .time = n->evict_threshold_us) && ins_atomic_u64_eval(&n->working_count) > 0)
+                  {
+                    slot_has_work = 1;
+                    if(!write_mode)
+                    {
+                      break;
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                      n->cancelled = 1;
+                    }
+                  }
+                }
+              }
+              if(!slot_has_work)
+              {
+                break;
+              }
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.h b/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.h
index 1f5bf00c..af651f46 100644
--- a/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.h
+++ b/src/artifact_cache/artifact_cache.h
@@ -37,7 +37,6 @@ struct AC_ArtifactParams
   U64 gen;
   U64 evict_threshold_us;
   B32 *stale_out;
-  B32 *cancel_signal;
   AC_Flags flags;
 };
 
@@ -127,6 +126,9 @@ struct AC_Shared
   
   // rjf: requests
   AC_RequestBatch req_batches[2]; // 0: high priority, 1: low priority
+  
+  // rjf: cancel thread
+  Thread cancel_thread;
 };
 
 ////////////////////////////////
@@ -139,11 +141,6 @@ global AC_Shared *ac_shared = 0;
 
 internal void ac_init(void);
 
-////////////////////////////////
-//~ rjf: Helpers
-
-internal B32 ac_cancelled(void);
-
 ////////////////////////////////
 //~ rjf: Cache Lookups
 
@@ -155,4 +152,9 @@ internal AC_Artifact ac_artifact_from_key_(Access *access, String8 key, AC_Artif
 
 internal void ac_async_tick(void);
 
+////////////////////////////////
+//~ rjf: Cancel Thread
+
+internal void ac_cancel_thread_entry_point(void *p);
+
 #endif // ARTIFACT_CACHE_H
diff --git a/src/dbg_info/dbg_info.c b/src/dbg_info/dbg_info.c
index 994fcb39..c45ed0b3 100644
--- a/src/dbg_info/dbg_info.c
+++ b/src/dbg_info/dbg_info.c
@@ -1142,9 +1142,10 @@ di_search_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *cancel_signal, B32 *retry_out, U64 *
           Rng1U64 range = lane_range(element_count);
           for EachInRange(idx, range)
           {
-            //- rjf: every so often, check if we need to cancel, and cancel
+            //- rjf: every so often, check if we need to cancel, and cancel
+            if(idx%10000 == 0 && !!ins_atomic_u32_eval(cancel_signal))
             {
-              // TODO(rjf)
+              break;
             }
             
             //- rjf: get element, map to string; if empty, continue to next element
@@ -1244,7 +1245,15 @@ di_search_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *cancel_signal, B32 *retry_out, U64 *
       }
     }
     lane_sync();
-    
+    
+    //- rjf: decide if we cancelled
+    B32 cancelled = 0;
+    if(lane_idx() == 0 && !!ins_atomic_u32_eval(cancel_signal))
+    {
+      cancelled = 1;
+    }
+    lane_sync_u64(&cancelled, 0);
+    
     //- rjf: produce sort records
     typedef struct SortRecord SortRecord;
     struct SortRecord
@@ -1255,7 +1264,7 @@ di_search_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *cancel_signal, B32 *retry_out, U64 *
     U64 sort_records_count = all_items->total_count;
     SortRecord *sort_records = 0;
     SortRecord *sort_records__swap = 0;
-    ProfScope("produce sort records")
+    if(!cancelled) ProfScope("produce sort records")
     {
       if(lane_idx() == 0)
       {
@@ -1283,7 +1292,7 @@ di_search_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *cancel_signal, B32 *retry_out, U64 *
     lane_sync();
     
     //- rjf: sort records
-    ProfScope("sort records")
+    if(!cancelled) ProfScope("sort records")
     {
       //- rjf: set up common data
       U64 bits_per_digit = 8;
@@ -1382,7 +1391,7 @@ di_search_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *cancel_signal, B32 *retry_out, U64 *
     
     //- rjf: produce final array
     DI_SearchItemArray items = {0};
-    ProfScope("produce final array")
+    if(!cancelled) ProfScope("produce final array")
     {
       if(lane_idx() == 0)
       {
@@ -1401,11 +1410,20 @@ di_search_artifact_create(String8 key, B32 *cancel_signal, B32 *retry_out, U64 *
     }
     lane_sync();
     
-    //- rjf: bundle as artifact
-    artifact.u64[0] = (U64)arenas;
-    artifact.u64[1] = arenas_count;
-    artifact.u64[2] = (U64)items.v;
-    artifact.u64[3] = items.count;
+    //- rjf: bundle as artifact
+    if(!cancelled) 
+    {
+      artifact.u64[0] = (U64)arenas;
+      artifact.u64[1] = arenas_count;
+      artifact.u64[2] = (U64)items.v;
+      artifact.u64[3] = items.count;
+    }
+    
+    //- rjf: release results on cancel
+    else
+    {
+      arena_release(arena);
+    }
   }
   scratch_end(scratch);
   access_close(access);