diff --git a/core/store/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/impl/OptionalCacheLoader.java b/core/store/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/impl/OptionalCacheLoader.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..47a42ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/core/store/src/main/java/org/onlab/onos/store/impl/OptionalCacheLoader.java
@@ -0,0 +1,45 @@
+package org.onlab.onos.store.impl;
+
+import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkNotNull;
+
+import org.onlab.onos.store.StoreService;
+
+import com.google.common.base.Optional;
+import com.google.common.cache.CacheLoader;
+import com.hazelcast.core.IMap;
+
+/**
+ * CacheLoader to wrap Map value with Optional,
+ * to handle negative hit on underlying IMap.
+ *
+ * @param <K> IMap key type after deserialization
+ * @param <V> IMap value type after deserialization
+ */
+public final class OptionalCacheLoader<K, V> extends
+        CacheLoader<K, Optional<V>> {
+
+    private final StoreService storeService;
+    private IMap<byte[], byte[]> rawMap;
+
+    /**
+     * Constructor.
+     *
+     * @param storeService to use for serialization
+     * @param rawMap underlying IMap
+     */
+    public OptionalCacheLoader(StoreService storeService, IMap<byte[], byte[]> rawMap) {
+        this.storeService = checkNotNull(storeService);
+        this.rawMap = checkNotNull(rawMap);
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Optional<V> load(K key) throws Exception {
+        byte[] keyBytes = storeService.serialize(key);
+        byte[] valBytes = rawMap.get(keyBytes);
+        if (valBytes == null) {
+            return Optional.absent();
+        }
+        V dev = storeService.deserialize(valBytes);
+        return Optional.of(dev);
+    }
+}