diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue.go
index 2b65cb69..38f40441 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue.go
@@ -1,11 +1,39 @@
 package store
 
+import (
+	"sync"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/status-im/go-waku/waku/v2/utils"
+)
+
 type MessageQueue struct {
+	sync.RWMutex
+
+	seen        map[[32]byte]struct{}
 	messages    []IndexedWakuMessage
 	maxMessages int
+	maxDuration time.Duration
+
+	quit chan struct{}
+}
+
+type MessageQueueItem struct {
+	Index int
+	Value IndexedWakuMessage
 }
 
 func (self *MessageQueue) Push(msg IndexedWakuMessage) {
+	self.Lock()
+	defer self.Unlock()
+
+	var k [32]byte
+	copy(k[:], msg.index.Digest)
+	if _, ok := self.seen[k]; ok {
+		return
+	}
+
+	self.seen[k] = struct{}{}
 	self.messages = append(self.messages, msg)
 
 	if self.maxMessages != 0 && len(self.messages) > self.maxMessages {
@@ -14,12 +42,73 @@ func (self *MessageQueue) Push(msg IndexedWakuMessage) {
 	}
 }
 
-func (self *MessageQueue) Messages() []IndexedWakuMessage {
-	return self.messages
+func (self *MessageQueue) Messages() <-chan MessageQueueItem {
+	c := make(chan MessageQueueItem)
+
+	f := func() {
+		self.RLock()
+		defer self.RUnlock()
+		for index, value := range self.messages {
+			c <- MessageQueueItem{index, value}
+		}
+		close(c)
+	}
+	go f()
+
+	return c
 }
 
-func NewMessageQueue(maxMessages int) *MessageQueue {
-	return &MessageQueue{
-		maxMessages: maxMessages,
+func (self *MessageQueue) cleanOlderRecords() {
+	self.Lock()
+	defer self.Unlock()
+
+	// TODO: check if retention days was set
+
+	t := utils.GetUnixEpochFrom(time.Now().Add(-self.maxDuration))
+
+	var idx int
+	for i := 0; i < len(self.messages); i++ {
+		if self.messages[i].index.ReceiverTime >= t {
+			idx = i
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	self.messages = self.messages[idx:]
+}
+
+func (self *MessageQueue) checkForOlderRecords(d time.Duration) {
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(d)
+
+	select {
+	case <-self.quit:
+		return
+	case <-ticker.C:
+		self.cleanOlderRecords()
 	}
 }
+
+func (self *MessageQueue) Length() int {
+	self.RLock()
+	defer self.RUnlock()
+	return len(self.messages)
+}
+
+func NewMessageQueue(maxMessages int, maxDuration time.Duration) *MessageQueue {
+	result := &MessageQueue{
+		maxMessages: maxMessages,
+		maxDuration: maxDuration,
+		seen:        make(map[[32]byte]struct{}),
+		quit:        make(chan struct{}),
+	}
+
+	if maxDuration != 0 {
+		go result.checkForOlderRecords(10 * time.Second) // is 10s okay?
+	}
+
+	return result
+}
+
+func (self *MessageQueue) Stop() {
+	close(self.quit)
+}
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue_test.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue_test.go
index 2e608410..2c3bc735 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue_test.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/message_queue_test.go
@@ -2,9 +2,11 @@ package store
 
 import (
 	"testing"
+	"time"
 
 	"github.com/status-im/go-waku/tests"
 	"github.com/status-im/go-waku/waku/v2/protocol/pb"
+	"github.com/status-im/go-waku/waku/v2/utils"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
 
@@ -15,22 +17,39 @@ func TestMessageQueue(t *testing.T) {
 	msg4 := tests.CreateWakuMessage("3", 3)
 	msg5 := tests.CreateWakuMessage("3", 3)
 
-	msgQ := NewMessageQueue(3)
-	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg1, index: &pb.Index{}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
-	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg2, index: &pb.Index{}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
-	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg3, index: &pb.Index{}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
+	msgQ := NewMessageQueue(3, 1*time.Minute)
+	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg1, index: &pb.Index{Digest: []byte{1}, ReceiverTime: utils.GetUnixEpochFrom(time.Now().Add(-20 * time.Second))}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
+	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg2, index: &pb.Index{Digest: []byte{2}, ReceiverTime: utils.GetUnixEpochFrom(time.Now().Add(-15 * time.Second))}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
+	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg3, index: &pb.Index{Digest: []byte{3}, ReceiverTime: utils.GetUnixEpochFrom(time.Now().Add(-10 * time.Second))}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
 
-	require.Len(t, msgQ.messages, 3)
+	require.Equal(t, msgQ.Length(), 3)
 
-	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg4, index: &pb.Index{}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
+	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg4, index: &pb.Index{Digest: []byte{4}, ReceiverTime: utils.GetUnixEpochFrom(time.Now().Add(-3 * time.Second))}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
 
 	require.Len(t, msgQ.messages, 3)
 	require.Equal(t, msg2.Payload, msgQ.messages[0].msg.Payload)
 	require.Equal(t, msg4.Payload, msgQ.messages[2].msg.Payload)
 
-	msgQ.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg5, index: &pb.Index{}, pubsubTopic: "test"})
+	indexedMsg5 := IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg5, index: &pb.Index{Digest: []byte{5}, ReceiverTime: utils.GetUnixEpochFrom(time.Now().Add(0 * time.Second))}, pubsubTopic: "test"}
+
+	msgQ.Push(indexedMsg5)
 
 	require.Len(t, msgQ.messages, 3)
 	require.Equal(t, msg3.Payload, msgQ.messages[0].msg.Payload)
 	require.Equal(t, msg5.Payload, msgQ.messages[2].msg.Payload)
+
+	// Test duplication
+	msgQ.Push(indexedMsg5)
+
+	require.Len(t, msgQ.messages, 3)
+	require.Equal(t, msg3.Payload, msgQ.messages[0].msg.Payload)
+	require.Equal(t, msg4.Payload, msgQ.messages[1].msg.Payload)
+	require.Equal(t, msg5.Payload, msgQ.messages[2].msg.Payload)
+
+	// Test retention
+	msgQ.maxDuration = 5 * time.Second
+	msgQ.cleanOlderRecords()
+	require.Len(t, msgQ.messages, 2)
+	require.Equal(t, msg4.Payload, msgQ.messages[0].msg.Payload)
+	require.Equal(t, msg5.Payload, msgQ.messages[1].msg.Payload)
 }
diff --git a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store.go b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store.go
index cfa055c3..191b0d6f 100644
--- a/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store.go
+++ b/waku/v2/protocol/store/waku_store.go
@@ -8,7 +8,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"math"
 	"sort"
-	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	logging "github.com/ipfs/go-log"
@@ -228,28 +227,19 @@ type IndexedWakuMessage struct {
 type WakuStore struct {
 	ctx  context.Context
 	MsgC chan *protocol.Envelope
-	seen map[[32]byte]struct{}
-
-	messageQueue        *MessageQueue
-	maxNumberOfMessages int
-	maxRetentionDays    time.Duration
 
 	started bool
 
-	messagesMutex sync.Mutex
-
-	msgProvider MessageProvider
-	h           host.Host
+	messageQueue *MessageQueue
+	msgProvider  MessageProvider
+	h            host.Host
 }
 
 // NewWakuStore creates a WakuStore using an specific MessageProvider for storing the messages
-func NewWakuStore(p MessageProvider, maxNumberOfMessages int, maxRetentionDays time.Duration) *WakuStore {
+func NewWakuStore(p MessageProvider, maxNumberOfMessages int, maxRetentionDuration time.Duration) *WakuStore {
 	wakuStore := new(WakuStore)
 	wakuStore.msgProvider = p
-	wakuStore.seen = make(map[[32]byte]struct{})
-	wakuStore.maxNumberOfMessages = maxNumberOfMessages
-	wakuStore.maxRetentionDays = maxRetentionDays
-	wakuStore.messageQueue = NewMessageQueue(maxNumberOfMessages)
+	wakuStore.messageQueue = NewMessageQueue(maxNumberOfMessages, maxRetentionDuration)
 	return wakuStore
 }
 
@@ -303,19 +293,11 @@ func (store *WakuStore) fetchDBRecords(ctx context.Context) {
 
 		store.storeMessageWithIndex(storedMessage.PubsubTopic, idx, storedMessage.Message)
 
-		metrics.RecordMessage(ctx, "stored", len(store.messageQueue.messages))
+		metrics.RecordMessage(ctx, "stored", store.messageQueue.Length())
 	}
 }
 
 func (store *WakuStore) storeMessageWithIndex(pubsubTopic string, idx *pb.Index, msg *pb.WakuMessage) {
-	var k [32]byte
-	copy(k[:], idx.Digest)
-
-	if _, ok := store.seen[k]; ok {
-		return
-	}
-
-	store.seen[k] = struct{}{}
 	store.messageQueue.Push(IndexedWakuMessage{msg: msg, index: idx, pubsubTopic: pubsubTopic})
 }
 
@@ -326,13 +308,10 @@ func (store *WakuStore) storeMessage(env *protocol.Envelope) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	store.messagesMutex.Lock()
-	defer store.messagesMutex.Unlock()
-
 	store.storeMessageWithIndex(env.PubsubTopic(), index, env.Message())
 
 	if store.msgProvider == nil {
-		metrics.RecordMessage(store.ctx, "stored", len(store.messageQueue.messages))
+		metrics.RecordMessage(store.ctx, "stored", store.messageQueue.Length())
 		return
 	}
 
@@ -344,7 +323,7 @@ func (store *WakuStore) storeMessage(env *protocol.Envelope) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	metrics.RecordMessage(store.ctx, "stored", len(store.messageQueue.messages))
+	metrics.RecordMessage(store.ctx, "stored", store.messageQueue.Length())
 }
 
 func (store *WakuStore) storeIncomingMessages(ctx context.Context) {
@@ -531,7 +510,7 @@ func (store *WakuStore) queryFrom(ctx context.Context, q *pb.HistoryQuery, selec
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	metrics.RecordMessage(ctx, "retrieved", len(store.messageQueue.messages))
+	metrics.RecordMessage(ctx, "retrieved", store.messageQueue.Length())
 
 	return historyResponseRPC.Response, nil
 }