diff --git a/api.lua b/api.lua
index 1a4026b..38646f9 100644
--- a/api.lua
+++ b/api.lua
@@ -3,17 +3,48 @@
 function areas:getAreasAtPos(pos)
 	local a = {}
 	local px, py, pz = pos.x, pos.y, pos.z
-	for id, area in pairs(self.areas) do
-		local ap1, ap2 = area.pos1, area.pos2
-		if px >= ap1.x and px <= ap2.x and
-		   py >= ap1.y and py <= ap2.y and
-		   pz >= ap1.z and pz <= ap2.z then
-			a[id] = area
+	if self.store then
+		local areas = self.store:get_areas_for_pos(pos, false, true)
+		for store_id, store_area in pairs(areas) do
+			local id = tonumber(store_area.data)
+			a[id] = self.areas[id]
+		end
+	else
+		for id, area in pairs(self.areas) do
+			local ap1, ap2 = area.pos1, area.pos2
+			if px >= ap1.x and px <= ap2.x and
+			py >= ap1.y and py <= ap2.y and
+			pz >= ap1.z and pz <= ap2.z then
+				a[id] = area
+			end
 		end
 	end
 	return a
 end
 
+function areas:getAreasForArea(pos1, pos2)
+	local res = {}
+	if self.store then
+		local areas = self.store:get_areas_in_area(pos1,
+			pos2, true, false, true)
+		for store_id, store_area in pairs(areas) do
+			local id = tonumber(store_area.data)
+			res[id] = self.areas[id]
+		end
+	else
+		for id, area in pairs(self.areas) do
+			local p1, p2 = area.pos1, area.pos2
+			if (p1.x <= pos2.x and p2.x >= pos1.x) and
+					(p1.y <= pos2.y and p2.y >= pos1.y) and
+					(p1.z <= pos2.z and p2.z >= pos1.z) then
+				-- Found an intersecting area.
+				res[id] = area
+			end
+		end
+	end
+	return res
+end
+
 -- Checks if the area is unprotected or owned by you
 function areas:canInteract(pos, name)
 	if minetest.check_player_privs(name, self.adminPrivs) then
@@ -52,30 +83,23 @@ function areas:canInteractInArea(pos1, pos2, name, allow_open)
 		return true
 	end
 	areas:sortPos(pos1, pos2)
-	-- First check for a fully enclosing owned area.
-	if name then
-		for id, area in pairs(self.areas) do
-			-- A little optimization: isAreaOwner isn't necessary
-			-- here since we're iterating through all areas.
-			if area.owner == name and
-					self:isSubarea(pos1, pos2, id) then
-				return true
-			end
+
+	local areas = self:getAreasForArea(pos1, pos2)
+	for id, area in pairs(areas) do
+		-- First check for a fully enclosing owned area.
+		-- A little optimization: isAreaOwner isn't necessary
+		-- here since we're iterating through all relevant areas.
+		if area.owner == name and
+				self:isSubarea(pos1, pos2, id) then
+			return true
 		end
-	end
-	-- Then check for intersecting (non-owned) areas.
-	for id, area in pairs(self.areas) do
-		local p1, p2 = area.pos1, area.pos2
-		if (p1.x <= pos2.x and p2.x >= pos1.x) and
-		   (p1.y <= pos2.y and p2.y >= pos1.y) and
-		   (p1.z <= pos2.z and p2.z >= pos1.z) then
-			-- Found an intersecting area.
-			-- Return if the area is closed or open areas aren't
-			-- allowed, and the area isn't owned.
-			if (not allow_open or not area.open) and
-					(not name or not areas:isAreaOwner(id, name)) then
-				return false, id
-			end
+
+		-- Then check for intersecting (non-owned) areas.
+		-- Return if the area is closed or open areas aren't
+		-- allowed, and the area isn't owned.
+		if (not allow_open or not area.open) and
+				(not name or not self:isAreaOwner(id, name)) then
+			return false, id
 		end
 	end
 	return true
diff --git a/internal.lua b/internal.lua
index f1b048d..2234cb1 100644
--- a/internal.lua
+++ b/internal.lua
@@ -18,6 +18,23 @@ function areas:save()
 	file:close()
 end
 
+local function populateStore(self)
+	if not rawget(_G, "AreaStore") then
+		return
+	end
+	local store = AreaStore()
+	local store_ids = {}
+	store:reserve(#self.areas)
+	for id, area in pairs(areas.areas) do
+		local sid = store:insert_area(area.pos1,
+			area.pos2, tostring(id))
+		assert(sid ~= nil) -- if its nil, no id could be found
+		store_ids[id] = sid
+	end
+	self.store = store
+	self.store_ids = store_ids
+end
+
 -- Load the areas table from the save file
 function areas:load()
 	local file, err = io.open(self.config.filename, "r")
@@ -29,6 +46,7 @@ function areas:load()
 	if type(self.areas) ~= "table" then
 		self.areas = {}
 	end
+	populateStore(self)
 	file:close()
 end
 
@@ -46,6 +64,12 @@ function areas:add(owner, name, pos1, pos2, parent)
 	local id = findFirstUnusedIndex(self.areas)
 	self.areas[id] = {name=name, pos1=pos1, pos2=pos2, owner=owner,
 			parent=parent}
+	-- add to AreaStore
+	if self.store then
+		local sid = self.store:insert_area(pos1, pos2, dump(id))
+		assert(sid ~= nil) -- if its nil, no id could be found
+		self.store_ids[id] = sid
+	end
 	return id
 end
 
@@ -73,6 +97,13 @@ function areas:remove(id, recurse)
 
 	-- Remove main entry
 	self.areas[id] = nil
+
+	-- remove from AreaStore
+	if self.store then
+		local sid = self.store_ids[id]
+		self.store_ids[id] = nil
+		self.store:remove_area(sid)
+	end
 end
 
 -- Checks if a area between two points is entirely contained by another area