diff --git a/modules/config.js b/modules/config.js
index 4b77193..5fe20ee 100644
--- a/modules/config.js
+++ b/modules/config.js
@@ -2,8 +2,8 @@ var config = {
   min_size: 1,               // < 1 will (obviously) cause crash
   max_size: 512,             // too big values might lead to slow response time or DoS
   default_size: 160,         // size to be used when no size given
-  local_cache_time: 3600,    // seconds until we will check if the image changed. should be > 60 to prevent mojang 429 response
-  browser_cache_time: 3600,  // seconds until browser will request image again
+  local_cache_time: 30,      // seconds until we will check if the image changed. should be > 60 to prevent mojang 429 response
+  browser_cache_time: 30,    // seconds until browser will request image again
   http_timeout: 3000,        // ms until connection to mojang is dropped
   faces_dir: 'skins/faces/', // directory where faces are kept. should have trailing '/'
   helms_dir: 'skins/helms/', // directory where helms are kept. should have trailing '/'
diff --git a/modules/helpers.js b/modules/helpers.js
index 7ce43c9..a2599bd 100644
--- a/modules/helpers.js
+++ b/modules/helpers.js
@@ -35,11 +35,12 @@ function store_images(uuid, details, callback) {
           logging.log(uuid + " new hash: " + hash);
           var facepath = __dirname + '/../' + config.faces_dir + hash + ".png";
           var helmpath = __dirname + '/../' + config.helms_dir + hash + ".png";
-          // download skin, extract face/helm
-          networking.skin_file(skin_url, facepath, function(err, img) {
-            if (err) {
+          // download skin
+          networking.get_skin(skin_url, function(err, img) {
+            if (err || !img) {
               callback(err, null);
             } else {
+              // extract face / helm
               skins.extract_face(img, facepath, function(err) {
                 if (err) {
                   callback(err);
@@ -148,7 +149,7 @@ exp.get_skin = function(uuid, callback) {
   exp.get_image_hash(uuid, function(err, status, hash) {
     if (hash) {
       var skinurl = "http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/" + hash;
-      networking.skin_file(skinurl, null, function(err, img) {
+      networking.get_skin(skinurl, null, function(err, img) {
         if (err) {
           logging.log("\nerror while downloading skin");
           callback(err, hash, null);
diff --git a/modules/networking.js b/modules/networking.js
index 39d02fa..a08ec6a 100644
--- a/modules/networking.js
+++ b/modules/networking.js
@@ -99,15 +99,8 @@ exp.get_skin_url = function(uuid, callback) {
 };
 
 // downloads skin file from +url+
-// stores face image as +facename+
-// stores helm image as +helmname+
-// callback contains error
-exp.skin_file = function(url, facename, callback) {
-  if (facename && fs.existsSync(facename)) {
-    logging.log("Images already exist, not downloading.");
-    callback(null, null);
-    return;
-  }
+// callback contains error, image
+exp.get_skin = function(url, callback) {
   request.get({
     url: url,
     encoding: null, // encoding must be null so we get a buffer
diff --git a/test/test.js b/test/test.js
index 6119d31..6494e3c 100644
--- a/test/test.js
+++ b/test/test.js
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ var username = usernames[Math.round(Math.random() * (usernames.length - 1))];
 console.log("using username '" + username + "'");
 
 describe('Crafatar', function() {
+  // we might have to make 2 HTTP requests
+  this.timeout(config.http_timeout * 2 + 50);
+
   before(function() {
     cache.get_redis().flushall();
   });
@@ -131,10 +134,15 @@ describe('Crafatar', function() {
       });
     });
     it("should already have the files / not download", function(done) {
+
+      // FIXME: implement & remove this line
+      throw("Please re-implement this and add a new test");
+
+
       assert.doesNotThrow(function() {
         fs.openSync("face.png", "w");
         fs.openSync("helm.png", "w");
-        networking.skin_file("http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/477be35554684c28bdeee4cf11c591d3c88afb77e0b98da893fd7bc318c65184", "face.png", function(err) {
+        networking.get_skin("http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/477be35554684c28bdeee4cf11c591d3c88afb77e0b98da893fd7bc318c65184", function(err, img) {
           assert.strictEqual(err, null); // no error here, but it shouldn't throw exceptions
           fs.unlinkSync("face.png");
           fs.unlinkSync("helm.png");
@@ -189,7 +197,7 @@ describe('Crafatar', function() {
     it("should time out on skin download", function(done) {
       var original_timeout = config.http_timeout;
       config.http_timeout = 1;
-      networking.skin_file("http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/477be35554684c28bdeee4cf11c591d3c88afb77e0b98da893fd7bc318c65184", "face.png", function(err) {
+      networking.get_skin("http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/477be35554684c28bdeee4cf11c591d3c88afb77e0b98da893fd7bc318c65184", function(err, img) {
         assert.strictEqual(err.code, "ETIMEDOUT");
         config.http_timeout = original_timeout;
         done();
@@ -197,7 +205,7 @@ describe('Crafatar', function() {
     });
     it("should not find the skin", function(done) {
       assert.doesNotThrow(function() {
-        networking.skin_file("http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/this-does-not-exist", "face.png", function(err) {
+        networking.get_skin("http://textures.minecraft.net/texture/this-does-not-exist", function(err, img) {
           assert.strictEqual(err, null); // no error here, but it shouldn't throw exceptions
           done();
         });
@@ -210,4 +218,13 @@ describe('Crafatar', function() {
       done();
     });
   });
+
+  after(function() {
+    try {
+      // these files could be here if a test failed
+      fs.unlinkSync("face.png");
+      fs.unlinkSync("helm.png");
+    } catch(e){}
+  });
+
 });