diff --git a/daemon.py b/daemon.py
index 709471e1b..10ea43b84 100644
--- a/daemon.py
+++ b/daemon.py
@@ -203,6 +203,8 @@ from webapp_welcome import htmlWelcomeScreen
 from webapp_welcome import isWelcomeScreenComplete
 from webapp_welcome_profile import htmlWelcomeProfile
 from webapp_welcome_final import htmlWelcomeFinal
+from shares import runFederatedSharesDaemon
+from shares import runFederatedSharesWatchdog
 from shares import updateSharedItemFederationToken
 from shares import createSharedItemFederationToken
 from shares import authorizeSharedItems
@@ -15285,6 +15287,13 @@ def runDaemon(sharedItemsFederatedDomains: [],
                               httpPrefix, domain, port,
                               httpd.translate), daemon=True)
 
+    print('Creating federated shares thread')
+    httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon = \
+        threadWithTrace(target=runFederatedSharesDaemon,
+                        args=(baseDir, httpd,
+                              httpPrefix, domain,
+                              proxyType, debug), daemon=True)
+
     # flags used when restarting the inbox queue
     httpd.restartInboxQueueInProgress = False
     httpd.restartInboxQueue = False
@@ -15310,9 +15319,16 @@ def runDaemon(sharedItemsFederatedDomains: [],
             threadWithTrace(target=runNewswireWatchdog,
                             args=(projectVersion, httpd), daemon=True)
         httpd.thrNewswireWatchdog.start()
+
+        print('Creating federated shares watchdog')
+        httpd.thrFederatedSharesWatchdog = \
+            threadWithTrace(target=runFederatedSharesWatchdog,
+                            args=(projectVersion, httpd), daemon=True)
+        httpd.thrFederatedSharesWatchdog.start()
     else:
         httpd.thrInboxQueue.start()
         httpd.thrPostSchedule.start()
+        httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon.start()
 
     if clientToServer:
         print('Running ActivityPub client on ' +
diff --git a/shares.py b/shares.py
index e17a0f8db..5574f5129 100644
--- a/shares.py
+++ b/shares.py
@@ -12,12 +12,15 @@ import re
 import secrets
 import time
 import datetime
+from session import getJson
 from webfinger import webfingerHandle
 from auth import createBasicAuthHeader
 from auth import constantTimeStringCheck
 from posts import getPersonBox
 from session import postJson
 from session import postImage
+from session import createSession
+from utils import getConfigParam
 from utils import getFullDomain
 from utils import validNickname
 from utils import loadJson
@@ -1073,3 +1076,107 @@ def authorizeSharedItems(sharedItemsFederatedDomains: [],
                   'mismatch for ' + callingDomain)
         return False
     return True
+
+
+def _updateFederatedSharesCache(session, sharedItemsFederatedDomains: [],
+                                baseDir: str, domain: str,
+                                httpPrefix: str,
+                                tokensJson: {}, debug: bool) -> None:
+    """Updates the cache of federated shares for the instance.
+    This enables shared items to be available even when other instances
+    might not be online
+    """
+    # create directories where catalogs will be stored
+    cacheDir = baseDir + '/cache'
+    if not os.path.isdir(cacheDir):
+        os.mkdir(cacheDir)
+    catalogsDir = cacheDir + '/catalogs'
+    if not os.path.isdir(catalogsDir):
+        os.mkdir(catalogsDir)
+
+    asHeader = {
+        'Accept': 'application/ld+json'
+    }
+    for otherDomain in sharedItemsFederatedDomains:
+        # NOTE: otherDomain does not have a port extension,
+        # so may not work in some situations
+        if otherDomain.startswith(domain):
+            # only download from instances other than this one
+            continue
+        if not tokensJson.get(otherDomain):
+            # token has been obtained for the other domain
+            continue
+        url = httpPrefix + '://' + otherDomain + '/catalog'
+        asHeader['Authorization'] = tokensJson[otherDomain]
+        catalogJson = getJson(session, url, asHeader, None,
+                              debug, __version__, httpPrefix, None)
+        if not catalogJson:
+            print('WARN: failed to download shared items catalog for ' +
+                  otherDomain)
+            continue
+        catalogFilename = catalogsDir + '/' + otherDomain + '.json'
+        if saveJson(catalogJson, catalogFilename):
+            print('Downloaded shared items catalog for ' + otherDomain)
+        else:
+            time.sleep(2)
+
+
+def runFederatedSharesWatchdog(projectVersion: str, httpd) -> None:
+    """This tries to keep the federated shares update thread
+    running even if it dies
+    """
+    print('Starting federated shares watchdog')
+    federatedSharesOriginal = \
+        httpd.thrPostSchedule.clone(runFederatedSharesDaemon)
+    httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon.start()
+    while True:
+        time.sleep(55)
+        if httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon.is_alive():
+            continue
+        httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon.kill()
+        httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon = \
+            federatedSharesOriginal.clone(runFederatedSharesDaemon)
+        httpd.thrFederatedSharesDaemon.start()
+        print('Restarting federated shares daemon...')
+
+
+def runFederatedSharesDaemon(baseDir: str, httpd, httpPrefix: str,
+                             domain: str, proxyType: str, debug: bool) -> None:
+    """Runs the daemon used to update federated shared items
+    """
+    secondsPerHour = 60 * 60
+    fileCheckIntervalSec = 120
+    time.sleep(60)
+    while True:
+        sharedItemsFederatedDomainsStr = \
+            getConfigParam(baseDir, 'sharedItemsFederatedDomains')
+        if not sharedItemsFederatedDomainsStr:
+            time.sleep(fileCheckIntervalSec)
+            continue
+
+        # get a list of the domains within the shared items federation
+        sharedItemsFederatedDomains = []
+        sharedItemsFederatedDomainsList = \
+            sharedItemsFederatedDomainsStr.split(',')
+        for sharedFederatedDomain in sharedItemsFederatedDomainsList:
+            sharedItemsFederatedDomains.append(sharedFederatedDomain.strip())
+        if not sharedItemsFederatedDomains:
+            time.sleep(fileCheckIntervalSec)
+            continue
+
+        # load the tokens
+        tokensFilename = \
+            baseDir + '/accounts/sharedItemsFederationTokens.json'
+        if not os.path.isfile(tokensFilename):
+            time.sleep(fileCheckIntervalSec)
+            continue
+        tokensJson = loadJson(tokensFilename, 1, 2)
+        if not tokensJson:
+            time.sleep(fileCheckIntervalSec)
+            continue
+
+        session = createSession(proxyType)
+        _updateFederatedSharesCache(session, sharedItemsFederatedDomains,
+                                    baseDir, domain, httpPrefix, tokensJson,
+                                    debug)
+        time.sleep(secondsPerHour * 6)
diff --git a/tests.py b/tests.py
index 229be046d..c73ed639e 100644
--- a/tests.py
+++ b/tests.py
@@ -3265,6 +3265,8 @@ def _testFunctions():
         'str2bool',
         'runNewswireDaemon',
         'runNewswireWatchdog',
+        'runFederatedSharesWatchdog',
+        'runFederatedSharesDaemon',
         'threadSendPost',
         'sendToFollowers',
         'expireCache',