diff --git a/src/StaticCaching/Cachers/AbstractCacher.php b/src/StaticCaching/Cachers/AbstractCacher.php
index cc1731a18b5..d29c38f9516 100644
--- a/src/StaticCaching/Cachers/AbstractCacher.php
+++ b/src/StaticCaching/Cachers/AbstractCacher.php
@@ -56,7 +56,8 @@ public function getBaseUrl()
      */
     public function getDefaultExpiration()
     {
-        return $this->config('default_cache_length');
+        return $this->config('expiry')
+            ?? $this->config('default_cache_length'); // deprecated
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Cache.php b/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Cache.php
index d791675dc86..35fd4df8929 100644
--- a/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Cache.php
+++ b/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Cache.php
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 namespace Statamic\StaticCaching\Middleware;
 
 use Closure;
+use Statamic\Statamic;
 use Statamic\StaticCaching\Cacher;
 
 class Cache
@@ -26,34 +27,50 @@ public function __construct(Cacher $cacher)
      */
     public function handle($request, Closure $next)
     {
-        return $next($request);
+        if ($this->canBeCached($request) && ($cached = $this->cacher->getCachedPage($request))) {
+            return response($cached);
+        }
+
+        $response = $next($request);
+
+        if ($this->shouldBeCached($request, $response)) {
+            $this->cacher->cachePage($request, $response);
+        }
+
+        return $response;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Perform any final actions for the request lifecycle.
-     *
-     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
-     * @param  \Symfony\Component\HttpFoundation\Response  $response
-     * @return void
-     */
-    public function terminate($request, $response)
+    private function canBeCached($request)
+    {
+        if ($request->method() !== 'GET') {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        if (Statamic::isCpRoute()) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    private function shouldBeCached($request, $response)
     {
         // Only GET requests should be cached. For instance, Live Preview hits frontend URLs as
         // POST requests to preview the changes. We don't want those to trigger any caching,
         // or else pending changes will be shown immediately, even without hitting save.
         if ($request->method() !== 'GET') {
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
         // Draft pages should not be cached.
         if ($response->headers->has('X-Statamic-Draft')) {
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
         if ($response->getStatusCode() !== 200 || $response->getContent() == '') {
-            return;
+            return false;
         }
 
-        $this->cacher->cachePage($request, $response);
+        return true;
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Retrieve.php b/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Retrieve.php
deleted file mode 100644
index 70ac2caae66..00000000000
--- a/src/StaticCaching/Middleware/Retrieve.php
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,49 +0,0 @@
-<?php
-
-namespace Statamic\StaticCaching\Middleware;
-
-use Closure;
-use Statamic\Statamic;
-use Statamic\StaticCaching\Cacher;
-
-class Retrieve
-{
-    /**
-     * @var Cacher
-     */
-    private $cacher;
-
-    public function __construct(Cacher $cacher)
-    {
-        $this->cacher = $cacher;
-    }
-
-    /**
-     * Handle an incoming request.
-     *
-     * @param  \Illuminate\Http\Request  $request
-     * @param  \Closure  $next
-     * @return mixed
-     */
-    public function handle($request, Closure $next)
-    {
-        if ($this->canBeCached($request) && ($cached = $this->cacher->getCachedPage($request))) {
-            return response($cached);
-        }
-
-        return $next($request);
-    }
-
-    protected function canBeCached($request)
-    {
-        if ($request->method() !== 'GET') {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        if (Statamic::isCpRoute()) {
-            return false;
-        }
-
-        return true;
-    }
-}
diff --git a/src/StaticCaching/ServiceProvider.php b/src/StaticCaching/ServiceProvider.php
index 71ff4224429..70fb55b093e 100644
--- a/src/StaticCaching/ServiceProvider.php
+++ b/src/StaticCaching/ServiceProvider.php
@@ -4,7 +4,6 @@
 
 use Illuminate\Support\Facades\Event;
 use Illuminate\Support\ServiceProvider as LaravelServiceProvider;
-use Statamic\StaticCaching\Middleware\Retrieve;
 
 class ServiceProvider extends LaravelServiceProvider
 {
@@ -34,8 +33,6 @@ public function register()
 
     public function boot()
     {
-        $this->app['router']->prependMiddlewareToGroup('web', Retrieve::class);
-
         Event::subscribe(Invalidate::class);
     }
 }
diff --git a/tests/StaticCaching/CacherTest.php b/tests/StaticCaching/CacherTest.php
index 2e12ee67167..02aa0954263 100644
--- a/tests/StaticCaching/CacherTest.php
+++ b/tests/StaticCaching/CacherTest.php
@@ -23,6 +23,16 @@ public function gets_config_values()
 
     /** @test */
     public function gets_default_expiration()
+    {
+        $cacher = $this->cacher([
+            'expiry' => 10,
+        ]);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(10, $cacher->getDefaultExpiration());
+    }
+
+    /** @test */
+    public function gets_default_expiration_using_deprecated_key()
     {
         $cacher = $this->cacher([
             'default_cache_length' => 10,
@@ -31,6 +41,17 @@ public function gets_default_expiration()
         $this->assertEquals(10, $cacher->getDefaultExpiration());
     }
 
+    /** @test */
+    public function gets_default_expiration_where_new_key_takes_precedence_over_deprecated_key()
+    {
+        $cacher = $this->cacher([
+            'expiry' => 2,
+            'default_cache_length' => 10,
+        ]);
+
+        $this->assertEquals(2, $cacher->getDefaultExpiration());
+    }
+
     /** @test */
     public function gets_a_url()
     {