diff --git a/public/src/app.js b/public/src/app.js
index 3e53305aac..b5b5302bd2 100644
--- a/public/src/app.js
+++ b/public/src/app.js
@@ -630,16 +630,17 @@ app.cacheBuster = null;
 	};
 
 	app.showCookieWarning = function () {
-		if (!config.cookies.enabled || !navigator.cookieEnabled) {
-			// Skip warning if cookie consent subsystem disabled (obviously), or cookies not in use
-			return;
-		} else if (window.location.pathname.startsWith(config.relative_path + '/admin')) {
-			// No need to show cookie consent warning in ACP
-			return;
-		} else if (window.localStorage.getItem('cookieconsent') === '1') {
-			return;
-		}
-		require(['translator'], function (translator) {
+		require(['translator', 'storage'], function (translator, storage) {
+			if (!config.cookies.enabled || !navigator.cookieEnabled) {
+				// Skip warning if cookie consent subsystem disabled (obviously), or cookies not in use
+				return;
+			} else if (window.location.pathname.startsWith(config.relative_path + '/admin')) {
+				// No need to show cookie consent warning in ACP
+				return;
+			} else if (storage.getItem('cookieconsent') === '1') {
+				return;
+			}
+
 			config.cookies.message = translator.unescape(config.cookies.message);
 			config.cookies.dismiss = translator.unescape(config.cookies.dismiss);
 			config.cookies.link = translator.unescape(config.cookies.link);
@@ -651,7 +652,7 @@ app.cacheBuster = null;
 				var dismissEl = warningEl.find('button');
 				dismissEl.on('click', function () {
 					// Save consent cookie and remove warning element
-					window.localStorage.setItem('cookieconsent', '1');
+					storage.setItem('cookieconsent', '1');
 					warningEl.remove();
 				});
 			});
diff --git a/public/src/client/category.js b/public/src/client/category.js
index e2dfcd9924..7fea7cfbcb 100644
--- a/public/src/client/category.js
+++ b/public/src/client/category.js
@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ define('forum/category', [
 	'translator',
 	'topicSelect',
 	'forum/pagination',
-], function (infinitescroll, share, navigator, categoryTools, sort, components, translator, topicSelect, pagination) {
+	'storage',
+], function (infinitescroll, share, navigator, categoryTools, sort, components, translator, topicSelect, pagination, storage) {
 	var Category = {};
 
 	$(window).on('action:ajaxify.start', function (ev, data) {
@@ -51,8 +52,8 @@ define('forum/category', [
 			var clickedIndex = $(this).parents('[data-index]').attr('data-index');
 			$('[component="category/topic"]').each(function (index, el) {
 				if ($(el).offset().top - $(window).scrollTop() > 0) {
-					localStorage.setItem('category:' + cid + ':bookmark', $(el).attr('data-index'));
-					localStorage.setItem('category:' + cid + ':bookmark:clicked', clickedIndex);
+					storage.setItem('category:' + cid + ':bookmark', $(el).attr('data-index'));
+					storage.setItem('category:' + cid + ':bookmark:clicked', clickedIndex);
 					return false;
 				}
 			});
@@ -118,8 +119,8 @@ define('forum/category', [
 
 	$(window).on('action:ajaxify.contentLoaded', function () {
 		if (ajaxify.data.template.category && ajaxify.data.cid) {
-			var bookmarkIndex = localStorage.getItem('category:' + ajaxify.data.cid + ':bookmark');
-			var clickedIndex = localStorage.getItem('category:' + ajaxify.data.cid + ':bookmark:clicked');
+			var bookmarkIndex = storage.getItem('category:' + ajaxify.data.cid + ':bookmark');
+			var clickedIndex = storage.getItem('category:' + ajaxify.data.cid + ':bookmark:clicked');
 
 			bookmarkIndex = Math.max(0, parseInt(bookmarkIndex, 10) || 0);
 			clickedIndex = Math.max(0, parseInt(clickedIndex, 10) || 0);
diff --git a/public/src/client/search.js b/public/src/client/search.js
index 4f65935913..de68d1e401 100644
--- a/public/src/client/search.js
+++ b/public/src/client/search.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 
-define('forum/search', ['search', 'autocomplete'], function (searchModule, autocomplete) {
+define('forum/search', ['search', 'autocomplete', 'storage'], function (searchModule, autocomplete, storage) {
 	var	Search = {};
 
 	Search.init = function () {
@@ -147,13 +147,13 @@ define('forum/search', ['search', 'autocomplete'], function (searchModule, autoc
 
 	function handleSavePreferences() {
 		$('#save-preferences').on('click', function () {
-			localStorage.setItem('search-preferences', JSON.stringify(getSearchData()));
+			storage.setItem('search-preferences', JSON.stringify(getSearchData()));
 			app.alertSuccess('[[search:search-preferences-saved]]');
 			return false;
 		});
 
 		$('#clear-preferences').on('click', function () {
-			localStorage.removeItem('search-preferences');
+			storage.removeItem('search-preferences');
 			var query = $('#search-input').val();
 			$('#advanced-search')[0].reset();
 			$('#search-input').val(query);
diff --git a/public/src/client/topic.js b/public/src/client/topic.js
index d620da1e70..e4ba5a06a5 100644
--- a/public/src/client/topic.js
+++ b/public/src/client/topic.js
@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 	'navigator',
 	'sort',
 	'components',
-], function (infinitescroll, threadTools, postTools, events, posts, images, replies, navigator, sort, components) {
+	'storage',
+], function (infinitescroll, threadTools, postTools, events, posts, images, replies, navigator, sort, components, storage) {
 	var	Topic = {};
 	var currentUrl = '';
 
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 
 	function handleBookmark(tid) {
 		// use the user's bookmark data if available, fallback to local if available
-		var bookmark = ajaxify.data.bookmark || localStorage.getItem('topic:' + tid + ':bookmark');
+		var bookmark = ajaxify.data.bookmark || storage.getItem('topic:' + tid + ':bookmark');
 		var postIndex = getPostIndex();
 
 		if (postIndex && window.location.search.indexOf('page=') === -1) {
@@ -160,7 +161,7 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 					navigator.scrollToPost(parseInt(bookmark - 1, 10), true);
 				},
 				closefn: function () {
-					localStorage.removeItem('topic:' + tid + ':bookmark');
+					storage.removeItem('topic:' + tid + ':bookmark');
 				},
 			});
 			setTimeout(function () {
@@ -273,7 +274,7 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 
 	function updateUserBookmark(index) {
 		var bookmarkKey = 'topic:' + ajaxify.data.tid + ':bookmark';
-		var currentBookmark = ajaxify.data.bookmark || localStorage.getItem(bookmarkKey);
+		var currentBookmark = ajaxify.data.bookmark || storage.getItem(bookmarkKey);
 
 		if (ajaxify.data.postcount > ajaxify.data.bookmarkThreshold && (!currentBookmark || parseInt(index, 10) > parseInt(currentBookmark, 10))) {
 			if (app.user.uid) {
@@ -287,7 +288,7 @@ define('forum/topic', [
 					ajaxify.data.bookmark = index;
 				});
 			} else {
-				localStorage.setItem(bookmarkKey, index);
+				storage.setItem(bookmarkKey, index);
 			}
 		}
 
diff --git a/public/src/modules/search.js b/public/src/modules/search.js
index 1401bf8619..5b77ab7572 100644
--- a/public/src/modules/search.js
+++ b/public/src/modules/search.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 
-define('search', ['navigator', 'translator'], function (nav, translator) {
+define('search', ['navigator', 'translator', 'storage'], function (nav, translator, storage) {
 	var Search = {
 		current: {},
 	};
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@ define('search', ['navigator', 'translator'], function (nav, translator) {
 
 	Search.getSearchPreferences = function () {
 		try {
-			return JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem('search-preferences') || '{}');
+			return JSON.parse(storage.getItem('search-preferences') || '{}');
 		} catch (e) {
 			return {};
 		}
diff --git a/public/src/modules/sounds.js b/public/src/modules/sounds.js
index 38bbaec9cb..9a5f560447 100644
--- a/public/src/modules/sounds.js
+++ b/public/src/modules/sounds.js
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 
-define('sounds', function () {
+define('sounds', ['storage'], function (storage) {
 	var	Sounds = {};
 
 	var fileMap;
@@ -67,13 +67,13 @@ define('sounds', function () {
 
 			if (id) {
 				var item = 'sounds.handled:' + id;
-				if (localStorage.getItem(item)) {
+				if (storage.getItem(item)) {
 					return;
 				}
-				localStorage.setItem(item, true);
+				storage.setItem(item, true);
 
 				setTimeout(function () {
-					localStorage.removeItem(item);
+					storage.removeItem(item);
 				}, 5000);
 			}
 
diff --git a/public/src/modules/storage.js b/public/src/modules/storage.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..5cb6051586
--- /dev/null
+++ b/public/src/modules/storage.js
@@ -0,0 +1,84 @@
+'use strict';
+
+/**
+ * Checks localStorage and provides a fallback if it doesn't exist or is disabled
+ */
+define('storage', function () {
+	function Storage() {
+		this._store = {};
+		this._keys = [];
+	}
+	Storage.prototype.isMock = true;
+	Storage.prototype.setItem = function (key, val) {
+		key = String(key);
+		if (this._keys.indexOf(key) === -1) {
+			this._keys.push(key);
+		}
+		this._store[key] = val;
+	};
+	Storage.prototype.getItem = function (key) {
+		key = String(key);
+		if (this._keys.indexOf(key) === -1) {
+			return null;
+		}
+
+		return this._store[key];
+	};
+	Storage.prototype.removeItem = function (key) {
+		key = String(key);
+		this._keys = this._keys.filter(function (x) {
+			return x !== key;
+		});
+		this._store[key] = null;
+	};
+	Storage.prototype.clear = function () {
+		this._keys = [];
+		this._store = {};
+	};
+	Storage.prototype.key = function (n) {
+		n = parseInt(n, 10) || 0;
+		return this._keys[n];
+	};
+	if (Object.defineProperty) {
+		Object.defineProperty(Storage.prototype, 'length', {
+			get: function () {
+				return this._keys.length;
+			},
+		});
+	}
+
+	var storage;
+	var item = Date.now();
+
+	try {
+		storage = window.localStorage;
+		storage.setItem(item, item);
+		if (storage.getItem(item) !== item) {
+			throw Error('localStorage behaved unexpectedly');
+		}
+		storage.removeItem(item);
+
+		return storage;
+	} catch (e) {
+		console.warn(e);
+		console.warn('localStorage failed, falling back on sessionStorage');
+
+		// see if sessionStorage works, and if so, return that
+		try {
+			storage = window.sessionStorage;
+			storage.setItem(item, item);
+			if (storage.getItem(item) !== item) {
+				throw Error('sessionStorage behaved unexpectedly');
+			}
+			storage.removeItem(item);
+
+			return storage;
+		} catch (e) {
+			console.warn(e);
+			console.warn('sessionStorage failed, falling back on memory storage');
+
+			// return an object implementing mock methods
+			return new Storage();
+		}
+	}
+});
diff --git a/src/meta/js.js b/src/meta/js.js
index 967b100a32..0fff87c6a1 100644
--- a/src/meta/js.js
+++ b/src/meta/js.js
@@ -78,6 +78,7 @@ module.exports = function (Meta) {
 				'public/src/modules/taskbar.js',
 				'public/src/modules/helpers.js',
 				'public/src/modules/string.js',
+				'public/src/modules/storage.js',
 			],
 
 			// modules listed below are built (/src/modules) so they can be defined anonymously