diff --git a/pkg/metrics/active_users.go b/pkg/metrics/active_users.go
index 4feda345b..deeddc334 100644
--- a/pkg/metrics/active_users.go
+++ b/pkg/metrics/active_users.go
@@ -91,12 +91,8 @@ func SetUserActive(a web.Auth) (err error) {
 
 // getActiveUsers returns the active users from redis
 func getActiveUsers() (users activeUsersMap, err error) {
-	u, _, err := keyvalue.Get(ActiveUsersKey)
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	users = u.(activeUsersMap)
+	users = activeUsersMap{}
+	_, err = keyvalue.GetWithValue(ActiveUsersKey, &users)
 	return
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/metrics/metrics.go b/pkg/metrics/metrics.go
index aa79edede..0441f061e 100644
--- a/pkg/metrics/metrics.go
+++ b/pkg/metrics/metrics.go
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
 package metrics
 
 import (
+	"strconv"
+
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/log"
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/modules/keyvalue"
 	"github.com/prometheus/client_golang/prometheus"
@@ -132,7 +134,11 @@ func GetCount(key string) (count int64, err error) {
 		return 0, nil
 	}
 
-	count = cnt.(int64)
+	if s, is := cnt.(string); is {
+		count, err = strconv.ParseInt(s, 10, 64)
+	} else {
+		count = cnt.(int64)
+	}
 
 	return
 }
diff --git a/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go b/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go
index 8c62664e3..f5835097a 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/auth/openid/openid.go
@@ -46,12 +46,12 @@ type Callback struct {
 
 // Provider is the structure of an OpenID Connect provider
 type Provider struct {
-	Name           string         `json:"name"`
-	Key            string         `json:"key"`
-	AuthURL        string         `json:"auth_url"`
-	ClientID       string         `json:"client_id"`
-	ClientSecret   string         `json:"-"`
-	OpenIDProvider *oidc.Provider `json:"-"`
+	Name           string `json:"name"`
+	Key            string `json:"key"`
+	AuthURL        string `json:"auth_url"`
+	ClientID       string `json:"client_id"`
+	ClientSecret   string `json:"-"`
+	openIDProvider *oidc.Provider
 	Oauth2Config   *oauth2.Config `json:"-"`
 }
 
@@ -66,6 +66,11 @@ func init() {
 	rand.Seed(time.Now().UTC().UnixNano())
 }
 
+func (p *Provider) setOicdProvider() (err error) {
+	p.openIDProvider, err = oidc.NewProvider(context.Background(), p.AuthURL)
+	return err
+}
+
 // HandleCallback handles the auth request callback after redirecting from the provider with an auth code
 // @Summary Authenticate a user with OpenID Connect
 // @Description After a redirect from the OpenID Connect provider to the frontend has been made with the authentication `code`, this endpoint can be used to obtain a jwt token for that user and thus log them in.
@@ -122,7 +127,7 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 		return c.JSON(http.StatusBadRequest, models.Message{Message: "Missing token"})
 	}
 
-	verifier := provider.OpenIDProvider.Verifier(&oidc.Config{ClientID: provider.ClientID})
+	verifier := provider.openIDProvider.Verifier(&oidc.Config{ClientID: provider.ClientID})
 
 	// Parse and verify ID Token payload.
 	idToken, err := verifier.Verify(context.Background(), rawIDToken)
@@ -140,7 +145,7 @@ func HandleCallback(c echo.Context) error {
 	}
 
 	if cl.Email == "" || cl.Name == "" || cl.PreferredUsername == "" {
-		info, err := provider.OpenIDProvider.UserInfo(context.Background(), provider.Oauth2Config.TokenSource(context.Background(), oauth2Token))
+		info, err := provider.openIDProvider.UserInfo(context.Background(), provider.Oauth2Config.TokenSource(context.Background(), oauth2Token))
 		if err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("Error getting userinfo for provider %s: %v", provider.Name, err)
 			return handler.HandleHTTPError(err, c)
diff --git a/pkg/modules/auth/openid/providers.go b/pkg/modules/auth/openid/providers.go
index 5ed8ce598..6482a3188 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/auth/openid/providers.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/auth/openid/providers.go
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 package openid
 
 import (
-	"context"
 	"regexp"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
@@ -36,7 +35,8 @@ func GetAllProviders() (providers []*Provider, err error) {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
 
-	ps, exists, err := keyvalue.Get("openid_providers")
+	providers = []*Provider{}
+	exists, err := keyvalue.GetWithValue("openid_providers", &providers)
 	if !exists {
 		rawProviders := config.AuthOpenIDProviders.Get()
 		if rawProviders == nil {
@@ -68,31 +68,30 @@ func GetAllProviders() (providers []*Provider, err error) {
 		err = keyvalue.Put("openid_providers", providers)
 	}
 
-	if ps != nil {
-		return ps.([]*Provider), nil
-	}
-
 	return
 }
 
 // GetProvider retrieves a provider from keyvalue
 func GetProvider(key string) (provider *Provider, err error) {
-	var p interface{}
-	p, exists, err := keyvalue.Get("openid_provider_" + key)
+	provider = &Provider{}
+	exists, err := keyvalue.GetWithValue("openid_provider_"+key, provider)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
 	if !exists {
 		_, err = GetAllProviders() // This will put all providers in cache
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
 
-		p, _, err = keyvalue.Get("openid_provider_" + key)
+		_, err = keyvalue.GetWithValue("openid_provider_"+key, provider)
+		if err != nil {
+			return nil, err
+		}
 	}
 
-	if p != nil {
-		return p.(*Provider), nil
-	}
-
-	return nil, err
+	err = provider.setOicdProvider()
+	return
 }
 
 func getKeyFromName(name string) string {
@@ -100,7 +99,7 @@ func getKeyFromName(name string) string {
 	return reg.ReplaceAllString(strings.ToLower(name), "")
 }
 
-func getProviderFromMap(pi map[interface{}]interface{}) (*Provider, error) {
+func getProviderFromMap(pi map[interface{}]interface{}) (provider *Provider, err error) {
 	name, is := pi["name"].(string)
 	if !is {
 		return nil, nil
@@ -108,7 +107,7 @@ func getProviderFromMap(pi map[interface{}]interface{}) (*Provider, error) {
 
 	k := getKeyFromName(name)
 
-	provider := &Provider{
+	provider = &Provider{
 		Name:         pi["name"].(string),
 		Key:          k,
 		AuthURL:      pi["authurl"].(string),
@@ -122,10 +121,9 @@ func getProviderFromMap(pi map[interface{}]interface{}) (*Provider, error) {
 		provider.ClientID = pi["clientid"].(string)
 	}
 
-	var err error
-	provider.OpenIDProvider, err = oidc.NewProvider(context.Background(), provider.AuthURL)
+	err = provider.setOicdProvider()
 	if err != nil {
-		return provider, err
+		return
 	}
 
 	provider.Oauth2Config = &oauth2.Config{
@@ -134,7 +132,7 @@ func getProviderFromMap(pi map[interface{}]interface{}) (*Provider, error) {
 		RedirectURL:  config.AuthOpenIDRedirectURL.GetString() + k,
 
 		// Discovery returns the OAuth2 endpoints.
-		Endpoint: provider.OpenIDProvider.Endpoint(),
+		Endpoint: provider.openIDProvider.Endpoint(),
 
 		// "openid" is a required scope for OpenID Connect flows.
 		Scopes: []string{oidc.ScopeOpenID, "profile", "email"},
@@ -142,5 +140,5 @@ func getProviderFromMap(pi map[interface{}]interface{}) (*Provider, error) {
 
 	provider.AuthURL = provider.Oauth2Config.Endpoint.AuthURL
 
-	return provider, nil
+	return
 }
diff --git a/pkg/modules/avatar/initials/initials.go b/pkg/modules/avatar/initials/initials.go
index 1f062201d..6d92c3d8c 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/avatar/initials/initials.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/avatar/initials/initials.go
@@ -127,7 +127,8 @@ func getCacheKey(prefix string, keys ...int64) string {
 func getAvatarForUser(u *user.User) (fullSizeAvatar *image.RGBA64, err error) {
 	cacheKey := getCacheKey("full", u.ID)
 
-	a, exists, err := keyvalue.Get(cacheKey)
+	fullSizeAvatar = &image.RGBA64{}
+	exists, err := keyvalue.GetWithValue(cacheKey, fullSizeAvatar)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -145,8 +146,6 @@ func getAvatarForUser(u *user.User) (fullSizeAvatar *image.RGBA64, err error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return nil, err
 		}
-	} else {
-		fullSizeAvatar = a.(*image.RGBA64)
 	}
 
 	return fullSizeAvatar, nil
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ func getAvatarForUser(u *user.User) (fullSizeAvatar *image.RGBA64, err error) {
 func (p *Provider) GetAvatar(u *user.User, size int64) (avatar []byte, mimeType string, err error) {
 	cacheKey := getCacheKey("resized", u.ID, size)
 
-	a, exists, err := keyvalue.Get(cacheKey)
+	exists, err := keyvalue.GetWithValue(cacheKey, &avatar)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
@@ -180,7 +179,6 @@ func (p *Provider) GetAvatar(u *user.User, size int64) (avatar []byte, mimeType
 			return nil, "", err
 		}
 	} else {
-		avatar = a.([]byte)
 		log.Debugf("Serving initials avatar for user %d and size %d from cache", u.ID, size)
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/modules/avatar/upload/upload.go b/pkg/modules/avatar/upload/upload.go
index 9348d4dee..e75f2ba66 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/avatar/upload/upload.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/avatar/upload/upload.go
@@ -39,22 +39,17 @@ func (p *Provider) GetAvatar(u *user.User, size int64) (avatar []byte, mimeType
 
 	cacheKey := "avatar_upload_" + strconv.Itoa(int(u.ID))
 
-	ai, exists, err := keyvalue.Get(cacheKey)
+	var cached map[int64][]byte
+	exists, err := keyvalue.GetWithValue(cacheKey, &cached)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, "", err
 	}
 
-	var cached map[int64][]byte
-
-	if ai != nil {
-		cached = ai.(map[int64][]byte)
-	}
-
 	if !exists {
 		// Nothing ever cached for this user so we need to create the size map to avoid panics
 		cached = make(map[int64][]byte)
 	} else {
-		a := ai.(map[int64][]byte)
+		a := cached
 		if a != nil && a[size] != nil {
 			log.Debugf("Serving uploaded avatar for user %d and size %d from cache.", u.ID, size)
 			return a[size], "", nil
diff --git a/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go b/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go
index 8dd29292b..7f13be8ef 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/background/unsplash/unsplash.go
@@ -122,7 +122,8 @@ func getImageID(fullURL string) string {
 // Gets an unsplash photo either from cache or directly from the unsplash api
 func getUnsplashPhotoInfoByID(photoID string) (photo *Photo, err error) {
 
-	p, exists, err := keyvalue.Get(cachePrefix + photoID)
+	photo = &Photo{}
+	exists, err := keyvalue.GetWithValue(cachePrefix+photoID, photo)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
@@ -134,8 +135,6 @@ func getUnsplashPhotoInfoByID(photoID string) (photo *Photo, err error) {
 		if err != nil {
 			return
 		}
-	} else {
-		photo = p.(*Photo)
 	}
 	return
 }
diff --git a/pkg/modules/keyvalue/keyvalue.go b/pkg/modules/keyvalue/keyvalue.go
index cc2f26afb..0e76ba6be 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/keyvalue/keyvalue.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/keyvalue/keyvalue.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 type Storage interface {
 	Put(key string, value interface{}) (err error)
 	Get(key string) (value interface{}, exists bool, err error)
+	GetWithValue(key string, value interface{}) (exists bool, err error)
 	Del(key string) (err error)
 	IncrBy(key string, update int64) (err error)
 	DecrBy(key string, update int64) (err error)
@@ -55,6 +56,10 @@ func Get(key string) (value interface{}, exists bool, err error) {
 	return store.Get(key)
 }
 
+func GetWithValue(key string, value interface{}) (exists bool, err error) {
+	return store.GetWithValue(key, value)
+}
+
 // Del removes a save value from a storage backend
 func Del(key string) (err error) {
 	return store.Del(key)
diff --git a/pkg/modules/keyvalue/memory/memory.go b/pkg/modules/keyvalue/memory/memory.go
index 6530f506a..230dd296e 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/keyvalue/memory/memory.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/keyvalue/memory/memory.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 package memory
 
 import (
+	"reflect"
 	"sync"
 
 	e "code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/modules/keyvalue/error"
@@ -52,6 +53,21 @@ func (s *Storage) Get(key string) (value interface{}, exists bool, err error) {
 	return
 }
 
+func (s *Storage) GetWithValue(key string, value interface{}) (exists bool, err error) {
+	v, exists, err := s.Get(key)
+	if !exists {
+		return exists, err
+	}
+
+	val := reflect.ValueOf(value)
+	if val.Kind() != reflect.Ptr {
+		panic("some: check must be a pointer")
+	}
+
+	val.Elem().Set(reflect.ValueOf(v))
+	return exists, err
+}
+
 // Del removes a saved value from a memory storage
 func (s *Storage) Del(key string) (err error) {
 	s.mutex.Lock()
diff --git a/pkg/modules/keyvalue/redis/redis.go b/pkg/modules/keyvalue/redis/redis.go
index c5357376c..9031c4826 100644
--- a/pkg/modules/keyvalue/redis/redis.go
+++ b/pkg/modules/keyvalue/redis/redis.go
@@ -17,8 +17,10 @@
 package redis
 
 import (
+	"bytes"
 	"context"
-	"encoding/json"
+	"encoding/gob"
+	"errors"
 
 	"code.vikunja.io/api/pkg/red"
 	"github.com/go-redis/redis/v8"
@@ -40,9 +42,28 @@ func NewStorage() *Storage {
 
 // Put puts a value into redis
 func (s *Storage) Put(key string, value interface{}) (err error) {
-	v, err := json.Marshal(value)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
+
+	var v interface{}
+
+	switch value.(type) {
+	case int:
+		v = value
+	case int8:
+		v = value
+	case int16:
+		v = value
+	case int32:
+		v = value
+	case int64:
+		v = value
+	default:
+		var buf bytes.Buffer
+		enc := gob.NewEncoder(&buf)
+		err = enc.Encode(value)
+		if err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return s.client.Set(context.Background(), key, buf.Bytes(), 0).Err()
 	}
 
 	return s.client.Set(context.Background(), key, v, 0).Err()
@@ -50,13 +71,32 @@ func (s *Storage) Put(key string, value interface{}) (err error) {
 
 // Get retrieves a saved value from redis
 func (s *Storage) Get(key string) (value interface{}, exists bool, err error) {
+	value, err = s.client.Get(context.Background(), key).Result()
+	if err != nil && errors.Is(err, redis.Nil) {
+		return nil, false, nil
+	}
+	return value, true, err
+}
+
+func (s *Storage) GetWithValue(key string, value interface{}) (exists bool, err error) {
 	b, err := s.client.Get(context.Background(), key).Bytes()
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, false, err
+		if errors.Is(err, redis.Nil) {
+			return false, nil
+		}
+
+		return
 	}
 
-	err = json.Unmarshal(b, value)
-	return
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	_, err = buf.Write(b)
+	if err != nil {
+		return
+	}
+
+	dec := gob.NewDecoder(&buf)
+	err = dec.Decode(value)
+	return true, err
 }
 
 // Del removed a value from redis