The EJB3 SFSB caching code does something similar to what you describe with 1.4. See the nodePassivate method in [1] (it's inside the ClusteredStatefulCacheListener inner class). The technique used there was added in direct response to the issue you report [2]. Summary of what it does: 1) Use a CacheListener; you're right, it's less hacky. 2) Use TreeCache's public DataNode peek(Fqn fqn) not public Object peek(Fqn fqn, Object key). The latter calls into the interceptor chain causing your problem; the former does not. 3) Once you have the DataNode you can call DataNode's public Object get(Object key). This is all hacky, but... [1] http://anonsvn.jboss.org/repos/jbossas/branches/Branch_4_2/ejb3/src/main/... [2] https://jira.jboss.org/jira/browse/EJBTHREE-746 View the original post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=viewtopic&p=4224090#... Reply to the post : http://www.jboss.org/index.html?module=bb&op=posting&mode=reply&a...