diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6bab04f..ff4e714 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -344,10 +344,10 @@ Create a new `DataLoader` given a batch loading function and options.
   | Option Key | Type | Default | Description |
   | ---------- | ---- | ------- | ----------- |
   | *batch*  | Boolean | `true` | Set to `false` to disable batching, invoking `batchLoadFn` with a single load key. This is equivalent to setting `maxBatchSize` to `1`.
-  | *maxBatchSize* | Number | `Infinity` | Limits the number of items that get passed in to the `batchLoadFn`.
-  | *cache* | Boolean | `true` | Set to `false` to disable memoization caching, creating a new Promise and new key in the `batchLoadFn` for every load of the same key.
+  | *maxBatchSize* | Number | `Infinity` | Limits the number of items that get passed in to the `batchLoadFn`. May be set to `1` to disable batching.
+  | *cache* | Boolean | `true` | Set to `false` to disable memoization caching, creating a new Promise and new key in the `batchLoadFn` for every load of the same key. This is equivalent to setting `cacheMap` to `null`.
   | *cacheKeyFn* | Function | `key => key` | Produces cache key for a given load key. Useful when objects are keys and two objects should be considered equivalent.
-  | *cacheMap* | Object | `new Map()` | Instance of [Map][] (or an object with a similar API) to be used as cache.
+  | *cacheMap* | Object | `new Map()` | Instance of [Map][] (or an object with a similar API) to be used as cache. May be set to `null` to disable caching.
 
 ##### `load(key)`
 
diff --git a/src/__tests__/abuse.test.js b/src/__tests__/abuse.test.js
index 4d68f19..95fa1f8 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/abuse.test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/abuse.test.js
@@ -170,4 +170,24 @@ describe('Provides descriptive error messages for API abuse', () => {
       'Custom cacheMap missing methods: set, delete, clear'
     );
   });
+
+  it('Requires a number for maxBatchSize', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      // $FlowExpectError
+      new DataLoader(async keys => keys, { maxBatchSize: null })
+    ).toThrow('maxBatchSize must be a positive number: null');
+  });
+
+  it('Requires a positive number for maxBatchSize', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      new DataLoader(async keys => keys, { maxBatchSize: 0 })
+    ).toThrow('maxBatchSize must be a positive number: 0');
+  });
+
+  it('Requires a function for cacheKeyFn', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      // $FlowExpectError
+      new DataLoader(async keys => keys, { cacheKeyFn: null })
+    ).toThrow('cacheKeyFn must be a function: null');
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/__tests__/dataloader.test.js b/src/__tests__/dataloader.test.js
index 9a1cf14..0aad4d6 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/dataloader.test.js
+++ b/src/__tests__/dataloader.test.js
@@ -46,6 +46,21 @@ describe('Primary API', () => {
     expect(that).toBe(loader);
   });
 
+  it('references the loader as "this" in the cache key function', async () => {
+    let that;
+    const loader = new DataLoader<number, number>(async keys => keys, {
+      cacheKeyFn(key) {
+        that = this;
+        return key;
+      }
+    });
+
+    // Trigger the cache key function
+    await loader.load(1);
+
+    expect(that).toBe(loader);
+  });
+
   it('supports loading multiple keys in one call', async () => {
     const identityLoader = new DataLoader<number, number>(async keys => keys);
 
@@ -658,6 +673,15 @@ describe('Accepts options', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it('cacheMap may be set to null to disable cache', async () => {
+    const [ identityLoader, loadCalls ] = idLoader<string>({ cacheMap: null });
+
+    await identityLoader.load('A');
+    await identityLoader.load('A');
+
+    expect(loadCalls).toEqual([ [ 'A' ], [ 'A' ] ]);
+  });
+
   it('Does not interact with a cache when cache is disabled', () => {
     const promiseX = Promise.resolve('X');
     const cacheMap = new Map([ [ 'X', promiseX ] ]);
diff --git a/src/index.d.ts b/src/index.d.ts
index 227ea06..b76a1aa 100644
--- a/src/index.d.ts
+++ b/src/index.d.ts
@@ -78,39 +78,36 @@ declare namespace DataLoader {
   export type Options<K, V, C = K> = {
 
     /**
-     * Default `true`. Set to `false` to disable batching,
-     * instead immediately invoking `batchLoadFn` with a
-     * single load key.
+     * Default `true`. Set to `false` to disable batching, invoking
+     * `batchLoadFn` with a single load key. This is equivalent to setting
+     * `maxBatchSize` to `1`.
      */
     batch?: boolean,
 
     /**
-     * Default `Infinity`. Limits the number of items that get
-     * passed in to the `batchLoadFn`.
+     * Default `Infinity`. Limits the number of items that get passed in to the
+     * `batchLoadFn`. May be set to `1` to disable batching.
      */
     maxBatchSize?: number;
 
     /**
-     * Default `true`. Set to `false` to disable memoization caching,
-     * instead creating a new Promise and new key in the `batchLoadFn` for every
-     * load of the same key.
+     * Default `true`. Set to `false` to disable memoization caching, creating a
+     * new Promise and new key in the `batchLoadFn` for every load of the same
+     * key. This is equivalent to setting `cacheMap` to `null`.
      */
     cache?: boolean,
 
     /**
-     * A function to produce a cache key for a given load key.
-     * Defaults to `key => key`. Useful to provide when JavaScript
-     * objects are keys and two similarly shaped objects should
-     * be considered equivalent.
+     * Default `key => key`. Produces cache key for a given load key. Useful
+     * when objects are keys and two objects should be considered equivalent.
      */
     cacheKeyFn?: (key: K) => C,
 
     /**
-     * An instance of Map (or an object with a similar API) to
-     * be used as the underlying cache for this loader.
-     * Default `new Map()`.
+     * Default `new Map()`. Instance of `Map` (or an object with a similar API)
+     * to be used as cache. May be set to `null` to disable caching.
      */
-    cacheMap?: CacheMap<C, Promise<V>>;
+    cacheMap?: CacheMap<C, Promise<V>> | null;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/index.js b/src/index.js
index 4598dd1..55ee8e1 100644
--- a/src/index.js
+++ b/src/index.js
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ export type Options<K, V, C = K> = {
   maxBatchSize?: number;
   cache?: boolean;
   cacheKeyFn?: (key: K) => C;
-  cacheMap?: CacheMap<C, Promise<V>>;
+  cacheMap?: CacheMap<C, Promise<V>> | null;
 };
 
 // If a custom cache is provided, it must be of this type (a subset of ES6 Map).
@@ -52,15 +52,17 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
       );
     }
     this._batchLoadFn = batchLoadFn;
-    this._options = options;
-    this._promiseCache = getValidCacheMap(options);
+    this._maxBatchSize = getValidMaxBatchSize(options);
+    this._cacheKeyFn = getValidCacheKeyFn(options);
+    this._cacheMap = getValidCacheMap(options);
     this._batch = null;
   }
 
   // Private
   _batchLoadFn: BatchLoadFn<K, V>;
-  _options: ?Options<K, V, C>;
-  _promiseCache: ?CacheMap<C, Promise<V>>;
+  _maxBatchSize: number;
+  _cacheKeyFn: K => C;
+  _cacheMap: CacheMap<C, Promise<V>> | null;
   _batch: Batch<K, V> | null;
 
   /**
@@ -74,15 +76,13 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
       );
     }
 
-    // Determine options
-    var options = this._options;
     var batch = getCurrentBatch(this);
-    var cache = this._promiseCache;
-    var cacheKey = getCacheKey(options, key);
+    var cacheMap = this._cacheMap;
+    var cacheKey = this._cacheKeyFn(key);
 
     // If caching and there is a cache-hit, return cached Promise.
-    if (cache) {
-      var cachedPromise = cache.get(cacheKey);
+    if (cacheMap) {
+      var cachedPromise = cacheMap.get(cacheKey);
       if (cachedPromise) {
         var cacheHits = batch.cacheHits || (batch.cacheHits = []);
         return new Promise(resolve => {
@@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
     });
 
     // If caching, cache this promise.
-    if (cache) {
-      cache.set(cacheKey, promise);
+    if (cacheMap) {
+      cacheMap.set(cacheKey, promise);
     }
 
     return promise;
@@ -146,10 +146,10 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
    * method chaining.
    */
   clear(key: K): this {
-    var cache = this._promiseCache;
-    if (cache) {
-      var cacheKey = getCacheKey(this._options, key);
-      cache.delete(cacheKey);
+    var cacheMap = this._cacheMap;
+    if (cacheMap) {
+      var cacheKey = this._cacheKeyFn(key);
+      cacheMap.delete(cacheKey);
     }
     return this;
   }
@@ -160,9 +160,9 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
    * method chaining.
    */
   clearAll(): this {
-    var cache = this._promiseCache;
-    if (cache) {
-      cache.clear();
+    var cacheMap = this._cacheMap;
+    if (cacheMap) {
+      cacheMap.clear();
     }
     return this;
   }
@@ -174,12 +174,12 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
    * To prime the cache with an error at a key, provide an Error instance.
    */
   prime(key: K, value: V | Error): this {
-    var cache = this._promiseCache;
-    if (cache) {
-      var cacheKey = getCacheKey(this._options, key);
+    var cacheMap = this._cacheMap;
+    if (cacheMap) {
+      var cacheKey = this._cacheKeyFn(key);
 
       // Only add the key if it does not already exist.
-      if (cache.get(cacheKey) === undefined) {
+      if (cacheMap.get(cacheKey) === undefined) {
         // Cache a rejected promise if the value is an Error, in order to match
         // the behavior of load(key).
         var promise;
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ class DataLoader<K, V, C = K> {
         } else {
           promise = Promise.resolve(value);
         }
-        cache.set(cacheKey, promise);
+        cacheMap.set(cacheKey, promise);
       }
     }
     return this;
@@ -251,21 +251,15 @@ type Batch<K, V> = {
 // Private: Either returns the current batch, or creates and schedules a
 // dispatch of a new batch for the given loader.
 function getCurrentBatch<K, V>(loader: DataLoader<K, V, any>): Batch<K, V> {
-  var options = loader._options;
-  var maxBatchSize =
-    (options && options.maxBatchSize) ||
-    (options && options.batch === false ? 1 : 0);
-
   // If there is an existing batch which has not yet dispatched and is within
   // the limit of the batch size, then return it.
   var existingBatch = loader._batch;
   if (
     existingBatch !== null &&
     !existingBatch.hasDispatched &&
-    (maxBatchSize === 0 ||
-      (existingBatch.keys.length < maxBatchSize &&
-        (!existingBatch.cacheHits ||
-          existingBatch.cacheHits.length < maxBatchSize)))
+    existingBatch.keys.length < loader._maxBatchSize &&
+    (!existingBatch.cacheHits ||
+      existingBatch.cacheHits.length < loader._maxBatchSize)
   ) {
     return existingBatch;
   }
@@ -369,34 +363,57 @@ function resolveCacheHits(batch: Batch<any, any>) {
   }
 }
 
-// Private: produce a cache key for a given key (and options)
-function getCacheKey<K, V, C>(
-  options: ?Options<K, V, C>,
-  key: K
-): C {
+// Private: given the DataLoader's options, produce a valid max batch size.
+function getValidMaxBatchSize(options: ?Options<any, any, any>): number {
+  var shouldBatch = !options || options.batch !== false;
+  if (!shouldBatch) {
+    return 1;
+  }
+  var maxBatchSize = options && options.maxBatchSize;
+  if (maxBatchSize === undefined) {
+    return Infinity;
+  }
+  if (typeof maxBatchSize !== 'number' || maxBatchSize < 1) {
+    throw new TypeError(
+      `maxBatchSize must be a positive number: ${(maxBatchSize: any)}`
+    );
+  }
+  return maxBatchSize;
+}
+
+// Private: given the DataLoader's options, produce a cache key function.
+function getValidCacheKeyFn<K, C>(options: ?Options<K, any, C>): (K => C) {
   var cacheKeyFn = options && options.cacheKeyFn;
-  return cacheKeyFn ? cacheKeyFn(key) : (key: any);
+  if (cacheKeyFn === undefined) {
+    return (key => key: any);
+  }
+  if (typeof cacheKeyFn !== 'function') {
+    throw new TypeError(`cacheKeyFn must be a function: ${(cacheKeyFn: any)}`);
+  }
+  return cacheKeyFn;
 }
 
 // Private: given the DataLoader's options, produce a CacheMap to be used.
 function getValidCacheMap<K, V, C>(
   options: ?Options<K, V, C>
-): ?CacheMap<C, Promise<V>> {
+): CacheMap<C, Promise<V>> | null {
   var shouldCache = !options || options.cache !== false;
   if (!shouldCache) {
     return null;
   }
   var cacheMap = options && options.cacheMap;
-  if (!cacheMap) {
+  if (cacheMap === undefined) {
     return new Map();
   }
-  var cacheFunctions = [ 'get', 'set', 'delete', 'clear' ];
-  var missingFunctions = cacheFunctions
-    .filter(fnName => cacheMap && typeof cacheMap[fnName] !== 'function');
-  if (missingFunctions.length !== 0) {
-    throw new TypeError(
-      'Custom cacheMap missing methods: ' + missingFunctions.join(', ')
-    );
+  if (cacheMap !== null) {
+    var cacheFunctions = [ 'get', 'set', 'delete', 'clear' ];
+    var missingFunctions = cacheFunctions
+      .filter(fnName => cacheMap && typeof cacheMap[fnName] !== 'function');
+    if (missingFunctions.length !== 0) {
+      throw new TypeError(
+        'Custom cacheMap missing methods: ' + missingFunctions.join(', ')
+      );
+    }
   }
   return cacheMap;
 }