diff --git a/allianceauth/menu/apps.py b/allianceauth/menu/apps.py
index 1bea6e29..93e1b081 100644
--- a/allianceauth/menu/apps.py
+++ b/allianceauth/menu/apps.py
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ import logging
 from django.apps import AppConfig
 from django.db.utils import ProgrammingError, OperationalError
 
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 
@@ -12,8 +13,7 @@ class MenuConfig(AppConfig):
 
     def ready(self):
         try:
-            logger.debug("Syncing MenuItem Hooks")
-            from allianceauth.menu.providers import MenuItem
-            MenuItem.sync_hook_models()
+            from allianceauth.menu.providers import menu_provider
+            menu_provider.clear_synced_flag()
         except (ProgrammingError, OperationalError):
             logger.warning("Migrations not completed for MenuItems")
diff --git a/allianceauth/menu/middleware.py b/allianceauth/menu/middleware.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..440befb3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/allianceauth/menu/middleware.py
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+from django.utils.deprecation import MiddlewareMixin
+
+import logging
+
+from allianceauth.menu.providers import menu_provider
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class MenuSyncMiddleware(MiddlewareMixin):
+
+    def __call__(self, request):
+        """Alliance Auth Menu Sync Middleware"""
+        menu_provider.check_and_sync_menu()
+        return super().__call__(request)
diff --git a/allianceauth/menu/providers.py b/allianceauth/menu/providers.py
index 578a63b3..a5e3702d 100644
--- a/allianceauth/menu/providers.py
+++ b/allianceauth/menu/providers.py
@@ -1,10 +1,49 @@
-from django.template.loader import render_to_string
+import logging
 
-from allianceauth.hooks import get_hooks
+from django.core.cache import cache
 
-from .models import MenuItem
+from allianceauth.menu.models import MenuItem
+from allianceauth.utils.django import StartupCommand
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+MENU_SYNC_CACHE_KEY = "ALLIANCEAUTH-MENU-SYNCED"
+MENU_CACHE_KEY = "ALLIANCEAUTH-MENU-CACHE"
 
 
 class MenuProvider():
-    def __init__(self) -> None:
+
+    def clear_synced_flag(self) -> bool:
+        return cache.delete(MENU_SYNC_CACHE_KEY)
+
+    def set_synced_flag(self) -> bool:
+        return cache.set(MENU_SYNC_CACHE_KEY, True)
+
+    def get_synced_flag(self) -> bool:
+        return cache.get(MENU_SYNC_CACHE_KEY, False)
+
+    def sync_menu_models(self):
+        MenuItem.sync_hook_models()
+        self.set_synced_flag()
+
+    def check_and_sync_menu(self) -> None:
+        if self.get_synced_flag():
+            # performance hit to each page view to ensure tests work.
+            # tests clear DB but not cache.
+            # TODO rethink all of this?
+            if MenuItem.objects.all().count() > 0:
+                logger.debug("Menu Hooks Synced")
+            else:
+                self.sync_menu_models()
+        else:
+            logger.debug("Syncing Menu Hooks")
+            self.sync_menu_models()
+
+    def get_and_cache_menu(self):
         pass
+
+    def clear_menu_cache(self):
+        pass
+
+
+menu_provider = MenuProvider()
diff --git a/allianceauth/menu/templatetags/menu_menu_items.py b/allianceauth/menu/templatetags/menu_menu_items.py
index 04a1288a..3b6eec62 100644
--- a/allianceauth/menu/templatetags/menu_menu_items.py
+++ b/allianceauth/menu/templatetags/menu_menu_items.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ from django import template
 from allianceauth.hooks import get_hooks
 from allianceauth.menu.models import MenuItem
 
-from ..providers import MenuProvider
 
 register = template.Library()
 
diff --git a/allianceauth/permissions_tool/tests.py b/allianceauth/permissions_tool/tests.py
index 97222d67..9354a0e3 100644
--- a/allianceauth/permissions_tool/tests.py
+++ b/allianceauth/permissions_tool/tests.py
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ from django import urls
 from django.contrib.auth.models import Group, Permission
 
 from allianceauth.tests.auth_utils import AuthUtils
-from allianceauth.menu.models import MenuItem
 
 class PermissionsToolViewsTestCase(WebTest):
     def setUp(self):
@@ -34,8 +33,6 @@ class PermissionsToolViewsTestCase(WebTest):
         self.member.user_permissions.add(self.permission)
         AuthUtils.connect_signals()
 
-        # TODO find a nicer way to do this later
-        MenuItem.sync_hook_models()
 
     def test_menu_item(self):
         # If we change the side menu again this will fail again.
diff --git a/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/base.py b/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/base.py
index cb9ff5ae..a046b3d7 100644
--- a/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/base.py
+++ b/allianceauth/project_template/project_name/settings/base.py
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ PROJECT_DIR = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 BASE_DIR = os.path.dirname(PROJECT_DIR)
 
 MIDDLEWARE = [
+    'allianceauth.menu.middleware.MenuSyncMiddleware',
     'django.middleware.security.SecurityMiddleware',
     'django.contrib.sessions.middleware.SessionMiddleware',
     'allianceauth.authentication.middleware.UserSettingsMiddleware',