diff --git a/src/fastcache_api/models.py b/src/fastcache_api/models.py
index 0135923..40a3e52 100644
--- a/src/fastcache_api/models.py
+++ b/src/fastcache_api/models.py
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ def to_fastcache_json(self, indent: int = 2) -> str:
 
 
 class CacheRequest(BaseModel):
-    transfer_id: str
+    # The cache's dedup/lookup identity. Could be per-transfer (transfer ID)
+    # or per-experiment (experiment name)
+    key: str
     # Human who initiated the transfer upstream (bearer token is a shared
     # service identity, so attribution must travel in the request body).
     requested_by: str
@@ -62,7 +64,7 @@ class CachePublic(BaseModel):
     model_config = ConfigDict(from_attributes=True)
 
     id: UUID
-    transfer_id: str
+    key: str | None
     user: str
     state: CacheState
     exit_code: int | None
diff --git a/src/fastcache_api/reconcile.py b/src/fastcache_api/reconcile.py
index 02dbfca..3aa3385 100644
--- a/src/fastcache_api/reconcile.py
+++ b/src/fastcache_api/reconcile.py
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ async def sweep_dead_caches() -> int:
             ec = exit_code(cache.pid)
             cache.state = CacheState.completed if ec == 0 else CacheState.failed
             cache.exit_code = ec
+            cache.key = None  # Free the key!
             logger.warning(
                 "Cache %s (pid=%d) is no longer running (exit_code=%s); marking %s",
                 cache.id,
@@ -68,6 +69,7 @@ async def watch_and_record(cache_id: UUID, pid: int) -> None:
                 return
             cache.state = CacheState.completed if exit_code == 0 else CacheState.failed
             cache.exit_code = exit_code
+            cache.key = None
             await session.commit()
     logger.info(
         "Cache %s (pid=%d) exited (code=%s); marked %s",
diff --git a/src/fastcache_api/routes/cache.py b/src/fastcache_api/routes/cache.py
index e3545df..1dcf2e1 100644
--- a/src/fastcache_api/routes/cache.py
+++ b/src/fastcache_api/routes/cache.py
@@ -1,13 +1,20 @@
 from typing import Annotated
 from uuid import UUID, uuid4
 
-from fastapi import APIRouter, BackgroundTasks, Depends, HTTPException, status
+from fastapi import (
+    APIRouter,
+    BackgroundTasks,
+    Depends,
+    HTTPException,
+    Response,
+    status,
+)
 from sqlalchemy import select
 from sqlalchemy.exc import IntegrityError
 from sqlalchemy.ext.asyncio import AsyncSession
 
 from ..config import settings
-from ..db import get_session
+from ..db import SessionLocal, get_session
 from ..dependencies import TokenPayload, require_user
 from ..lifecycle import schedule_exit_watch
 from ..models import (
@@ -20,6 +27,8 @@
 from ..process import (
     allocate_port_pair,
     canonical_hostname,
+    exit_code,
+    is_alive,
     ports_in_use,
     start_cache,
     stop_cache,
@@ -33,6 +42,29 @@
 )
 
 
+async def _find_active_by_key(session: AsyncSession, key: str) -> Cache | None:
+    result = await session.execute(
+        select(Cache).where(
+            Cache.key == key,
+            Cache.state.in_([s.value for s in CacheState if not s.is_final()]),
+        )
+    )
+    candidate = result.scalar_one_or_none()
+    if candidate is None:
+        return None
+    if is_alive(candidate.pid, candidate.create_time):
+        return candidate
+    # The row hasn't been reconciled yet (exit watcher/sweep haven't run),
+    # but the process is already gone. Finalize here and free the key so
+    # caller creates a fresh one instead.
+    ec = exit_code(candidate.pid)
+    candidate.state = CacheState.completed if ec == 0 else CacheState.failed
+    candidate.exit_code = ec
+    candidate.key = None
+    await session.commit()
+    return None
+
+
 @router.get("/", response_model=CachesPublic)
 async def get_caches(
     session: Annotated[AsyncSession, Depends(get_session)],
@@ -60,7 +92,13 @@ async def create_cache(
     req: CacheRequest,
     user: Annotated[TokenPayload, Depends(require_user)],
     session: Annotated[AsyncSession, Depends(get_session)],
+    response: Response,
 ):
+    existing = await _find_active_by_key(session, req.key)
+    if existing is not None:
+        response.status_code = status.HTTP_200_OK
+        return existing
+
     # The cache always runs as a local subprocess of this api server, so the
     # ZMQ URIs are published under this host's canonical (FQDN) name.
     hostname = canonical_hostname()
@@ -101,7 +139,7 @@ async def create_cache(
 
     cache = Cache(
         id=cache_id,
-        transfer_id=req.transfer_id,
+        key=req.key,
         pid=proc.pid,
         create_time=proc.create_time,
         user=req.requested_by,
@@ -115,18 +153,36 @@ async def create_cache(
         await session.commit()
     except IntegrityError as exc:
         await session.rollback()
-        # Don't leave an orphaned process behind for the rejected request.
+        # Lost a race with a concurrent request for the same key: don't
+        # leave our process running, join the winner instead.
         await stop_cache(proc.pid, proc.create_time, timeout=0)
-        raise HTTPException(
-            status_code=status.HTTP_409_CONFLICT,
-            detail=(f"Cache with transfer_id '{req.transfer_id}' already exists"),
-        ) from exc
+        winner = await _find_active_by_key(session, req.key)
+        if winner is None:
+            raise HTTPException(
+                status_code=status.HTTP_409_CONFLICT,
+                detail=f"Cache key '{req.key}' conflict",
+            ) from exc
+        response.status_code = status.HTTP_200_OK
+        return winner
 
     await session.refresh(cache)
     schedule_exit_watch(cache.id, proc.pid)
+    response.status_code = status.HTTP_201_CREATED
     return cache
 
 
+async def _teardown_and_free_key(
+    cache_id: UUID, pid: int, create_time: float | None
+) -> None:
+    await stop_cache(pid, create_time, settings.SHUTDOWN_GRACE_SECONDS)
+    # Only free the key once the process is confirmed stopped
+    async with SessionLocal() as session:
+        cache = await session.get(Cache, cache_id)
+        if cache is not None:
+            cache.key = None
+            await session.commit()
+
+
 @router.delete("/{cache_id}", response_model=CachePublic)
 async def shutdown_cache(
     cache_id: UUID,
@@ -145,6 +201,6 @@ async def shutdown_cache(
 
     # Tear down the process tree in the background so DELETE returns promptly.
     background_tasks.add_task(
-        stop_cache, cache.pid, cache.create_time, settings.SHUTDOWN_GRACE_SECONDS
+        _teardown_and_free_key, cache.id, cache.pid, cache.create_time
     )
     return cache
diff --git a/src/fastcache_api/tables.py b/src/fastcache_api/tables.py
index fa97719..f93b9c2 100644
--- a/src/fastcache_api/tables.py
+++ b/src/fastcache_api/tables.py
@@ -39,7 +39,16 @@ class Cache(DTMixin, Base):
     __tablename__ = "caches"
 
     id: Mapped[UUID] = mapped_column(default=uuid4, primary_key=True)
-    transfer_id: Mapped[str] = mapped_column(unique=True, doc="Unique transfer ID")
+    key: Mapped[str | None] = mapped_column(
+        unique=True,
+        default=None,
+        doc=(
+            "Dedup/lookup ID from the request (e.g. a transfer id for "
+            "a one-off cache, or a shared key like an experiment name for a "
+            "joinable one). Cleared when the cache is torn down, freeing the "
+            "key for reuse."
+        ),
+    )
     pid: Mapped[int] = mapped_column(doc="PID of the cache process")
     create_time: Mapped[float | None] = mapped_column(
         default=None,