diff --git a/wagtail/wagtailsearch/backends/elasticsearch.py b/wagtail/wagtailsearch/backends/elasticsearch.py
index e9db7fbf14..29141542a5 100644
--- a/wagtail/wagtailsearch/backends/elasticsearch.py
+++ b/wagtail/wagtailsearch/backends/elasticsearch.py
@@ -118,6 +118,8 @@ class ElasticSearchResults(object):
         self.query = query
         self.start = 0
         self.stop = None
+        self._results_cache = None
+        self._count_cache = None
 
     def _set_limits(self, start=None, stop=None):
         if stop is not None:
@@ -173,7 +175,7 @@ class ElasticSearchResults(object):
         # Return results in order given by ElasticSearch
         return [results[str(pk)] for pk in pks if results[str(pk)]]
 
-    def count(self):
+    def _do_count(self):
         # Get query
         query = self.query.to_es()
 
@@ -200,6 +202,19 @@ class ElasticSearchResults(object):
 
         return max(hit_count, 0)
 
+    def results(self):
+        if self._results_cache is None:
+            self._results_cache = self._do_search()
+        return self._results_cache
+
+    def count(self):
+        if self._count_cache is None:
+            if self._results_cache is not None:
+                self._count_cache = len(self._results_cache)
+            else:
+                self._count_cache = self._do_count()
+        return self._count_cache
+
     def __getitem__(self, key):
         new = self._clone()
 
@@ -209,17 +224,24 @@ class ElasticSearchResults(object):
             stop = int(key.stop) if key.stop else None
             new._set_limits(start, stop)
 
+            # Copy results cache
+            if self._results_cache is not None:
+                new._results_cache = self._results_cache[key]
+
             return new
         else:
+            if self._results_cache is not None:
+                return self._results_cache[key]
+
             new.start = key
             new.stop = key + 1
             return list(new)[0]
 
     def __iter__(self):
-        return iter(self._do_search())
+        return iter(self.results())
 
     def __len__(self):
-        return len(self._do_search())
+        return len(self.results())
 
     def __repr__(self):
         data = list(self[:21])