diff --git a/doc/bloodhound.md b/doc/bloodhound.md
index dd2cd499..dc7a8144 100644
--- a/doc/bloodhound.md
+++ b/doc/bloodhound.md
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ var engine = new Bloodhound({
 });
 ```
 
-#### Bloodhound#initialize()
+#### Bloodhound#initialize(reinitialize)
 
 Kicks off the initialization of the suggestion engine. This includes processing 
 the data provided through `local` and fetching/processing the data provided 
@@ -63,6 +63,59 @@ promise
 .fail(function() { console.log('err!'); });
 ```
 
+After the initial call of `initialize`, how subsequent invocations of the method
+behave depends on the `reinitialize` argument. If `reinitialize` is falsy, the
+method will not execute the initialization logic and will just return the same 
+jQuery promise returned by the initial invocation. If `reinitialize` is truthy,
+the method will behave as if it were being called for the first time.
+
+```javascript
+var promise1 = engine.initialize();
+var promise2 = engine.initialize();
+var promise3 = engine.initialize(true);
+
+promise1 === promise2;
+promise3 !== promise1 && promise3 !== promise2;
+```
+
+#### Bloodhound#add(datums)
+
+Takes one argument, `datums`, which is expected to be an array of 
+[datums](#datums). The passed in datums will get added to the search index that
+powers the suggestion engine.
+
+```javascript
+engine.add([{ val: 'one' }, { val: 'two' }]);
+```
+
+#### Bloodhound#clear()
+
+Removes all suggestions from the search index.
+
+```javascript
+engine.clear();
+```
+
+#### Bloodhound#clearPrefetchCache()
+
+If you're using `prefetch`, data gets cached in local storage in an effort to
+cut down on unnecessary network requests. `clearPrefetchCache` offers a way to
+programmatically clear said cache.
+
+```javascript
+engine.clearPrefetchCache();
+```
+
+#### Bloodhound#clearRemoteCache()
+
+If you're using `remote`, Bloodhound will cache the 10 most recent responses
+in an effort to provide a better user experience. `clearRemoteCache` offers a 
+way to programmatically clear said cache.
+
+```javascript
+engine.clearRemoteCache();
+```
+
 <!-- section links -->
 
 [jQuery promise]: http://api.jquery.com/Types/#Promise
diff --git a/src/bloodhound/bloodhound.js b/src/bloodhound/bloodhound.js
index d1236785..10b9f775 100644
--- a/src/bloodhound/bloodhound.js
+++ b/src/bloodhound/bloodhound.js
@@ -83,10 +83,9 @@
       return deferred;
 
       function handlePrefetchResponse(resp) {
-        var filtered;
-
-        filtered = o.filter ? o.filter(resp) : resp;
-        that.add(filtered);
+        // clear to mirror the behavior of bootstrapping
+        that.clear();
+        that.add(o.filter ? o.filter(resp) : resp);
 
         that._saveToStorage(that.index.serialize(), o.thumbprint, o.ttl);
       }
@@ -105,13 +104,7 @@
       return this.transport.get(url, this.remote.ajax, handleRemoteResponse);
 
       function handleRemoteResponse(err, resp) {
-        var filtered;
-
-        // failed request is equivalent to an empty suggestion set
-        if (err) { return cb([]); }
-
-        filtered = that.remote.filter ? that.remote.filter(resp) : resp;
-        cb(filtered);
+        err ? cb([]) : cb(that.remote.filter ? that.remote.filter(resp) : resp);
       }
     },
 
@@ -140,28 +133,29 @@
       return stored.data && !isExpired ? stored.data : null;
     },
 
-    // ### public
-
-    // the contents of this function are broken out of the constructor
-    // to help improve the testability of bloodhounds
-    initialize: function initialize() {
-      var that = this, deferred;
+    _initialize: function initialize() {
+      var that = this, local = this.local, deferred;
 
       deferred = this.prefetch ?
         this._loadPrefetch(this.prefetch) : $.Deferred().resolve();
 
-      // local can be a function that returns an array of datums
-      this.local = _.isFunction(this.local) ? this.local() : this.local;
-
       // make sure local is added to the index after prefetch
-      this.local && deferred.done(addLocalToIndex);
+      local && deferred.done(addLocalToIndex);
 
       this.transport = this.remote ? new Transport(this.remote) : null;
-      this.initialize = function initialize() { return deferred.promise(); };
 
-      return deferred.promise();
+      return (this.initPromise = deferred.promise());
 
-      function addLocalToIndex() { that.add(that.local); }
+      function addLocalToIndex() {
+        // local can be a function that returns an array of datums
+        that.add(_.isFunction(local) ? local() : local);
+      }
+    },
+
+    // ### public
+
+    initialize: function initialize(force) {
+      return !this.initPromise || force ? this._initialize() : this.initPromise;
     },
 
     add: function add(data) {
@@ -208,6 +202,18 @@
       }
     },
 
+    clear: function clear() {
+      this.index.reset();
+    },
+
+    clearPrefetchCache: function clearPrefetchCache() {
+      this.storage && this.storage.clear();
+    },
+
+    clearRemoteCache: function clearRemoteCache() {
+      this.transport && Transport.resetCache();
+    },
+
     ttAdapter: function ttAdapter() { return _.bind(this.get, this); }
   });
 
diff --git a/src/bloodhound/search_index.js b/src/bloodhound/search_index.js
index 86e33c15..3f342c04 100644
--- a/src/bloodhound/search_index.js
+++ b/src/bloodhound/search_index.js
@@ -19,8 +19,7 @@ var SearchIndex = (function() {
     this.datumTokenizer = o.datumTokenizer;
     this.queryTokenizer = o.queryTokenizer;
 
-    this.datums = [];
-    this.trie = newNode();
+    this.reset();
   }
 
   // instance methods
@@ -96,6 +95,11 @@ var SearchIndex = (function() {
         _.map(unique(matches), function(id) { return that.datums[id]; }) : [];
     },
 
+    reset: function reset() {
+      this.datums = [];
+      this.trie = newNode();
+    },
+
     serialize: function serialize() {
       return { datums: this.datums, trie: this.trie };
     }
diff --git a/test/bloodhound_spec.js b/test/bloodhound_spec.js
index 88753a36..f4cbc1eb 100644
--- a/test/bloodhound_spec.js
+++ b/test/bloodhound_spec.js
@@ -10,6 +10,108 @@ describe('Bloodhound', function() {
     clearAjaxRequests();
   });
 
+  describe('#initialize', function() {
+    beforeEach(function() {
+      this.bloodhound = new Bloodhound({
+        datumTokenizer: datumTokenizer,
+        queryTokenizer: queryTokenizer,
+        local: fixtures.data.simple
+      });
+
+      spyOn(this.bloodhound, '_initialize').andCallThrough();
+    });
+
+    it('should not support reinitialization by default', function() {
+      var p1, p2;
+
+      p1 = this.bloodhound.initialize();
+      p2 = this.bloodhound.initialize();
+
+      expect(p1).toBe(p2);
+      expect(this.bloodhound._initialize.callCount).toBe(1);
+    });
+
+    it('should reinitialize if reintialize flag is true', function() {
+      var p1, p2;
+
+      p1 = this.bloodhound.initialize();
+      p2 = this.bloodhound.initialize(true);
+
+      expect(p1).not.toBe(p2);
+      expect(this.bloodhound._initialize.callCount).toBe(2);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('#add', function() {
+    it('should add datums to search index', function() {
+      var spy = jasmine.createSpy();
+
+      this.bloodhound = new Bloodhound({
+        datumTokenizer: datumTokenizer,
+        queryTokenizer: queryTokenizer,
+        local: []
+      });
+      this.bloodhound.initialize();
+      this.bloodhound.add(fixtures.data.simple);
+
+      this.bloodhound.get('big', spy);
+
+      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith([
+        { value: 'big' },
+        { value: 'bigger' },
+        { value: 'biggest' }
+      ]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('#clear', function() {
+    it('should remove all datums to search index', function() {
+      var spy = jasmine.createSpy();
+
+      this.bloodhound = new Bloodhound({
+        datumTokenizer: datumTokenizer,
+        queryTokenizer: queryTokenizer,
+        local: fixtures.data.simple
+      });
+      this.bloodhound.initialize();
+      this.bloodhound.clear();
+
+      this.bloodhound.get('big', spy);
+
+      expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalledWith([]);
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('#clearPrefetchCache', function() {
+    it('should clear persistent storage', function() {
+      this.bloodhound = new Bloodhound({
+        datumTokenizer: datumTokenizer,
+        queryTokenizer: queryTokenizer,
+        prefetch: '/test'
+      });
+      this.bloodhound.initialize();
+      this.bloodhound.clearPrefetchCache();
+
+      expect(this.bloodhound.storage.clear).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('#clearRemoteCache', function() {
+    it('should clear remote request cache', function() {
+      spyOn(Transport, 'resetCache');
+
+      this.bloodhound = new Bloodhound({
+        datumTokenizer: datumTokenizer,
+        queryTokenizer: queryTokenizer,
+        remote: '/test'
+      });
+      this.bloodhound.initialize();
+
+      this.bloodhound.clearRemoteCache();
+      expect(Transport.resetCache).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+  });
+
   describe('local', function() {
     describe('when local is an array', function() {
       beforeEach(function() {
@@ -140,6 +242,20 @@ describe('Bloodhound', function() {
       ]);
     });
 
+    it('should clear preexisting data', function() {
+      this.bloodhound = new Bloodhound({
+        datumTokenizer: datumTokenizer,
+        queryTokenizer: queryTokenizer,
+        prefetch: '/test'
+      });
+
+      spyOn(this.bloodhound, 'clear');
+      this.bloodhound.initialize();
+
+      mostRecentAjaxRequest().response(fixtures.ajaxResps.ok);
+      expect(this.bloodhound.clear).toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
+
     it('should filter data if filter is provided', function() {
       var filterSpy, spy;
 
diff --git a/test/search_index_spec.js b/test/search_index_spec.js
index 65655f90..b41e4af2 100644
--- a/test/search_index_spec.js
+++ b/test/search_index_spec.js
@@ -45,6 +45,13 @@ describe('SearchIndex', function() {
     expect(this.searchIndex.get('wtf')).toEqual([]);
   });
 
+  it('#reset should empty the search index', function() {
+    this.searchIndex.reset();
+    expect(this.searchIndex.datums).toEqual([]);
+    expect(this.searchIndex.trie.ids).toEqual([]);
+    expect(this.searchIndex.trie.children).toEqual({});
+  });
+
   // helper functions
   // ----------------