diff --git a/cache.rkt b/cache.rkt
index 3677e18..02c0ac2 100644
--- a/cache.rkt
+++ b/cache.rkt
@@ -144,9 +144,11 @@
   
   (when (not (file-exists? path))
     (error (format "cached-require: ~a does not exist" path)))
+
+  (define-values (path-dir path-name _) (split-path path))
   
   (cond
-    [(world:current-compile-cache-active)
+    [(world:current-compile-cache-active path-dir)
      (define key (paths->key path))
      (hash-ref (hash-ref! ram-cache key (λ _
                                           (cache-ref! key (λ _ (path->hash path))))) subkey)]
diff --git a/render.rkt b/render.rkt
index 6c31bd8..9f95c81 100644
--- a/render.rkt
+++ b/render.rkt
@@ -105,6 +105,8 @@
   (cond
     [(not (file-exists? output-path)) 'file-missing]
     [(mod-date-missing-or-changed? source-path template-path) 'mod-key-missing-or-changed]
+    [(let-values ([(source-dir source-name _) (split-path source-path)])
+       (not (world:current-render-cache-active source-dir))) 'render-cache-deactivated]
     [else #f]))
 
 
diff --git a/scribblings/world.scrbl b/scribblings/world.scrbl
index 823ee94..cd462b3 100644
--- a/scribblings/world.scrbl
+++ b/scribblings/world.scrbl
@@ -120,6 +120,8 @@ Default separators used in decoding. The first two are initialized to @racket["\
 
 @defoverridable[paths-excluded-from-dashboard (listof path?)]{Paths not shown in the Pollen dashboard.}
 
+@defoverridable[render-cache-active boolean?]{Whether the render cache, which speeds up interactive sessions by reusing rendered versions of Pollen output files, is active. Default is active (@racket[#t]).}
+
 @defoverridable[compile-cache-active boolean?]{Whether the compile cache, which speeds up interactive sessions by saving compiled versions of Pollen source files, is active. Default is active (@racket[#t]).}
 
 @defoverridable[compile-cache-max-size exact-positive-integer?]{Maximum size of the compile cache. Default is 10 megabytes.}
diff --git a/world.rkt b/world.rkt
index f51e260..c6efbb1 100644
--- a/world.rkt
+++ b/world.rkt
@@ -8,14 +8,17 @@
 
 (define directory-require "pollen.rkt")
 
-(define (get-path-to-override)
+(define (get-path-to-override [starting-dir (current-directory)])
+  ;; for now, let `path->complete-path` flag any argument errors (test here is redundant)
+  #;(when (or (not (path? starting-dir)) (not (directory-exists? starting-dir)))
+    (error 'get-path-to-override (format "~a is not a directory" starting-dir)))
   (define file-with-config-submodule directory-require)
   (define (dirname path)
     (let-values ([(dir name dir?) (split-path path)])
       dir))  
-  (let loop ([dir (current-directory)][path file-with-config-submodule])
+  (let loop ([dir starting-dir][path file-with-config-submodule])
     (and dir ; dir is #f when it hits the top of the filesystem
-         (let ([completed-path (path->complete-path path)]) 
+         (let ([completed-path (path->complete-path path starting-dir)])
            (if (file-exists? completed-path)
                (simplify-path completed-path)
                (loop (dirname dir) (build-path 'up path)))))))
@@ -33,8 +36,10 @@
        #'(begin
            (define base-name default-value)
            (define fail-thunk-name (λ _ base-name))
-           (define current-name (λ _ (with-handlers ([exn:fail? fail-thunk-name])
-                                       (dynamic-require `(submod ,(get-path-to-override) config-submodule) 'base-name fail-thunk-name))))))]))
+           ;; can take a dir argument that sets start point for (get-path-to-override) search.
+           (define current-name (λ get-path-args
+                                  (with-handlers ([exn:fail? fail-thunk-name])
+                                    (dynamic-require `(submod ,(apply get-path-to-override get-path-args) config-submodule) 'base-name fail-thunk-name))))))]))
 
 (define-settable pollen-version "0.1508")
 
@@ -96,6 +101,7 @@
 (define-settable extension-escape-char #\_)
 
 (define-settable compile-cache-active #t)
+(define-settable render-cache-active #t)
 (define-settable compile-cache-max-size (* 10 1024 1024)) ; = 10 megabytes
 
 (define-settable unpublished-path? (λ(path) #f))