diff --git a/bserv/include/bserv/router.hpp b/bserv/include/bserv/router.hpp
index 4fabbdf..8367001 100644
--- a/bserv/include/bserv/router.hpp
+++ b/bserv/include/bserv/router.hpp
@@ -164,11 +164,21 @@ namespace bserv {
 				= utils::parse_params(cookie_str, 0, ';');
 			boost::ignore_unused(cookie_list);
 			std::string session_id;
+			std::shared_ptr<session_type> session_ptr;
 			if (cookie_dict.count(SESSION_NAME) != 0) {
 				session_id = cookie_dict[SESSION_NAME];
 			}
-			std::shared_ptr<session_type> session_ptr;
-			if (resources.resources.session_mgr->get_or_create(session_id, session_ptr)) {
+			else if (cookie_list.count(SESSION_NAME) != 0) {
+				std::vector<std::string>& session_ids = cookie_list[SESSION_NAME];
+				for (auto& sess_id : session_ids) {
+					if (resources.resources.session_mgr->try_get(sess_id, session_ptr)) {
+						session_id = sess_id;
+						break;
+					}
+				}
+			}
+			if (session_ptr == nullptr
+				&& resources.resources.session_mgr->get_or_create(session_id, session_ptr)) {
 				resources.response.set(http::field::set_cookie, SESSION_NAME + "=" + session_id);
 			}
 			resources.session_ptr = session_ptr;
diff --git a/bserv/include/bserv/session.hpp b/bserv/include/bserv/session.hpp
index 9d5c502..58d0c5f 100644
--- a/bserv/include/bserv/session.hpp
+++ b/bserv/include/bserv/session.hpp
@@ -37,6 +37,12 @@ namespace bserv {
 		virtual bool get_or_create(
 			std::string& key,
 			std::shared_ptr<session_type>& session_ptr) = 0;
+		// if `key` refers to an existing session, that session will be placed in
+		// `session_ptr` and this function will return `true`. otherwise, `false`.
+		// NOTE: a `shared_ptr` is returned instead of a reference.
+		virtual bool try_get(
+			const std::string& key,
+			std::shared_ptr<session_type>& session_ptr) = 0;
 	};
 
 	class memory_session_manager : public session_manager_base {
@@ -62,6 +68,9 @@ namespace bserv {
 		bool get_or_create(
 			std::string& key,
 			std::shared_ptr<session_type>& session_ptr);
+		bool try_get(
+			const std::string& key,
+			std::shared_ptr<session_type>& session_ptr);
 	};
 
 }  // bserv
diff --git a/bserv/session.cpp b/bserv/session.cpp
index 2ab42f1..238298d 100644
--- a/bserv/session.cpp
+++ b/bserv/session.cpp
@@ -47,4 +47,39 @@ namespace bserv {
         return created;
     }
 
+    bool memory_session_manager::try_get(
+        const std::string& key,
+        std::shared_ptr<session_type>& session_ptr) {
+        std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lg{ lock_ };
+        time_point now = std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+        // removes the expired sessions
+        while (!queue_.empty() && queue_.begin()->first < now) {
+            std::size_t another_key = queue_.begin()->second;
+            sessions_.erase(another_key);
+            expiry_.erase(another_key);
+            str_to_int_.erase(int_to_str_[another_key]);
+            int_to_str_.erase(another_key);
+            queue_.erase(queue_.begin());
+        }
+        bool found = true;
+        std::size_t int_key;
+        if (key.empty() || str_to_int_.count(key) == 0) {
+            found = false;
+        }
+        else {
+            int_key = str_to_int_[key];
+            queue_.erase(
+                queue_.lower_bound(
+                    std::make_pair(expiry_[int_key], int_key)));
+        }
+        // the expiry is set to be 20 minutes from now.
+        // if the session is re-visited within 20 minutes,
+        // the expiry will be extended.
+        expiry_[int_key] = now + std::chrono::minutes(20);
+        // pushes expiry-key tuple (pair) to the queue
+        queue_.emplace(expiry_[int_key], int_key);
+        session_ptr = sessions_[int_key];
+        return found;
+    }
+
 }  // bserv
\ No newline at end of file