diff --git a/DOCS.md b/DOCS.md
index 6594768..2d2cf02 100644
--- a/DOCS.md
+++ b/DOCS.md
@@ -63,7 +63,7 @@ The second field, on the contrary, is a table of optional parameters: they defin
   * `selected_image =`: (string) the image to show when a slot is selected  
   If a field is not declared, it'll keep the server defaults
 * `join_while_in_progress`: (bool) whether the minigame allows to join an ongoing match. Default is `false`
-* `keep_inventory`: (bool) whether to keep players inventories when joining an arena. Default is `false`
+* `keep_inventory`: (bool) whether to keep players inventories when joining an arena. Default is `false`. Check out also `STORE_INVENTORY_MODE` in `SETTINGS.lua`, to choose whether and how to store players' inventory
 * `show_nametags`: (bool) whether to show the players nametags while in game. Default is `false`
 * `show_minimap`: (bool) whether to allow players to use the builtin minimap function. Default is `false`
 * `time_mode`: (int) whether arenas will keep track of the time or not.
diff --git a/SETTINGS.lua b/SETTINGS.lua
index d0a4694..175a0d5 100644
--- a/SETTINGS.lua
+++ b/SETTINGS.lua
@@ -11,3 +11,12 @@ arena_lib.SERVER_PHYSICS = {
   sneak_glitch = false,
   new_move = true
 }
+
+-- for mods where `keep_inventory = false`.
+-- It determines whether the inventory before entering an arena should be stored
+-- and where. When stored, players will get it back either when the match ends or,
+-- if they disconnect/the server crashes, next time they log in.
+-- "none" = don't store
+-- "mod_db" = store in the arena_lib mod database
+-- "external_db" = store in an external database -TODO: NOT YET IMPLEMENTED
+arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE = "mod_db"
diff --git a/api.lua b/api.lua
index fd7e40c..aaabf9a 100755
--- a/api.lua
+++ b/api.lua
@@ -1106,8 +1106,6 @@ end
 -- winner_name può essere stringa (no team) o tabella di nomi (team)
 function arena_lib.load_celebration(mod, arena, winner_name)
 
-  local mod_ref = arena_lib.mods[mod]
-
   arena.in_celebration = true
   arena_lib.update_sign(arena)
 
@@ -1128,6 +1126,8 @@ function arena_lib.load_celebration(mod, arena, winner_name)
     winning_message = S("Team @1 wins the game", arena.teams[winner_team_ID].name)
   end
 
+  local mod_ref = arena_lib.mods[mod]
+
   arena_lib.HUD_send_msg_all("title", arena, winning_message, mod_ref.celebration_time)
 
   -- eventuale codice aggiuntivo
@@ -1241,7 +1241,6 @@ function arena_lib.is_player_in_arena(p_name, mod)
     end
 
     return true
-
   end
 end
 
@@ -1261,7 +1260,6 @@ function arena_lib.is_player_in_queue(p_name, mod)
     end
 
     return true
-
   end
 end
 
@@ -1497,6 +1495,44 @@ end
 
 
 
+--WARNING: internal use only
+function arena_lib.restore_inventory(p_name)
+
+  if arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE == "mod_db" and storage:get_string(p_name .. ".INVENTORY") ~= "" then
+
+    local stored_inv = minetest.deserialize(storage:get_string(p_name .. ".INVENTORY"))
+    local current_inv = minetest.get_player_by_name(p_name):get_inventory()
+
+    -- ripristino l'inventario
+    for listname, content in pairs(stored_inv) do
+      -- se una lista non esiste più (es. son cambiate le mod), la rimuovo
+      if not current_inv:get_list(listname) then
+        stored_inv[listname] = nil
+      else
+        for i_name, i_def in pairs(content) do
+          stored_inv[listname][i_name] = ItemStack(i_def)
+        end
+      end
+    end
+
+    -- quando una lista viene salvata, la sua grandezza equivarrà all'ultimo slot contenente
+    -- un oggetto. Per evitare quindi che reimpostando la lista, l'inventario si rimpicciolisca,
+    -- salvo prima la grandezza dell'inventario immacolato, applico la lista e poi reimposto la grandezza.
+    -- Questo mi evita di dover salvare nel database la grandezza di ogni lista.
+    for listname, _ in pairs (current_inv:get_lists()) do
+      local list_size = current_inv:get_size(listname)
+      current_inv:set_list(listname, stored_inv[listname])
+      current_inv:set_size(listname, list_size)
+    end
+
+    storage:set_string(p_name .. ".INVENTORY", "")
+  -- TODO: storaggio database esterno
+  --elseif arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE == "external_db" then
+  end
+end
+
+
+
 function arena_lib.send_message_players_in_arena(arena, msg, teamID, except_teamID)
 
   if teamID then
@@ -2081,8 +2117,28 @@ function operations_before_entering_arena(mod_ref, mod, arena, arena_ID, p_name)
   -- chiudo eventuali formspec
   minetest.close_formspec(p_name, "")
 
-  -- svuoto eventualmente l'inventario
+  -- svuoto eventualmente l'inventario, decidendo se e come salvarlo
   if not mod_ref.keep_inventory then
+    if arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE == "mod_db" then
+
+      local p_inv = player:get_inventory()
+      local stored_inv = {}
+
+      -- itero ogni lista non vuota per convertire tutti gli itemstack in tabelle (sennò non li serializza)
+      for listname, content in pairs(p_inv:get_lists()) do
+        if not p_inv:is_empty(listname) then
+          stored_inv[listname] = {}
+          for i_name, i_def in pairs(content) do
+            stored_inv[listname][i_name] = i_def:to_table()
+          end
+        end
+      end
+
+      storage:set_string(p_name .. ".INVENTORY", minetest.serialize(stored_inv))
+    -- TODO: storaggio database esterno
+    --elseif arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE == "external_db" then
+    end
+
     player:get_inventory():set_list("main",{})
     player:get_inventory():set_list("craft",{})
   end
@@ -2101,10 +2157,14 @@ function operations_before_leaving_arena(mod_ref, arena, p_name)
 
   local player = minetest.get_player_by_name(p_name)
 
-  -- svuoto eventualmente l'inventario
+  -- svuoto eventualmente l'inventario e ripristino gli oggetti
   if not mod_ref.keep_inventory then
     player:get_inventory():set_list("main", {})
     player:get_inventory():set_list("craft",{})
+
+    if arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE ~= "none" then
+      arena_lib.restore_inventory(p_name)
+    end
   end
 
   -- resetto eventuali texture
diff --git a/player_manager.lua b/player_manager.lua
index 55a2655..94f4882 100755
--- a/player_manager.lua
+++ b/player_manager.lua
@@ -2,6 +2,10 @@ minetest.register_on_joinplayer(function(player)
 
   arena_lib.HUD_add(player)
 
+  if arena_lib.STORE_INVENTORY_MODE ~= "none" then
+    arena_lib.restore_inventory(player:get_player_name())
+  end
+
   -- nel caso qualcuno si fosse disconnesso da dentro all'editor o fosse crashato il server con qualcuno nell'editor
   if player:get_inventory():contains_item("main", "arena_lib:editor_quit") then