diff --git a/newbrt/kv-pair.h b/newbrt/kv-pair.h
index 31042f5dcc8..d7f6f1b5ea2 100644
--- a/newbrt/kv-pair.h
+++ b/newbrt/kv-pair.h
@@ -53,6 +53,28 @@ static inline int kv_pair_vallen(struct kv_pair *pair) {
     return pair->vallen;
 }
 
+/* use the low bit to indicate an inuse pair that is deleted */
+
+static inline int kv_pair_inuse(struct kv_pair *pair) {
+    return pair != 0;
+}
+
+static inline int kv_pair_deleted(struct kv_pair *pair) {
+    return ((long) pair & 1) != 0;
+}
+
+static inline int kv_pair_valid(struct kv_pair *pair) {
+    return kv_pair_inuse(pair) && !kv_pair_deleted(pair);
+}
+
+static inline struct kv_pair *kv_pair_set_deleted(struct kv_pair *pair) {
+    return (struct kv_pair *) ((long) pair | 1);
+}
+
+static inline struct kv_pair *kv_pair_ptr(struct kv_pair *pair) {
+    return (struct kv_pair *) ((long) pair & ~1);
+}
+
 struct kv_pair_tag {
     struct kv_pair *pair;
     int oldtag, newtag;
diff --git a/newbrt/pma-internal.h b/newbrt/pma-internal.h
index 977f4a6e30b..f9f40212168 100644
--- a/newbrt/pma-internal.h
+++ b/newbrt/pma-internal.h
@@ -60,6 +60,17 @@ void __pma_update_my_cursors(PMA pma, struct kv_pair_tag *tpairs, int n);
  */
 void __pma_delete_at(PMA pma, int here);
 
+/*
+ * finish a deletion from the pma. called when there are no cursor references
+ * to the kv pair.
+ */
+void __pma_delete_finish(PMA pma, int here);
+
+/*
+ * count the number of cursors that reference a pma pair
+ */
+int __pma_count_cursor_refs(PMA pma, int here);
+
 /* density thresholds */
 #define PMA_LDT_HIGH  0.25
 #define PMA_LDT_LOW  0.40
diff --git a/newbrt/pma-test.c b/newbrt/pma-test.c
index 263d69a9d8f..7c288750b2f 100644
--- a/newbrt/pma-test.c
+++ b/newbrt/pma-test.c
@@ -609,12 +609,94 @@ void test_pma_cursor_4 (void) {
     assert(error == 0);
 }
 
+void test_pma_cursor_delete(int n) {
+    printf("test_pma_cursor_delete:%d\n", n);
+
+    PMA pma;
+    int error;
+
+    error = pma_create(&pma, default_compare_fun);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    /* insert 1 -> 42 */
+    DBT key, val; int k, v;
+    int i;
+    for (i=0; i<n; i++) {
+        k = i; v = -i;
+        fill_dbt(&key, &k, sizeof k);
+        fill_dbt(&val, &v, sizeof v);
+        error = pma_insert(pma, &key, &val, 0);
+        assert(error == 0);
+    }
+
+    /* point the cursor to the first kv */
+    PMA_CURSOR cursor;
+    error = pma_cursor(pma, &cursor);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    DBT cursorkey, cursorval;
+    init_dbt(&cursorkey); cursorkey.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    init_dbt(&cursorval); cursorval.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    error = pma_cget_current(cursor, &cursorkey, &cursorval);
+    assert(error != 0);
+
+    error = pma_cursor_set_position_first(cursor);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    int kk;
+    init_dbt(&cursorkey); cursorkey.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    init_dbt(&cursorval); cursorval.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    error = pma_cget_current(cursor, &cursorkey, &cursorval);
+    assert(error == 0);
+    assert(cursorkey.size == sizeof kk);
+    kk = 0;
+    assert(0 == memcmp(cursorkey.data, &kk, sizeof kk));
+    toku_free(cursorkey.data);
+    toku_free(cursorval.data);
+
+    /* delete the first key */
+    k = 0; 
+    fill_dbt(&key, &k, sizeof k);
+    error = pma_delete(pma, &key, 0);
+    assert(error == 0);
+  
+    /* cursor get should fail */
+    init_dbt(&cursorkey); cursorkey.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    init_dbt(&cursorval); cursorval.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    error = pma_cget_current(cursor, &cursorkey, &cursorval);
+    assert(error != 0);
+
+    error = pma_cursor_set_position_next(cursor);
+    if (n <= 1)
+        assert(error != 0);
+    else {
+        assert(error == 0);
+        init_dbt(&cursorkey); cursorkey.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+        init_dbt(&cursorval); cursorval.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+        error = pma_cget_current(cursor, &cursorkey, &cursorval);
+        assert(error == 0);
+        assert(cursorkey.size == sizeof kk);
+        kk = 1;
+        assert(0 == memcmp(cursorkey.data, &kk, sizeof kk));
+        toku_free(cursorkey.data);
+        toku_free(cursorval.data);
+    }
+
+    error = pma_cursor_free(&cursor);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    error = pma_free(&pma);
+    assert(error == 0);
+}
+
 void test_pma_cursor (void) {
     test_pma_cursor_0();
     test_pma_cursor_1();
     test_pma_cursor_2();
     test_pma_cursor_3();
     test_pma_cursor_4();
+    test_pma_cursor_delete(1);
+    test_pma_cursor_delete(2);
 }
 
 int wrong_endian_compare_fun (DB *ignore __attribute__((__unused__)),
@@ -1243,10 +1325,74 @@ void test_pma_delete_cursor(int n) {
     assert(r == 0);
 }
 
+/*
+ * insert k,1
+ * place cursor at k
+ * delete k
+ * cursor get current
+ * lookup k
+ * insert k,2
+ * lookup k
+ * cursor get current 
+ */
+void test_pma_delete_insert() {
+    printf("test_pma_delete_insert\n");
+
+    PMA pma;
+    int error;
+
+    error = pma_create(&pma, default_compare_fun);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    PMA_CURSOR pmacursor;
+
+    error = pma_cursor(pma, &pmacursor);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    DBT key, val;
+    int k, v;
+
+    k = 1; v = 1;
+    fill_dbt(&key, &k, sizeof k);
+    fill_dbt(&val, &v, sizeof v);
+    error = pma_insert(pma, &key, &val, 0);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    error = pma_cursor_set_position_first(pmacursor);
+    assert(error == 0);
+    assert_cursor_equal(pmacursor, 1);
+
+    k = 1;
+    fill_dbt(&key, &k, sizeof k);
+    error = pma_delete(pma, &key, 0);
+    assert(error == 0);
+    assert_cursor_nokey(pmacursor);
+
+    k = 1;
+    fill_dbt(&key, &k, sizeof k);
+    init_dbt(&val); val.flags = DB_DBT_MALLOC;
+    error = pma_lookup(pma, &key, &val, 0);
+    assert(error != 0);
+
+    k = 1; v = 2;
+    fill_dbt(&key, &k, sizeof k);
+    fill_dbt(&val, &v, sizeof v);
+    error = pma_insert(pma, &key, &val, 0);
+    assert(error == 0);
+    assert_cursor_equal(pmacursor, 2);
+
+    error = pma_cursor_free(&pmacursor);
+    assert(error == 0);
+
+    error = pma_free(&pma);
+    assert(error == 0);
+}
+
 void test_pma_delete() {
     test_pma_delete_shrink(256);  memory_check_all_free();
     test_pma_delete_random(256);  memory_check_all_free();
     test_pma_delete_cursor(32);   memory_check_all_free();
+    test_pma_delete_insert();     memory_check_all_free();
 }
 
 void pma_tests (void) {
diff --git a/newbrt/pma.c b/newbrt/pma.c
index 3236984bc54..a5f06613d95 100644
--- a/newbrt/pma.c
+++ b/newbrt/pma.c
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@
 #include <errno.h>
 /* Only needed for testing. */
 #include <string.h>
-
 #include "list.h"
 #include "kv-pair.h"
 #include "pma-internal.h"
@@ -29,14 +28,14 @@ int pma_index_limit (PMA pma) {
 
 int pmanode_valid (PMA pma, int i) {
     assert(0<=i); assert(i<pma_index_limit(pma));
-    return pma->pairs[i] != 0;
+    return kv_pair_inuse(pma->pairs[i]);
 }
 
 bytevec pmanode_key (PMA pma, int i) {
     struct kv_pair *pair;
     assert(0<=i); assert(i<pma_index_limit(pma));
     pair = pma->pairs[i];
-    assert(pair);
+    assert(kv_pair_valid(pair));
     return kv_pair_key(pair);
 }
 
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ ITEMLEN pmanode_keylen (PMA pma, int i) {
     struct kv_pair *pair;
     assert(0<=i); assert(i<pma_index_limit(pma));
     pair = pma->pairs[i];
-    assert(pair);
+    assert(kv_pair_valid(pair));
     return kv_pair_keylen(pair);
 }
 
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ bytevec pmanode_val (PMA pma, int i) {
     struct kv_pair *pair;
     assert(0<=i); assert(i<pma_index_limit(pma));
     pair = pma->pairs[i];
-    assert(pair);
+    assert(kv_pair_valid(pair));
     return kv_pair_val(pair);
 }
 
@@ -60,7 +59,7 @@ ITEMLEN pmanode_vallen (PMA pma, int i) {
     struct kv_pair *pair;
     assert(0<=i); assert(i<pma_index_limit(pma));
     pair = pma->pairs[i];
-    assert(pair);
+    assert(kv_pair_valid(pair));
     return kv_pair_vallen(pair);
 }
 
@@ -72,7 +71,7 @@ int pma_random_pick(PMA pma, bytevec *key, ITEMLEN *keylen, bytevec *val, ITEMLE
     /* For now a simple implementation where we simply start at the beginning and look. */
     for (i=0; i<pma_index_limit(pma); i++) {
 	struct kv_pair *pair = pma->pairs[i];
-        if (pair) {
+        if (kv_pair_valid(pair)) {
 	    *key = kv_pair_key(pair);
 	    *keylen = kv_pair_keylen(pair);
 	    *val = kv_pair_val(pair);
@@ -90,7 +89,7 @@ int pma_random_pick(PMA pma, bytevec *key, ITEMLEN *keylen, bytevec *val, ITEMLE
     for (i=0; i<l; i++) {
 	int ir=(i+r)%l;
         struct kv_pair *pair = pma->pairs[ir];
-	if (pair) {
+	if (kv_pair_valid(pair)) {
 	    *key = kv_pair_key(pair);
 	    *keylen = kv_pair_keylen(pair);
 	    *val = kv_pair_val(pair);
@@ -125,10 +124,12 @@ int pmainternal_find (PMA pma, DBT *k, DB *db) {
 	int mid;
 	// Scan forward looking for a non-null value.
 	for (mid=(lo+hi)/2; mid<hi; mid++) {
-	    if (pma->pairs[mid]!=0) {
+            struct kv_pair *kv = pma->pairs[mid];
+	    if (kv_pair_inuse(kv)) {
 		// Found one.
+                kv = kv_pair_ptr(kv);
 		DBT k2;
-		int cmp = pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, pma->pairs[mid]->key, pma->pairs[mid]->keylen));
+		int cmp = pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, kv->key, kv->keylen));
 		if (cmp==0) return mid;
 		else if (cmp<0) {
 		    /* key is smaller than the midpoint, so look in the low half. */
@@ -175,8 +176,8 @@ int pmainternal_printpairs (struct kv_pair *pairs[], int N) {
     printf("{");
     for (i=0; i<N; i++) {
         if (i!=0) printf(" ");
-        if (pairs[i]) {
-            printf("%s", (char*)pairs[i]->key);
+        if (kv_pair_valid(pairs[i])) {
+            printf("%s", (char*)kv_pair_key(pairs[i]));
             count++;
         }
         else printf("_");
@@ -224,7 +225,7 @@ int pmainternal_smooth_region (struct kv_pair *pairs[], int n, int idx, int base
     int i;
     int n_present=0;
     for (i=0; i<n; i++) {
-	if (pairs[i]) n_present++;
+	if (kv_pair_inuse(pairs[i])) n_present++;
     }
     n_present++; // Save one for the blank guy.
     {
@@ -241,7 +242,7 @@ int pmainternal_smooth_region (struct kv_pair *pairs[], int n, int idx, int base
 	    if (i==idx) {
 		tmppairs[n_saved++].pair = 0;
 	    }
-	    if (pairs[i]) {
+	    if (kv_pair_inuse(pairs[i])) {
                 tmppairs[n_saved].oldtag = base + i;
 		tmppairs[n_saved++].pair = pairs[i];
 	    }
@@ -295,7 +296,7 @@ void pmainternal_calculate_parameters (PMA pma) {
 int pmainternal_count_region (struct kv_pair *pairs[], int lo, int hi) {
     int n=0;
     while (lo<hi) {
-	if (pairs[lo]) n++;
+	if (kv_pair_inuse(pairs[lo])) n++;
 	lo++;
     }
     return n;
@@ -376,7 +377,7 @@ int pma_cursor_get_pma(PMA_CURSOR c, PMA *pmap) {
 int pma_cursor_set_position_last (PMA_CURSOR c) {
     PMA pma = c->pma;
     c->position=pma->N-1;
-    while (c->pma->pairs[c->position]==0) {
+    while (!kv_pair_valid(c->pma->pairs[c->position])) {
 	if (c->position>0) c->position--;
 	else return DB_NOTFOUND;
     }
@@ -388,8 +389,11 @@ int pma_cursor_set_position_prev (PMA_CURSOR c) {
     int old_position = c->position;
     c->position--;
     while (c->position >= 0) {
-        if (pma->pairs[c->position] != 0)
+        if (kv_pair_valid(pma->pairs[c->position])) {
+            if (old_position >= 0 && kv_pair_deleted(pma->pairs[old_position]) &&__pma_count_cursor_refs(pma, old_position) == 0)
+                __pma_delete_finish(pma, old_position);
             return 0;
+        }
         c->position--;
     }
     c->position = old_position;
@@ -399,7 +403,7 @@ int pma_cursor_set_position_prev (PMA_CURSOR c) {
 int pma_cursor_set_position_first (PMA_CURSOR c) {
     PMA pma = c->pma;
     c->position=0;
-    while (c->pma->pairs[c->position]==0) {
+    while (!kv_pair_valid(c->pma->pairs[c->position])) {
 	if (c->position+1<pma->N) c->position++;
 	else return DB_NOTFOUND;
     }
@@ -411,17 +415,24 @@ int pma_cursor_set_position_next (PMA_CURSOR c) {
     int old_position=c->position;
     c->position++;
     while (c->position<pma->N) {
-	if (c->pma->pairs[c->position]!=0) return 0;
-	c->position++;
+	if (kv_pair_valid(c->pma->pairs[c->position])) {
+            if (old_position >= 0 && kv_pair_deleted(pma->pairs[old_position]) && __pma_count_cursor_refs(pma, old_position) == 0)
+                __pma_delete_finish(pma, old_position);
+            return 0;
+	}
+        c->position++;
     }
     c->position=old_position;
     return DB_NOTFOUND;
 }
 
 int pma_cget_current (PMA_CURSOR c, DBT *key, DBT *val) {
+    if (c->position == -1)
+        return DB_NOTFOUND;
     PMA pma = c->pma;
     struct kv_pair *pair = pma->pairs[c->position];
-    if (pair==0) return BRT_KEYEMPTY;
+    if (!kv_pair_valid(pair)) 
+        return BRT_KEYEMPTY;
     ybt_set_value(key, pair->key, pair->keylen, &c->skey);
     ybt_set_value(val, pair->key + pair->keylen, pair->vallen, &c->sval);
     return 0;
@@ -445,7 +456,12 @@ int pma_cget_first (PMA_CURSOR c, YBT *key, YBT *val) {
 
 int pma_cursor_free (PMA_CURSOR *cursp) {
     PMA_CURSOR curs=*cursp;
+    PMA pma = curs->pma;
     list_remove(&curs->next);
+    if (curs->position >= 0 && kv_pair_deleted(pma->pairs[curs->position]) &&
+        __pma_count_cursor_refs(pma, curs->position) == 0) {
+        __pma_delete_finish(pma, curs->position);
+    }
     if (curs->skey) toku_free(curs->skey);
     if (curs->sval) toku_free(curs->sval);
     toku_free(curs);
@@ -524,7 +540,7 @@ enum pma_errors pma_lookup (PMA pma, DBT *k, DBT *v, DB *db) {
     assert(0<=l ); assert(l<=pma_index_limit(pma));
     if (l==pma_index_limit(pma)) return DB_NOTFOUND;
     pair = pma->pairs[l];
-    if (pair!=0 && pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, pair->key, pair->keylen))==0) {
+    if (kv_pair_valid(pair) && pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, pair->key, pair->keylen))==0) {
         return ybt_set_value(v, pair->key + pair->keylen, pair->vallen, &pma->sval);
     } else {
         return DB_NOTFOUND;
@@ -541,8 +557,9 @@ int pma_free (PMA *pmap) {
     
     if (pma->n_pairs_present > 0) {
         for (i=0; i < pma->N; i++) {
-            if (pma->pairs[i]) {
-                kv_pair_free(pma->pairs[i]);
+            struct kv_pair *kv = pma->pairs[i];
+            if (kv_pair_inuse(kv)) {
+                kv_pair_free(kv_pair_ptr(kv));
                 pma->pairs[i] = 0;
                 pma->n_pairs_present--;
             }
@@ -562,14 +579,19 @@ int pma_insert (PMA pma, DBT *k, DBT *v, DB* db) {
     int idx = pmainternal_find(pma, k, db);
     if (idx < pma_index_limit(pma) && pma->pairs[idx]) {
         DBT k2;
-        if (0==pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, pma->pairs[idx]->key, pma->pairs[idx]->keylen))) {
-            return BRT_ALREADY_THERE; /* It is already here.  Return an error. */
+        struct kv_pair *kv = kv_pair_ptr(pma->pairs[idx]);
+        if (0==pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, kv->key, kv->keylen))) {
+            if (kv_pair_deleted(pma->pairs[idx])) {
+                pma->pairs[idx] = kv_pair_realloc_same_key(kv, v->data, v->size);
+                return BRT_OK;
+            } else
+                return BRT_ALREADY_THERE; /* It is already here.  Return an error. */
         }
     }
-    if (pma->pairs[idx]) {
+    if (kv_pair_inuse(pma->pairs[idx])) {
         idx = pmainternal_make_space_at (pma, idx); /* returns the new idx. */
     }
-    assert(!pma->pairs[idx]);
+    assert(!kv_pair_inuse(pma->pairs[idx]));
     pma->pairs[idx] = kv_pair_malloc(k->data, k->size, v->data, v->size);
     assert(pma->pairs[idx]);
     pma->n_pairs_present++;
@@ -580,18 +602,27 @@ int pma_delete (PMA pma, DBT *k, DB *db) {
     int l;
 
     l = pmainternal_find(pma, k, db);
-    struct kv_pair *pair = pma->pairs[l];
-    if (pair==0) {
+    struct kv_pair *kv = pma->pairs[l];
+    if (!kv_pair_inuse(kv)) {
 	printf("%s:%d l=%d r=%d\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, l, DB_NOTFOUND);
 	return DB_NOTFOUND;
     }
-    kv_pair_free(pair);
-    pma->pairs[l] = 0;
-    pma->n_pairs_present--;
-    __pma_delete_at(pma, l);
+    pma->pairs[l] = kv_pair_set_deleted(kv);
+    if (__pma_count_cursor_refs(pma, l) == 0)
+        __pma_delete_finish(pma, l);
     return BRT_OK;
 }
 
+void __pma_delete_finish(PMA pma, int here) {
+    struct kv_pair *kv = pma->pairs[here];
+    if (!kv_pair_inuse(kv))
+        return;
+    kv_pair_free(kv_pair_ptr(kv));
+    pma->pairs[here] = 0;
+    pma->n_pairs_present--;
+    __pma_delete_at(pma, here);
+}
+
 void __pma_delete_at(PMA pma, int here) {
     int size;
     int count;
@@ -666,19 +697,21 @@ int pma_insert_or_replace (PMA pma, DBT *k, DBT *v, DB *db,
 			   ) {
     //printf("%s:%d v->size=%d\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, v->size);
     int idx = pmainternal_find(pma, k, db);
-    struct kv_pair *pair;
-    if (idx < pma_index_limit(pma) && (pair=pma->pairs[idx])) {
+    struct kv_pair *kv;
+    if (idx < pma_index_limit(pma) && (kv = pma->pairs[idx])) {
         DBT k2;
-        if (0==pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, pair->key, pair->keylen))) {
-	    *replaced_v_size = pair->vallen;
-	    pma->pairs[idx] = kv_pair_realloc_same_key(pair, v->data, v->size);
-            return BRT_OK; /* It is already here.  Return an error. */
+        kv = kv_pair_ptr(kv);
+        if (0==pma->compare_fun(db, k, fill_dbt(&k2, kv->key, kv->keylen))) {
+            if (!kv_pair_deleted(pma->pairs[idx]))
+                *replaced_v_size = kv->vallen;
+	    pma->pairs[idx] = kv_pair_realloc_same_key(kv, v->data, v->size);
+            return BRT_OK;
         }
     }
-    if (pma->pairs[idx]) {
+    if (kv_pair_inuse(pma->pairs[idx])) {
         idx = pmainternal_make_space_at (pma, idx); /* returns the new idx. */
     }
-    assert(!pma->pairs[idx]);
+    assert(!kv_pair_inuse(pma->pairs[idx]));
     //printf("%s:%d v->size=%d\n", __FILE__, __LINE__, v->size);
     pma->pairs[idx] = kv_pair_malloc(k->data, k->size, v->data, v->size);
     assert(pma->pairs[idx]);
@@ -698,6 +731,21 @@ void pma_iterate (PMA pma, void(*f)(bytevec,ITEMLEN,bytevec,ITEMLEN, void*), voi
     }
 }
 
+int __pma_count_cursor_refs(PMA pma, int here) {
+    int refs = 0;
+    struct list *list;
+    struct pma_cursor *cursor;
+    
+    list = list_head(&pma->cursors);
+    while (list != &pma->cursors) {
+        cursor = list_struct(list, struct pma_cursor, next);
+        if (cursor->position == here)
+            refs += 1;
+        list = list->next;
+    }
+    return refs;
+}
+
 void __pma_update_cursors_position(PMA pma, struct list *cursor_set, int oldposition, int newposition) {
     struct list *list, *nextlist;
     struct pma_cursor *cursor;