diff --git a/src/ck_ht.c b/src/ck_ht.c
index 4c92452..77ec249 100644
--- a/src/ck_ht.c
+++ b/src/ck_ht.c
@@ -209,7 +209,8 @@ ck_ht_map_probe_wr(struct ck_ht_map *map,
 		   ck_ht_entry_t **available,
 		   const void *key,
 		   uint16_t key_length,
-		   uint64_t *probe_limit)
+		   uint64_t *probe_limit,
+		   uint64_t *probe_wr)
 {
 	struct ck_ht_entry *bucket, *cursor;
 	struct ck_ht_entry *first = NULL;
@@ -245,8 +246,10 @@ retry:
 			 * the case of intermittent writers.
 			 */
 			if (cursor->key == CK_HT_KEY_TOMBSTONE) {
-				if (first == NULL)
+				if (first == NULL) {
 					first = cursor;
+					*probe_wr = probes;
+				}
 
 				continue;
 			}
@@ -296,8 +299,6 @@ retry:
 		offset = ck_ht_map_probe_next(map, offset, h, probes);
 	}
 
-	return NULL;
-
 leave:
 	*probe_limit = probes;
 	*available = first;
@@ -559,7 +560,7 @@ ck_ht_remove_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 {
 	struct ck_ht_map *map;
 	struct ck_ht_entry *candidate, *priority, snapshot;
-	uint64_t probes;
+	uint64_t probes, probes_wr;
 
 	map = table->map;
 
@@ -567,12 +568,12 @@ ck_ht_remove_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 		candidate = ck_ht_map_probe_wr(map, h, &snapshot, &priority,
 				ck_ht_entry_key(entry),
 				ck_ht_entry_key_length(entry),
-				&probes);
+				&probes, &probes_wr);
 	} else {
 		candidate = ck_ht_map_probe_wr(map, h, &snapshot, &priority,
 				(void *)entry->key,
 				sizeof(entry->key),
-				&probes);
+				&probes, &probes_wr);
 	}
 
 	/* No matching entry was found. */
@@ -657,7 +658,7 @@ ck_ht_set_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 {
 	struct ck_ht_entry snapshot, *candidate, *priority;
 	struct ck_ht_map *map;
-	uint64_t probes;
+	uint64_t probes, probes_wr;
 
 	for (;;) {
 		map = table->map;
@@ -666,12 +667,17 @@ ck_ht_set_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 			candidate = ck_ht_map_probe_wr(map, h, &snapshot, &priority,
 					ck_ht_entry_key(entry),
 					ck_ht_entry_key_length(entry),
-					&probes);
+					&probes, &probes_wr);
 		} else {
 			candidate = ck_ht_map_probe_wr(map, h, &snapshot, &priority,
 					(void *)entry->key,
 					sizeof(entry->key),
-					&probes);
+					&probes, &probes_wr);
+		}
+
+		if (priority != NULL) {
+			probes = probes_wr;
+			break;
 		}
 
 		if (candidate != NULL)
@@ -684,7 +690,12 @@ ck_ht_set_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 	if (probes > map->probe_maximum)
 		ck_pr_store_64(&map->probe_maximum, probes);
 
-	if (candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_EMPTY && priority != NULL) {
+	if (candidate == NULL) {
+		candidate = priority;
+	}
+
+	if (candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_EMPTY &&
+	    priority != NULL && candidate != priority) {
 		/*
 		 * If we are replacing an existing entry and an earlier
 		 * tombstone was found in the probe sequence then replace
@@ -708,7 +719,10 @@ ck_ht_set_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 	} else {
 		/*
 		 * In this case we are inserting a new entry or replacing
-		 * an existing entry.
+		 * an existing entry. There is no need to force a re-probe
+		 * on tombstone replacement due to the fact that previous
+		 * deletion counter update would have been published with
+		 * respect to any concurrent probes.
 		 */
 		bool replace = candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_EMPTY;
 
@@ -750,7 +764,7 @@ ck_ht_put_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 {
 	struct ck_ht_entry snapshot, *candidate, *priority;
 	struct ck_ht_map *map;
-	uint64_t probes;
+	uint64_t probes, probes_wr;
 
 	for (;;) {
 		map = table->map;
@@ -759,39 +773,38 @@ ck_ht_put_spmc(ck_ht_t *table,
 			candidate = ck_ht_map_probe_wr(map, h, &snapshot, &priority,
 					ck_ht_entry_key(entry),
 					ck_ht_entry_key_length(entry),
-					&probes);
+					&probes, &probes_wr);
 		} else {
 			candidate = ck_ht_map_probe_wr(map, h, &snapshot, &priority,
 					(void *)entry->key,
 					sizeof(entry->key),
-					&probes);
+					&probes, &probes_wr);
 		}
 
-		if (candidate != NULL)
+		if (candidate != NULL || priority != NULL)
 			break;
 
 		if (ck_ht_grow_spmc(table, map->capacity << 1) == false)
 			return false;
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * If the snapshot key is non-empty and the value field is not
-	 * a tombstone then an identical key was found. As store does
-	 * not implement replacement, we will fail.
-	 */
-	if (candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_EMPTY && candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_TOMBSTONE)
+	if (priority != NULL) {
+		/* Re-use tombstone if one was found. */
+		candidate = priority;
+		probes = probes_wr;
+	} else if (candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_EMPTY &&
+	    candidate->key != CK_HT_KEY_TOMBSTONE) {
+		/*
+		 * If the snapshot key is non-empty and the value field is not
+		 * a tombstone then an identical key was found. As store does
+		 * not implement replacement, we will fail.
+		 */
 		return false;
+	}
 
 	if (probes > map->probe_maximum)
 		ck_pr_store_64(&map->probe_maximum, probes);
 
-	/*
-	 * If an earlier tombstone value was found, then store into that slot instead.
-	 * It is earlier in the probe sequence to begin with.
-	 */
-	if (priority != NULL)
-		candidate = priority;
-
 #ifdef CK_HT_PP
 	ck_pr_store_ptr(&candidate->value, (void *)entry->value);
 	ck_pr_fence_store();