diff --git a/src/map.c b/src/map.c
index f22c834..eed3488 100644
--- a/src/map.c
+++ b/src/map.c
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@ struct map_entry {
 	struct map_item *item;
 };
 
+/* Marker for deleted items */
+static struct map_item deleted;
+
 void map_destroy(struct map *map)
 {
 	free(map->data);
@@ -43,7 +46,8 @@ void map_clear(struct map *map, void (*release)(struct map_item *))
 	for (i = 0; i < map->size; ++i){
 		if (!map->data[i].item)
 			continue;
-		(* release)(map->data[i].item);
+		if (map->data[i].item != &deleted)
+			(* release)(map->data[i].item);
 		map->data[i].item = NULL;
 	}
 	map->count = 0;
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@ static int map_hash(struct map *map, unsigned int key)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < map->size; ++i) {
 		e = &map->data[idx];
-		if (!e->item) {
+		if (!e->item || e->item == &deleted) {
 			++map->count;
 			return idx;
 		}
@@ -94,8 +98,12 @@ int map_reput(struct map *map, unsigned int key, struct map_item *value,
 			return rc;
 	}
 
-	if (old)
-		*old = map->data[rc].item;
+	if (old) {
+		if (map->data[rc].item == &deleted)
+			*old = NULL;
+		else
+			*old = map->data[rc].item;
+	}
 	map->data[rc].item = value;
 	if (value)
 		map->data[rc].item->key = key;
@@ -126,7 +134,7 @@ static int map_rehash(struct map *map)
 	map->count = 0;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < o_size; ++i){
-		if (!oldt[i].item)
+		if (!oldt[i].item || oldt[i].item == &deleted)
 			continue;
 		rc = map_put(map, oldt[i].item->key, oldt[i].item);
 		if (rc < 0)
@@ -150,11 +158,14 @@ static struct map_entry *map_find(const struct map *map, unsigned int key)
 
 	for (i = 0; i < map->size; ++i) {
 		e = &map->data[idx];
+		idx = (idx + 1) % map->size;
+
 		if (!e->item)
 			break;
+		if (e->item == &deleted)
+			continue;
 		if (e->item->key == key)
 			return e;
-		idx = (idx + 1) % map->size;
 	}
 	return NULL;
 }
@@ -180,7 +191,7 @@ int map_remove(struct map *map, unsigned int key)
 
 	e = map_find(map, key);
 	if (e) {
-		e->item = NULL;
+		e->item = &deleted;
 		--map->count;
 	}
 	return !e;
@@ -196,7 +207,7 @@ static struct map_entry *map_iter_from(const struct map *map, unsigned int start
 	unsigned int i = start;
 
 	for (; i < map->size; ++i) {
-		if (map->data[i].item)
+		if (map->data[i].item && map->data[i].item != &deleted)
 			return &map->data[i];
 	}
 	return NULL;