diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/stage/query/HashQuery.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/stage/query/HashQuery.java
index 25497b177..0bda55f0e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/stage/query/HashQuery.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/hash/impl/stage/query/HashQuery.java
@@ -131,12 +131,13 @@ public abstract class HashQuery<K> implements SetEntry<K> {
         checkOnEachPublicOperation.checkOnEachPublicOperation();
         s.innerUpdateLock.lock();
         if (ks.searchStatePresent()) {
-            // TODO optimize: if shift-deletion is trivial, updateLock.lock()
-            s.innerWriteLock.lock();
-            hashLookupSearch.remove();
             entry.innerRemoveEntryExceptHashLookupUpdate();
             ks.setSearchState(ABSENT);
             initPresenceOfEntry(EntryPresence.ABSENT);
+
+            // write lock scope is reduced as much as possible
+            s.innerWriteLock.lock();
+            hashLookupSearch.remove();
         } else {
             throw new IllegalStateException("Entry is absent when doRemove() is called");
         }
diff --git a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/map/impl/stage/entry/MapEntryStages.java b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/map/impl/stage/entry/MapEntryStages.java
index bd44de4a6..f9ba6be6d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/map/impl/stage/entry/MapEntryStages.java
+++ b/src/main/java/net/openhft/chronicle/map/impl/stage/entry/MapEntryStages.java
@@ -184,7 +184,6 @@ public abstract class MapEntryStages<K, V> extends HashEntryStages<K>
     }
 
     protected void relocation(Data<V> newValue, long newSizeOfEverythingBeforeValue) {
-        s.innerWriteLock.lock();
         long entrySize = innerEntrySize(newSizeOfEverythingBeforeValue, newValue.size());
         // need to copy, because in initEntryAndKeyCopying(), in alloc(), nextTier() called ->
         // hashLookupPos cleared, as a dependant
@@ -207,8 +206,10 @@ public abstract class MapEntryStages<K, V> extends HashEntryStages<K>
         CompactOffHeapLinearHashTable hl = hh.h().hashLookup;
         long hashLookupKey = hl.key(hl.readEntry(oldHashLookupAddr, oldHashLookupPos));
         hl.checkValueForPut(pos);
-        // volatile not needed, because we are in write lock context
-        hl.writeEntry(s.tierBaseAddr, hlp.hashLookupPos, hl.entry(hashLookupKey, pos));
+        hl.writeEntryVolatile(s.tierBaseAddr, hlp.hashLookupPos, hashLookupKey, pos);
+        // write lock is needed anyway (see testPutShouldBeWriteLocked()) but the scope is reduced
+        // as much as possible
+        s.innerWriteLock.lock();
         if (tierHasChanged)
             hl.remove(oldHashLookupAddr, oldHashLookupPos);
     }