diff --git a/lsm/include/lsm/store.h b/lsm/include/lsm/store.h
index 31eb19b..9410746 100644
--- a/lsm/include/lsm/store.h
+++ b/lsm/include/lsm/store.h
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@
 #include "lsm.h"
 #include "lsm/str.h"
 
+#define LSM_STORE_DISK_THRESHOLD 1024
+
 /**
  * A handle referencing an entry inside a store. Read/write operations from/to
  * the entry go through this handle.
diff --git a/lsm/src/_include/lsm/store_internal.h b/lsm/src/_include/lsm/store_internal.h
index fb50838..ccafe99 100644
--- a/lsm/src/_include/lsm/store_internal.h
+++ b/lsm/src/_include/lsm/store_internal.h
@@ -19,8 +19,9 @@ typedef struct lsm_attr {
 /**
  * An entry inside an LSM store.
  *
- * Each entry consists of the key it's stored behind, zero or more attributes
- * (metadata) and a data file.
+ * Each entry consists of the key it's stored behind, zero  or more attributes
+ * (metadata) and a data field. The data field can be stored on disk or
+ * in-memory, depending on the size.
  */
 typedef struct lsm_entry {
   lsm_str *key;
@@ -55,12 +56,6 @@ typedef struct lsm_entry_wrapper {
 lsm_error lsm_entry_wrapper_init(lsm_entry_wrapper **ptr);
 void lsm_entry_wrapper_free(lsm_entry_wrapper *wrapper);
 
-typedef enum lsm_entry_handle_state : uint8_t {
-  lsm_entry_handle_state_new = 1 << 0,
-  lsm_entry_handle_state_updated = 1 << 1,
-  lsm_entry_handle_state_removed = 1 << 2,
-} lsm_entry_handle_state;
-
 struct lsm_entry_handle {
   lsm_entry_wrapper *wrapper;
   lsm_store *store;
@@ -68,8 +63,8 @@ struct lsm_entry_handle {
   FILE *f;
   // Current position in the file pointer
   uint64_t pos;
-  // Required to determine in what way the database files need to be synced
-  uint64_t states;
+  // Whether the entry's metadata has changed
+  bool dirty;
 };
 
 lsm_error lsm_entry_handle_init(lsm_entry_handle **out);
@@ -78,18 +73,14 @@ struct lsm_store {
   lsm_trie *trie;
   lsm_str *data_path;
 
-  struct {
-    FILE *f;
-    uint64_t size;
-    pthread_mutex_t lock;
-  } db;
+  FILE *db_file;
+  uint64_t db_file_size;
+  pthread_mutex_t db_lock;
 
-  struct {
-    FILE *f;
-    uint64_t size;
-    uint64_t block_count;
-    pthread_mutex_t lock;
-  } idx;
+  FILE *idx_file;
+  uint64_t idx_file_block_count;
+  uint64_t idx_file_size;
+  pthread_mutex_t idx_lock;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -109,17 +100,10 @@ lsm_error lsm_store_load_db(lsm_store *store);
 lsm_error lsm_entry_disk_insert(lsm_entry_handle *handle);
 
 /**
- * Remove an entry from the database.
+ * Remove an entry from the database
  *
  * @param handle handle to the removed entry
  */
 lsm_error lsm_entry_disk_remove(lsm_entry_handle *handle);
 
-/**
- * Update an existing entry already in the store.
- *
- * @param handle to updated entry
- */
-lsm_error lsm_entry_disk_update(lsm_entry_handle *handle);
-
 #endif
diff --git a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store.c b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store.c
index 2185418..022e68b 100644
--- a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store.c
+++ b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store.c
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ lsm_error lsm_store_init(lsm_store **ptr) {
     return res;
   }
 
-  pthread_mutex_init(&store->db.lock, NULL);
-  pthread_mutex_init(&store->idx.lock, NULL);
+  pthread_mutex_init(&store->db_lock, NULL);
+  pthread_mutex_init(&store->idx_lock, NULL);
 
   *ptr = store;
 
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ lsm_error lsm_store_insert(lsm_entry_handle **out, lsm_store *store,
   handle->store = store;
 
   // Newly inserted entries are always dirty
-  handle->states |= lsm_entry_handle_state_new;
+  handle->dirty = true;
 
   *out = handle;
 
@@ -192,7 +192,7 @@ lsm_error lsm_entry_data_append(lsm_entry_handle *handle, lsm_str *data) {
   }
 
   entry->data_len = new_len;
-  handle->states |= lsm_entry_handle_state_updated;
+  handle->dirty = true;
 
   return lsm_error_ok;
 }
diff --git a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_read.c b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_read.c
index 72e34bd..5c71dee 100644
--- a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_read.c
+++ b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_read.c
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ lsm_error lsm_store_load(lsm_store **ptr, lsm_str *data_path) {
   }
 
   store->data_path = data_path;
-  store->db.f = db_file;
-  store->idx.f = idx_file;
+  store->db_file = db_file;
+  store->idx_file = idx_file;
 
   LSM_RES(lsm_store_load_db(store));
 
@@ -137,60 +137,63 @@ static lsm_error lsm_entry_read_attrs(uint64_t *sum, lsm_entry_handle *handle,
 
   return lsm_error_ok;
 }
-static lsm_error lsm_fseek(FILE *f, uint64_t pos) {
-  if (fseek(f, pos, SEEK_SET) != 0) {
-    return lsm_error_failed_io;
-  }
-
-  return lsm_error_ok;
-}
-
-/**
- * Insert a new entry by reading it from the db file
- */
-lsm_error lsm_store_insert_from_db(lsm_store *store, uint64_t pos,
-                                   uint64_t idx_file_offset) {
-  LSM_RES(lsm_fseek(store->db.f, pos));
-
-  lsm_str *key;
-  LSM_RES(lsm_entry_read_str(&key, &store->db.size, store->db.f));
-
-  lsm_entry_handle *handle;
-  LSM_RES(lsm_store_insert(&handle, store, key));
-
-  LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&handle->wrapper->entry->data_len, &store->db.size,
-                    store->db.f, sizeof(uint64_t), 1));
-  LSM_RES(lsm_entry_read_attrs(&store->db.size, handle, store->db.f));
-
-  handle->wrapper->entry->idx_file_offset = idx_file_offset;
-
-  handle->states = 0;
-  lsm_entry_close(handle);
-
-  return lsm_error_ok;
-}
 
 lsm_error lsm_store_load_db(lsm_store *store) {
   uint64_t db_dim[2];
+  lsm_str *key;
+  lsm_entry_handle *handle;
+  bool valid_entry;
 
-  rewind(store->idx.f);
+  rewind(store->idx_file);
 
   // idx file starts with block count
-  LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&store->idx.block_count, &store->idx.size, store->idx.f,
-                    sizeof(uint64_t), 1));
+  LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&store->idx_file_block_count, &store->idx_file_size,
+                    store->idx_file, sizeof(uint64_t), 1));
 
-  for (uint64_t i = 0; i < store->idx.block_count; i++) {
-    uint64_t idx_file_offset = store->idx.size;
+  for (uint64_t i = 0; i < store->idx_file_block_count; i++) {
+    uint64_t idx_file_offset = store->idx_file_size;
 
-    LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&db_dim, &store->idx.size, store->idx.f, sizeof(uint64_t),
-                      2));
+    LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&valid_entry, &store->idx_file_size, store->idx_file,
+                      sizeof(bool), 1));
 
-    // We zero out the length of entries if they're no longer valid
-    if (db_dim[1] == 0) {
-      continue;
+    if (valid_entry) {
+      LSM_RES(lsm_entry_read_str(&key, &store->idx_file_size, store->idx_file));
+      LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&db_dim, &store->idx_file_size, store->idx_file,
+                        sizeof(uint64_t), 2));
+      LSM_RES(lsm_store_insert(&handle, store, key));
+
+      // Read attributes from database file
+      if (fseek(store->db_file, db_dim[0], SEEK_SET) != 0) {
+        return lsm_error_failed_io;
+      }
+
+      LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&handle->wrapper->entry->data_len, NULL, store->db_file,
+                        sizeof(uint64_t), 1));
+      LSM_RES(lsm_entry_read_attrs(NULL, handle, store->db_file));
+
+      handle->wrapper->entry->idx_file_offset = idx_file_offset;
+
+      // We explicitely set the dirty flag here to prevent writing to the datase
+      // when reading it in
+      handle->dirty = false;
+      lsm_entry_close(handle);
+
+      store->db_file_size += db_dim[1];
     }
+    // Simply skip the invalid entry
+    else {
+      uint64_t key_len;
+      LSM_RES(lsm_fread(&key_len, &store->idx_file_size, store->idx_file,
+                        sizeof(uint64_t), 1));
 
-    LSM_RES(lsm_store_insert_from_db(store, db_dim[0], idx_file_offset));
+      uint64_t remaining = key_len + 2 * sizeof(uint64_t);
+
+      if (fseek(store->idx_file, remaining, SEEK_CUR) != 0) {
+        return lsm_error_failed_io;
+      }
+
+      store->idx_file_size += remaining;
+    }
   }
 
   return lsm_error_ok;
diff --git a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_write.c b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_write.c
index acb0015..ffe182f 100644
--- a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_write.c
+++ b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_disk_write.c
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@ lsm_error lsm_write_db_entry(uint64_t *size, FILE *db_file, lsm_entry *entry,
 
   LSM_RES(lsm_fseek(db_file, pos));
 
-  LSM_RES(lsm_write_str(size, db_file, entry->key));
   LSM_RES(lsm_fwrite(size, db_file, sizeof(uint64_t), 1, &entry->data_len));
   LSM_RES(lsm_fwrite(size, db_file, sizeof(uint8_t), 1, &entry->attrs.count));
 
@@ -60,12 +59,16 @@ lsm_error lsm_write_db_entry(uint64_t *size, FILE *db_file, lsm_entry *entry,
   return lsm_error_ok;
 }
 
-lsm_error lsm_write_idx_entry(uint64_t *size, FILE *idx_file, uint64_t offset,
-                              uint64_t len, uint64_t pos) {
+lsm_error lsm_write_idx_entry(uint64_t *size, FILE *idx_file, lsm_entry *entry,
+                              uint64_t offset, uint64_t len, uint64_t pos) {
   *size = 0;
 
   LSM_RES(lsm_fseek(idx_file, pos));
 
+  bool valid_entry_marker = true;
+  LSM_RES(lsm_fwrite(size, idx_file, sizeof(bool), 1, &valid_entry_marker));
+
+  LSM_RES(lsm_write_str(size, idx_file, entry->key));
   LSM_RES(lsm_fwrite(size, idx_file, sizeof(uint64_t), 1, &offset));
   LSM_RES(lsm_fwrite(size, idx_file, sizeof(uint64_t), 1, &len));
 
@@ -75,52 +78,55 @@ lsm_error lsm_write_idx_entry(uint64_t *size, FILE *idx_file, uint64_t offset,
 lsm_error lsm_entry_disk_insert(lsm_entry_handle *handle) {
   lsm_store *store = handle->store;
 
-  pthread_mutex_lock(&store->db.lock);
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&store->db_lock);
 
-  uint64_t db_entry_index = store->db.size;
+  uint64_t db_entry_index = store->db_file_size;
 
   uint64_t db_entry_size;
-  lsm_error res = lsm_write_db_entry(&db_entry_size, store->db.f,
-                                     handle->wrapper->entry, store->db.size);
-  fflush(store->db.f);
+  lsm_error res =
+      lsm_write_db_entry(&db_entry_size, store->db_file, handle->wrapper->entry,
+                         store->db_file_size);
+  fflush(store->db_file);
 
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&store->db.lock);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&store->db_lock);
 
   if (res != lsm_error_ok) {
     return res;
   }
 
   // Append entry to index file
-  pthread_mutex_lock(&store->idx.lock);
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&store->idx_lock);
 
-  uint64_t idx_entry_index = store->idx.size;
+  uint64_t idx_entry_index = store->idx_file_size;
 
   uint64_t idx_entry_size;
-  res = lsm_write_idx_entry(&idx_entry_size, store->idx.f, db_entry_index,
-                            db_entry_size, store->idx.size);
+  res = lsm_write_idx_entry(&idx_entry_size, store->idx_file,
+                            handle->wrapper->entry, db_entry_index,
+                            db_entry_size, store->idx_file_size);
 
   if (res == lsm_error_ok) {
     // Update the counter at the beginning of the file
-    rewind(store->idx.f);
+    rewind(store->idx_file);
 
-    uint64_t new_block_count = store->idx.block_count + 1;
+    uint64_t new_block_count = store->idx_file_block_count + 1;
 
-    res = lsm_fwrite(NULL, store->idx.f, sizeof(uint64_t), 1, &new_block_count);
+    res = lsm_fwrite(NULL, store->idx_file, sizeof(uint64_t), 1,
+                     &new_block_count);
 
     if (res == lsm_error_ok) {
       // Only if we successfully updated the on-disk counter do we make the code
       // aware that the files' sizes have increased. This way, if a write to the
       // counter fails, the code will simply reuse the already written content.
-      store->idx.size += idx_entry_size;
-      store->idx.block_count = new_block_count;
-      store->db.size += db_entry_size;
+      store->idx_file_size += idx_entry_size;
+      store->idx_file_block_count = new_block_count;
+      store->db_file_size += db_entry_size;
 
       handle->wrapper->entry->idx_file_offset = idx_entry_index;
     }
   }
 
-  fflush(store->idx.f);
-  pthread_mutex_unlock(&store->idx.lock);
+  fflush(store->idx_file);
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&store->idx_lock);
 
   return res;
 }
diff --git a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_entry.c b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_entry.c
index 8212ba6..4623f36 100644
--- a/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_entry.c
+++ b/lsm/src/store/lsm_store_entry.c
@@ -53,14 +53,8 @@ void lsm_entry_close(lsm_entry_handle *handle) {
   }
 
   // TODO handle errors here
-  if ((handle->states & lsm_entry_handle_state_new) &&
-      !(handle->states & lsm_entry_handle_state_removed)) {
+  if (handle->dirty) {
     lsm_entry_disk_insert(handle);
-  } else if ((handle->states & lsm_entry_handle_state_removed) &&
-             !(handle->states & lsm_entry_handle_state_new)) {
-    /* lsm_entry_disk_remove(handle); */
-  } else if (handle->states & lsm_entry_handle_state_updated) {
-    /* lsm_entry_disk_update(handle); */
   }
 
   pthread_rwlock_unlock(&handle->wrapper->lock);
@@ -163,7 +157,7 @@ lsm_error lsm_entry_attr_remove(lsm_str **out, lsm_entry_handle *handle,
   entry->attrs.count--;
   entry->attrs.bitmap[type / 64] &= ~(((uint64_t)1) << (type % 64));
 
-  handle->states |= lsm_entry_handle_state_updated;
+  handle->dirty = true;
 
   return lsm_error_ok;
 }
@@ -190,7 +184,7 @@ lsm_error lsm_entry_attr_insert(lsm_entry_handle *handle, uint8_t type,
   entry->attrs.count++;
   entry->attrs.bitmap[type / 64] |= ((uint64_t)1) << (type % 64);
 
-  handle->states |= lsm_entry_handle_state_updated;
+  handle->dirty = true;
 
   return lsm_error_ok;
 }