diff --git a/reftable/block.c b/reftable/block.c
index fe836c21e5..2d8d0668b3 100644
--- a/reftable/block.c
+++ b/reftable/block.c
@@ -261,12 +261,12 @@ void block_reader_release(struct block_reader *br)
 	reftable_block_done(&br->block);
 }
 
-uint8_t block_reader_type(struct block_reader *r)
+uint8_t block_reader_type(const struct block_reader *r)
 {
 	return r->block.data[r->header_off];
 }
 
-int block_reader_first_key(struct block_reader *br, struct strbuf *key)
+int block_reader_first_key(const struct block_reader *br, struct strbuf *key)
 {
 	int off = br->header_off + 4, n;
 	struct string_view in = {
@@ -286,14 +286,16 @@ int block_reader_first_key(struct block_reader *br, struct strbuf *key)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-static uint32_t block_reader_restart_offset(struct block_reader *br, int i)
+static uint32_t block_reader_restart_offset(const struct block_reader *br, int i)
 {
 	return get_be24(br->restart_bytes + 3 * i);
 }
 
-void block_iter_seek_start(struct block_iter *it, struct block_reader *br)
+void block_iter_seek_start(struct block_iter *it, const struct block_reader *br)
 {
-	it->br = br;
+	it->block = br->block.data;
+	it->block_len = br->block_len;
+	it->hash_size = br->hash_size;
 	strbuf_reset(&it->last_key);
 	it->next_off = br->header_off + 4;
 }
@@ -301,7 +303,7 @@ void block_iter_seek_start(struct block_iter *it, struct block_reader *br)
 struct restart_needle_less_args {
 	int error;
 	struct strbuf needle;
-	struct block_reader *reader;
+	const struct block_reader *reader;
 };
 
 static int restart_needle_less(size_t idx, void *_args)
@@ -340,9 +342,11 @@ static int restart_needle_less(size_t idx, void *_args)
 	return args->needle.len < suffix_len;
 }
 
-void block_iter_copy_from(struct block_iter *dest, struct block_iter *src)
+void block_iter_copy_from(struct block_iter *dest, const struct block_iter *src)
 {
-	dest->br = src->br;
+	dest->block = src->block;
+	dest->block_len = src->block_len;
+	dest->hash_size = src->hash_size;
 	dest->next_off = src->next_off;
 	strbuf_reset(&dest->last_key);
 	strbuf_addbuf(&dest->last_key, &src->last_key);
@@ -351,14 +355,14 @@ void block_iter_copy_from(struct block_iter *dest, struct block_iter *src)
 int block_iter_next(struct block_iter *it, struct reftable_record *rec)
 {
 	struct string_view in = {
-		.buf = it->br->block.data + it->next_off,
-		.len = it->br->block_len - it->next_off,
+		.buf = (unsigned char *) it->block + it->next_off,
+		.len = it->block_len - it->next_off,
 	};
 	struct string_view start = in;
 	uint8_t extra = 0;
 	int n = 0;
 
-	if (it->next_off >= it->br->block_len)
+	if (it->next_off >= it->block_len)
 		return 1;
 
 	n = reftable_decode_key(&it->last_key, &extra, in);
@@ -368,7 +372,7 @@ int block_iter_next(struct block_iter *it, struct reftable_record *rec)
 		return REFTABLE_FORMAT_ERROR;
 
 	string_view_consume(&in, n);
-	n = reftable_record_decode(rec, it->last_key, extra, in, it->br->hash_size,
+	n = reftable_record_decode(rec, it->last_key, extra, in, it->hash_size,
 				   &it->scratch);
 	if (n < 0)
 		return -1;
@@ -378,13 +382,22 @@ int block_iter_next(struct block_iter *it, struct reftable_record *rec)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+void block_iter_reset(struct block_iter *it)
+{
+	strbuf_reset(&it->last_key);
+	it->next_off = 0;
+	it->block = NULL;
+	it->block_len = 0;
+	it->hash_size = 0;
+}
+
 void block_iter_close(struct block_iter *it)
 {
 	strbuf_release(&it->last_key);
 	strbuf_release(&it->scratch);
 }
 
-int block_iter_seek_key(struct block_iter *it, struct block_reader *br,
+int block_iter_seek_key(struct block_iter *it, const struct block_reader *br,
 			struct strbuf *want)
 {
 	struct restart_needle_less_args args = {
@@ -436,7 +449,9 @@ int block_iter_seek_key(struct block_iter *it, struct block_reader *br,
 		it->next_off = block_reader_restart_offset(br, i - 1);
 	else
 		it->next_off = br->header_off + 4;
-	it->br = br;
+	it->block = br->block.data;
+	it->block_len = br->block_len;
+	it->hash_size = br->hash_size;
 
 	reftable_record_init(&rec, block_reader_type(br));
 
diff --git a/reftable/block.h b/reftable/block.h
index 601a1e0e89..d733d45ee0 100644
--- a/reftable/block.h
+++ b/reftable/block.h
@@ -84,16 +84,18 @@ int block_reader_init(struct block_reader *br, struct reftable_block *bl,
 void block_reader_release(struct block_reader *br);
 
 /* Returns the block type (eg. 'r' for refs) */
-uint8_t block_reader_type(struct block_reader *r);
+uint8_t block_reader_type(const struct block_reader *r);
 
 /* Decodes the first key in the block */
-int block_reader_first_key(struct block_reader *br, struct strbuf *key);
+int block_reader_first_key(const struct block_reader *br, struct strbuf *key);
 
 /* Iterate over entries in a block */
 struct block_iter {
 	/* offset within the block of the next entry to read. */
 	uint32_t next_off;
-	struct block_reader *br;
+	const unsigned char *block;
+	size_t block_len;
+	int hash_size;
 
 	/* key for last entry we read. */
 	struct strbuf last_key;
@@ -106,17 +108,20 @@ struct block_iter {
 }
 
 /* Position `it` at start of the block */
-void block_iter_seek_start(struct block_iter *it, struct block_reader *br);
+void block_iter_seek_start(struct block_iter *it, const struct block_reader *br);
 
 /* Position `it` to the `want` key in the block */
-int block_iter_seek_key(struct block_iter *it, struct block_reader *br,
+int block_iter_seek_key(struct block_iter *it, const struct block_reader *br,
 			struct strbuf *want);
 
-void block_iter_copy_from(struct block_iter *dest, struct block_iter *src);
+void block_iter_copy_from(struct block_iter *dest, const struct block_iter *src);
 
 /* return < 0 for error, 0 for OK, > 0 for EOF. */
 int block_iter_next(struct block_iter *it, struct reftable_record *rec);
 
+/* Reset the block iterator to pristine state without releasing its memory. */
+void block_iter_reset(struct block_iter *it);
+
 /* deallocate memory for `it`. The block reader and its block is left intact. */
 void block_iter_close(struct block_iter *it);
 
diff --git a/reftable/reader.c b/reftable/reader.c
index f925570bf3..b77b639751 100644
--- a/reftable/reader.c
+++ b/reftable/reader.c
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@ struct table_iter {
 	struct reftable_reader *r;
 	uint8_t typ;
 	uint64_t block_off;
+	struct block_reader br;
 	struct block_iter bi;
 	int is_finished;
 };
@@ -227,16 +228,6 @@ struct table_iter {
 	.bi = BLOCK_ITER_INIT \
 }
 
-static void table_iter_copy_from(struct table_iter *dest,
-				 struct table_iter *src)
-{
-	dest->r = src->r;
-	dest->typ = src->typ;
-	dest->block_off = src->block_off;
-	dest->is_finished = src->is_finished;
-	block_iter_copy_from(&dest->bi, &src->bi);
-}
-
 static int table_iter_next_in_block(struct table_iter *ti,
 				    struct reftable_record *rec)
 {
@@ -250,14 +241,8 @@ static int table_iter_next_in_block(struct table_iter *ti,
 
 static void table_iter_block_done(struct table_iter *ti)
 {
-	if (!ti->bi.br) {
-		return;
-	}
-	block_reader_release(ti->bi.br);
-	FREE_AND_NULL(ti->bi.br);
-
-	ti->bi.last_key.len = 0;
-	ti->bi.next_off = 0;
+	block_reader_release(&ti->br);
+	block_iter_reset(&ti->bi);
 }
 
 static int32_t extract_block_size(uint8_t *data, uint8_t *typ, uint64_t off,
@@ -321,32 +306,33 @@ int reader_init_block_reader(struct reftable_reader *r, struct block_reader *br,
 	return err;
 }
 
+static void table_iter_close(struct table_iter *ti)
+{
+	table_iter_block_done(ti);
+	block_iter_close(&ti->bi);
+}
+
 static int table_iter_next_block(struct table_iter *dest,
 				 struct table_iter *src)
 {
-	uint64_t next_block_off = src->block_off + src->bi.br->full_block_size;
-	struct block_reader br = { 0 };
-	int err = 0;
+	uint64_t next_block_off = src->block_off + src->br.full_block_size;
+	int err;
 
 	dest->r = src->r;
 	dest->typ = src->typ;
 	dest->block_off = next_block_off;
 
-	err = reader_init_block_reader(src->r, &br, next_block_off, src->typ);
-	if (err > 0) {
+	err = reader_init_block_reader(src->r, &dest->br, next_block_off, src->typ);
+	if (err > 0)
 		dest->is_finished = 1;
-		return 1;
-	}
-	if (err != 0)
+	if (err) {
+		table_iter_block_done(dest);
 		return err;
-	else {
-		struct block_reader *brp =
-			reftable_malloc(sizeof(struct block_reader));
-		*brp = br;
-
-		dest->is_finished = 0;
-		block_iter_seek_start(&dest->bi, brp);
 	}
+
+	dest->is_finished = 0;
+	block_iter_seek_start(&dest->bi, &dest->br);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -377,14 +363,13 @@ static int table_iter_next(struct table_iter *ti, struct reftable_record *rec)
 		 * iterator is drained.
 		 */
 		err = table_iter_next_block(&next, ti);
-		table_iter_block_done(ti);
 		if (err) {
 			ti->is_finished = 1;
 			return err;
 		}
 
-		table_iter_copy_from(ti, &next);
-		block_iter_close(&next.bi);
+		table_iter_close(ti);
+		*ti = next;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -393,16 +378,14 @@ static int table_iter_next_void(void *ti, struct reftable_record *rec)
 	return table_iter_next(ti, rec);
 }
 
-static void table_iter_close(void *p)
+static void table_iter_close_void(void *ti)
 {
-	struct table_iter *ti = p;
-	table_iter_block_done(ti);
-	block_iter_close(&ti->bi);
+	table_iter_close(ti);
 }
 
 static struct reftable_iterator_vtable table_iter_vtable = {
 	.next = &table_iter_next_void,
-	.close = &table_iter_close,
+	.close = &table_iter_close_void,
 };
 
 static void iterator_from_table_iter(struct reftable_iterator *it,
@@ -417,19 +400,16 @@ static int reader_table_iter_at(struct reftable_reader *r,
 				struct table_iter *ti, uint64_t off,
 				uint8_t typ)
 {
-	struct block_reader br = { 0 };
-	struct block_reader *brp = NULL;
+	int err;
 
-	int err = reader_init_block_reader(r, &br, off, typ);
+	err = reader_init_block_reader(r, &ti->br, off, typ);
 	if (err != 0)
 		return err;
 
-	brp = reftable_malloc(sizeof(struct block_reader));
-	*brp = br;
 	ti->r = r;
-	ti->typ = block_reader_type(brp);
+	ti->typ = block_reader_type(&ti->br);
 	ti->block_off = off;
-	block_iter_seek_start(&ti->bi, brp);
+	block_iter_seek_start(&ti->bi, &ti->br);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -454,23 +434,34 @@ static int reader_seek_linear(struct table_iter *ti,
 {
 	struct strbuf want_key = STRBUF_INIT;
 	struct strbuf got_key = STRBUF_INIT;
-	struct table_iter next = TABLE_ITER_INIT;
 	struct reftable_record rec;
 	int err = -1;
 
 	reftable_record_init(&rec, reftable_record_type(want));
 	reftable_record_key(want, &want_key);
 
+	/*
+	 * First we need to locate the block that must contain our record. To
+	 * do so we scan through blocks linearly until we find the first block
+	 * whose first key is bigger than our wanted key. Once we have found
+	 * that block we know that the key must be contained in the preceding
+	 * block.
+	 *
+	 * This algorithm is somewhat unfortunate because it means that we
+	 * always have to seek one block too far and then back up. But as we
+	 * can only decode the _first_ key of a block but not its _last_ key we
+	 * have no other way to do this.
+	 */
 	while (1) {
+		struct table_iter next = TABLE_ITER_INIT;
+
 		err = table_iter_next_block(&next, ti);
 		if (err < 0)
 			goto done;
-
-		if (err > 0) {
+		if (err > 0)
 			break;
-		}
 
-		err = block_reader_first_key(next.bi.br, &got_key);
+		err = block_reader_first_key(&next.br, &got_key);
 		if (err < 0)
 			goto done;
 
@@ -480,16 +471,20 @@ static int reader_seek_linear(struct table_iter *ti,
 		}
 
 		table_iter_block_done(ti);
-		table_iter_copy_from(ti, &next);
+		*ti = next;
 	}
 
-	err = block_iter_seek_key(&ti->bi, ti->bi.br, &want_key);
+	/*
+	 * We have located the block that must contain our record, so we seek
+	 * the wanted key inside of it. If the block does not contain our key
+	 * we know that the corresponding record does not exist.
+	 */
+	err = block_iter_seek_key(&ti->bi, &ti->br, &want_key);
 	if (err < 0)
 		goto done;
 	err = 0;
 
 done:
-	block_iter_close(&next.bi);
 	reftable_record_release(&rec);
 	strbuf_release(&want_key);
 	strbuf_release(&got_key);
@@ -508,6 +503,7 @@ static int reader_seek_indexed(struct reftable_reader *r,
 		.u.idx = { .last_key = STRBUF_INIT },
 	};
 	struct table_iter index_iter = TABLE_ITER_INIT;
+	struct table_iter empty = TABLE_ITER_INIT;
 	struct table_iter next = TABLE_ITER_INIT;
 	int err = 0;
 
@@ -549,7 +545,6 @@ static int reader_seek_indexed(struct reftable_reader *r,
 		 * not exist.
 		 */
 		err = table_iter_next(&index_iter, &index_result);
-		table_iter_block_done(&index_iter);
 		if (err != 0)
 			goto done;
 
@@ -558,7 +553,7 @@ static int reader_seek_indexed(struct reftable_reader *r,
 		if (err != 0)
 			goto done;
 
-		err = block_iter_seek_key(&next.bi, next.bi.br, &want_index.u.idx.last_key);
+		err = block_iter_seek_key(&next.bi, &next.br, &want_index.u.idx.last_key);
 		if (err < 0)
 			goto done;
 
@@ -572,18 +567,20 @@ static int reader_seek_indexed(struct reftable_reader *r,
 			break;
 		}
 
-		table_iter_copy_from(&index_iter, &next);
+		table_iter_close(&index_iter);
+		index_iter = next;
+		next = empty;
 	}
 
 	if (err == 0) {
-		struct table_iter empty = TABLE_ITER_INIT;
 		struct table_iter *malloced = reftable_calloc(1, sizeof(*malloced));
-		*malloced = empty;
-		table_iter_copy_from(malloced, &next);
+		*malloced = next;
+		next = empty;
 		iterator_from_table_iter(it, malloced);
 	}
+
 done:
-	block_iter_close(&next.bi);
+	table_iter_close(&next);
 	table_iter_close(&index_iter);
 	reftable_record_release(&want_index);
 	reftable_record_release(&index_result);
