diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java
index f03de4b..eaa2585 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-btree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/btree/impls/LSMBTree.java
@@ -438,15 +438,14 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public ILSMComponent merge(List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents, ILSMIOOperation operation)
-            throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
+    public ILSMComponent merge(ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
         LSMBTreeMergeOperation mergeOp = (LSMBTreeMergeOperation) operation;
         ITreeIndexCursor cursor = mergeOp.getCursor();
         RangePredicate rangePred = new RangePredicate(null, null, true, true, null, null);
         ILSMIndexOperationContext opCtx = ((LSMIndexSearchCursor) cursor).getOpCtx();
         opCtx.getComponentHolder().addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
         search(opCtx, cursor, rangePred);
-        mergedComponents.addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
+        List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents = mergeOp.getMergingComponents();
 
         long numElements = 0L;
         for (int i = 0; i < mergedComponents.size(); ++i) {
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/api/ILSMIndexInternal.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/api/ILSMIndexInternal.java
index dddee9d..6020093 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/api/ILSMIndexInternal.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/api/ILSMIndexInternal.java
@@ -43,8 +43,7 @@
     public void scheduleMerge(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, ILSMIOOperationCallback callback)
             throws HyracksDataException, IndexException;
 
-    public ILSMComponent merge(List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents, ILSMIOOperation operation)
-            throws HyracksDataException, IndexException;
+    public ILSMComponent merge(ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException, IndexException;
 
     public void addComponent(ILSMComponent index);
 
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractDiskLSMComponent.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractDiskLSMComponent.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6307012
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractDiskLSMComponent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2013 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.impls;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
+
+public abstract class AbstractDiskLSMComponent extends AbstractLSMComponent {
+
+    public AbstractDiskLSMComponent() {
+        super();
+        state = ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean threadEnter(LSMOperationType opType, boolean isMutableComponent) {
+        if (state == ComponentState.INACTIVE) {
+            return false;
+        }
+
+        switch (opType) {
+            case FORCE_MODIFICATION:
+            case MODIFICATION:
+            case SEARCH:
+                readerCount++;
+                break;
+            case MERGE:
+                if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_MERGING) {
+                    return false;
+                }
+                state = ComponentState.READABLE_MERGING;
+                readerCount++;
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Unsupported operation " + opType);
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void threadExit(LSMOperationType opType, boolean failedOperation, boolean isMutableComponent)
+            throws HyracksDataException {
+        switch (opType) {
+            case MERGE:
+                if (failedOperation) {
+                    state = ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE;
+                }
+            case FORCE_MODIFICATION:
+            case MODIFICATION:
+            case SEARCH:
+                readerCount--;
+                if (readerCount == 0 && state == ComponentState.READABLE_MERGING) {
+                    state = ComponentState.INACTIVE;
+                }
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Unsupported operation " + opType);
+        }
+        assert readerCount > -1;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public LSMComponentType getType() {
+        return LSMComponentType.DISK;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ComponentState getState() {
+        return state;
+    }
+
+    protected abstract void destroy() throws HyracksDataException;
+
+}
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractLSMComponent.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractLSMComponent.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5dab25f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractLSMComponent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2013 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.impls;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.api.ILSMComponent;
+
+public abstract class AbstractLSMComponent implements ILSMComponent {
+
+    protected ComponentState state;
+    protected int readerCount;
+
+    public AbstractLSMComponent() {
+        readerCount = 0;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ComponentState getState() {
+        return state;
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractMemoryLSMComponent.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractMemoryLSMComponent.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..33ad39b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/AbstractMemoryLSMComponent.java
@@ -0,0 +1,178 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright 2009-2013 by The Regents of the University of California
+ * Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+ * you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+ * you may obtain a copy of the License from
+ * 
+ *     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+ * 
+ * Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+ * distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+ * WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+ * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+ * limitations under the License.
+ */
+package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.impls;
+
+import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicBoolean;
+
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.api.exceptions.HyracksDataException;
+import edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.api.IVirtualBufferCache;
+
+public abstract class AbstractMemoryLSMComponent extends AbstractLSMComponent {
+
+    private int writerCount;
+    private final IVirtualBufferCache vbc;
+    private final AtomicBoolean isModified;
+    private boolean requestedToBeActive;
+
+    public AbstractMemoryLSMComponent(IVirtualBufferCache vbc, boolean isActive) {
+        super();
+        this.vbc = vbc;
+        writerCount = 0;
+        if (isActive) {
+            state = ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE;
+        } else {
+            state = ComponentState.INACTIVE;
+        }
+        isModified = new AtomicBoolean();
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public boolean threadEnter(LSMOperationType opType, boolean isMutableComponent) throws HyracksDataException {
+        if (state == ComponentState.INACTIVE && requestedToBeActive) {
+            state = ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE;
+            requestedToBeActive = false;
+        }
+        switch (opType) {
+            case FORCE_MODIFICATION:
+                if (isMutableComponent) {
+                    if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE || state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE) {
+                        writerCount++;
+                    } else {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE
+                            || state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE_FLUSHING) {
+                        readerCount++;
+                    } else {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                }
+                break;
+            case MODIFICATION:
+                if (isMutableComponent) {
+                    if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE) {
+                        writerCount++;
+                    } else {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE
+                            || state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE_FLUSHING) {
+                        readerCount++;
+                    } else {
+                        return false;
+                    }
+                }
+                break;
+            case SEARCH:
+                if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE || state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE
+                        || state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE_FLUSHING) {
+                    readerCount++;
+                } else {
+                    return false;
+                }
+                break;
+            case FLUSH:
+                if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE || state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE) {
+                    assert writerCount == 0;
+                    state = ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE_FLUSHING;
+                    readerCount++;
+                } else {
+                    return false;
+                }
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Unsupported operation " + opType);
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public void threadExit(LSMOperationType opType, boolean failedOperation, boolean isMutableComponent)
+            throws HyracksDataException {
+        switch (opType) {
+            case FORCE_MODIFICATION:
+            case MODIFICATION:
+                if (isMutableComponent) {
+                    writerCount--;
+                    if (state == ComponentState.READABLE_WRITABLE && isFull() && !failedOperation) {
+                        state = ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE;
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    readerCount--;
+                    if (state == ComponentState.UNREADABLE_UNWRITABLE && readerCount == 0) {
+                        state = ComponentState.INACTIVE;
+                    }
+                }
+                break;
+            case SEARCH:
+                readerCount--;
+                if (state == ComponentState.UNREADABLE_UNWRITABLE && readerCount == 0) {
+                    state = ComponentState.INACTIVE;
+                }
+                break;
+            case FLUSH:
+                assert state == ComponentState.READABLE_UNWRITABLE_FLUSHING;
+                readerCount--;
+                if (readerCount == 0) {
+                    state = ComponentState.INACTIVE;
+                } else {
+                    state = ComponentState.UNREADABLE_UNWRITABLE;
+                }
+                break;
+            default:
+                throw new UnsupportedOperationException("Unsupported operation " + opType);
+        }
+        assert readerCount > -1 && writerCount > -1;
+    }
+
+    public boolean isReadable() {
+        if (state == ComponentState.INACTIVE || state == ComponentState.UNREADABLE_UNWRITABLE) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public LSMComponentType getType() {
+        return LSMComponentType.MEMORY;
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public ComponentState getState() {
+        return state;
+    }
+
+    public void setActive() {
+        requestedToBeActive = true;
+    }
+
+    public void setIsModified() {
+        isModified.set(true);
+    }
+
+    public boolean isModified() {
+        return isModified.get();
+    }
+
+    public boolean isFull() {
+        return vbc.isFull();
+    }
+
+    protected void reset() throws HyracksDataException {
+        isModified.set(false);
+    }
+}
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/LSMHarness.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/LSMHarness.java
index a633758..b2ac681 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/LSMHarness.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-common/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/common/impls/LSMHarness.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 
 package edu.uci.ics.hyracks.storage.am.lsm.common.impls;
 
-import java.util.ArrayList;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.logging.Level;
 import java.util.logging.Logger;
@@ -49,48 +48,14 @@
         this.mergePolicy = mergePolicy;
     }
 
-    private void threadExit(ILSMIndexOperationContext opCtx, LSMOperationType opType) throws HyracksDataException {
-        opTracker.afterOperation(lsmIndex, opType, opCtx.getSearchOperationCallback(), opCtx.getModificationCallback());
-    }
-
     private boolean getAndEnterComponents(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, LSMOperationType opType, boolean tryOperation)
             throws HyracksDataException {
         boolean entranceSuccessful = false;
 
         while (!entranceSuccessful) {
             synchronized (opTracker) {
-                int numEntered = 0;
                 lsmIndex.getOperationalComponents(ctx);
-                List<ILSMComponent> components = ctx.getComponentHolder();
-                try {
-                    for (ILSMComponent c : components) {
-                        boolean isMutableComponent = numEntered == 0 && c.getType() == LSMComponentType.MEMORY ? true
-                                : false;
-                        if (!c.threadEnter(opType, isMutableComponent)) {
-                            break;
-                        }
-                        numEntered++;
-                    }
-                    entranceSuccessful = numEntered == components.size();
-                    if (entranceSuccessful) {
-                        opTracker.beforeOperation(lsmIndex, opType, ctx.getSearchOperationCallback(),
-                                ctx.getModificationCallback());
-                    }
-                } finally {
-                    if (!entranceSuccessful) {
-                        int i = 0;
-                        for (ILSMComponent c : components) {
-                            if (numEntered == 0) {
-                                break;
-                            }
-                            boolean isMutableComponent = i == 0 && c.getType() == LSMComponentType.MEMORY ? true
-                                    : false;
-                            c.threadExit(opType, true, isMutableComponent);
-                            i++;
-                            numEntered--;
-                        }
-                    }
-                }
+                entranceSuccessful = enterComponents(ctx, opType);
                 if (tryOperation && !entranceSuccessful) {
                     return false;
                 }
@@ -99,11 +64,56 @@
         return true;
     }
 
-    private void exitComponents(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, LSMOperationType opType, boolean failedOperation)
-            throws HyracksDataException {
+    private boolean enterComponents(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, LSMOperationType opType) throws HyracksDataException {
+        boolean entranceSuccessful = false;
+        int numEntered = 0;
+        List<ILSMComponent> components = ctx.getComponentHolder();
+        try {
+            for (ILSMComponent c : components) {
+                boolean isMutableComponent = numEntered == 0 && c.getType() == LSMComponentType.MEMORY ? true : false;
+                if (!c.threadEnter(opType, isMutableComponent)) {
+                    break;
+                }
+                numEntered++;
+            }
+            entranceSuccessful = numEntered == components.size();
+        } finally {
+            if (!entranceSuccessful) {
+                int i = 0;
+                for (ILSMComponent c : components) {
+                    if (numEntered == 0) {
+                        break;
+                    }
+                    boolean isMutableComponent = i == 0 && c.getType() == LSMComponentType.MEMORY ? true : false;
+                    c.threadExit(opType, true, isMutableComponent);
+                    i++;
+                    numEntered--;
+                }
+                return false;
+            }
+        }
+        opTracker.beforeOperation(lsmIndex, opType, ctx.getSearchOperationCallback(), ctx.getModificationCallback());
+
+        // Check if there is any action that is needed to be taken based on the operation type
+        switch (opType) {
+            case FLUSH:
+                // Changing the flush status should *always* precede changing the mutable component.
+                lsmIndex.changeFlushStatusForCurrentMutableCompoent(false);
+                lsmIndex.changeMutableComponent();
+                break;
+            default:
+                break;
+        }
+
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    private void exitComponents(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, LSMOperationType opType, ILSMComponent newComponent,
+            boolean failedOperation) throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
         synchronized (opTracker) {
             try {
                 int i = 0;
+                // First check if there is any action that is needed to be taken based on the state of each component.
                 for (ILSMComponent c : ctx.getComponentHolder()) {
                     boolean isMutableComponent = i == 0 && c.getType() == LSMComponentType.MEMORY ? true : false;
                     c.threadExit(opType, failedOperation, isMutableComponent);
@@ -133,8 +143,29 @@
                     }
                     i++;
                 }
+
+                // Then, perform any action that is needed to be taken based on the operation type.
+                switch (opType) {
+                    case FLUSH:
+                        // newComponent is null if the flush op. was not performed.
+                        if (newComponent != null) {
+                            lsmIndex.addComponent(newComponent);
+                            mergePolicy.diskComponentAdded(lsmIndex);
+                        }
+                        break;
+                    case MERGE:
+                        // newComponent is null if the merge op. was not performed.
+                        if (newComponent != null) {
+                            lsmIndex.subsumeMergedComponents(newComponent, ctx.getComponentHolder());
+                        }
+                        break;
+                    default:
+                        break;
+                }
+
             } finally {
-                threadExit(ctx, opType);
+                opTracker.afterOperation(lsmIndex, opType, ctx.getSearchOperationCallback(),
+                        ctx.getModificationCallback());
             }
         }
     }
@@ -164,7 +195,7 @@
             AbstractMemoryLSMComponent mutableComponent = (AbstractMemoryLSMComponent) ctx.getComponentHolder().get(0);
             mutableComponent.setIsModified();
         } finally {
-            exitComponents(ctx, opType, false);
+            exitComponents(ctx, opType, null, false);
         }
         return true;
     }
@@ -177,7 +208,7 @@
         try {
             lsmIndex.search(ctx, cursor, pred);
         } catch (HyracksDataException | IndexException e) {
-            exitComponents(ctx, opType, true);
+            exitComponents(ctx, opType, null, true);
             throw e;
         }
     }
@@ -185,7 +216,11 @@
     @Override
     public void endSearch(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx) throws HyracksDataException {
         if (ctx.getOperation() == IndexOperation.SEARCH) {
-            exitComponents(ctx, LSMOperationType.SEARCH, false);
+            try {
+                exitComponents(ctx, LSMOperationType.SEARCH, null, false);
+            } catch (IndexException e) {
+                throw new HyracksDataException(e);
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -200,32 +235,32 @@
         if (!((AbstractMemoryLSMComponent) flushingComponent).isModified()) {
             callback.beforeOperation();
             callback.afterOperation(null, null);
-            exitComponents(ctx, opType, false);
+            try {
+                exitComponents(ctx, opType, null, false);
+            } catch (IndexException e) {
+                throw new HyracksDataException(e);
+            }
             callback.afterFinalize(null);
         } else {
             lsmIndex.scheduleFlush(ctx, callback);
         }
-        // Changing the flush status should *always* precede changing the mutable component.
-        lsmIndex.changeFlushStatusForCurrentMutableCompoent(false);
-        lsmIndex.changeMutableComponent();
     }
 
     @Override
     public void flush(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException,
             IndexException {
         if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-            LOGGER.info(lsmIndex + ": flushing");
+            LOGGER.info(lsmIndex + ": Flushing ...");
         }
 
-        operation.getCallback().beforeOperation();
-        ILSMComponent newComponent = lsmIndex.flush(operation);
-        operation.getCallback().afterOperation(null, newComponent);
-        lsmIndex.markAsValid(newComponent);
-
-        synchronized (opTracker) {
-            lsmIndex.addComponent(newComponent);
-            mergePolicy.diskComponentAdded(lsmIndex);
-            exitComponents(ctx, LSMOperationType.FLUSH, false);
+        ILSMComponent newComponent = null;
+        try {
+            operation.getCallback().beforeOperation();
+            newComponent = lsmIndex.flush(operation);
+            operation.getCallback().afterOperation(null, newComponent);
+            lsmIndex.markAsValid(newComponent);
+        } finally {
+            exitComponents(ctx, LSMOperationType.FLUSH, newComponent, false);
             operation.getCallback().afterFinalize(newComponent);
         }
     }
@@ -238,7 +273,7 @@
             return;
         }
         if (ctx.getComponentHolder().size() < 2) {
-            exitComponents(ctx, opType, true);
+            exitComponents(ctx, opType, null, true);
         } else {
             lsmIndex.scheduleMerge(ctx, callback);
         }
@@ -248,17 +283,19 @@
     public void merge(ILSMIndexOperationContext ctx, ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException,
             IndexException {
         if (LOGGER.isLoggable(Level.INFO)) {
-            LOGGER.info(lsmIndex + ": merging");
+            LOGGER.info(lsmIndex + ": Merging ...");
         }
 
-        List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents = new ArrayList<ILSMComponent>();
-        operation.getCallback().beforeOperation();
-        ILSMComponent newComponent = lsmIndex.merge(mergedComponents, operation);
-        operation.getCallback().afterOperation(mergedComponents, newComponent);
-        lsmIndex.markAsValid(newComponent);
-        lsmIndex.subsumeMergedComponents(newComponent, mergedComponents);
-        exitComponents(ctx, LSMOperationType.MERGE, false);
-        operation.getCallback().afterFinalize(newComponent);
+        ILSMComponent newComponent = null;
+        try {
+            operation.getCallback().beforeOperation();
+            newComponent = lsmIndex.merge(operation);
+            operation.getCallback().afterOperation(ctx.getComponentHolder(), newComponent);
+            lsmIndex.markAsValid(newComponent);
+        } finally {
+            exitComponents(ctx, LSMOperationType.MERGE, newComponent, false);
+            operation.getCallback().afterFinalize(newComponent);
+        }
     }
 
     @Override
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/invertedindex/impls/LSMInvertedIndex.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/invertedindex/impls/LSMInvertedIndex.java
index d83bc1d..5e3a5c6 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/invertedindex/impls/LSMInvertedIndex.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-invertedindex/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/invertedindex/impls/LSMInvertedIndex.java
@@ -547,8 +547,7 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public ILSMComponent merge(List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents, ILSMIOOperation operation)
-            throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
+    public ILSMComponent merge(ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
         LSMInvertedIndexMergeOperation mergeOp = (LSMInvertedIndexMergeOperation) operation;
         IIndexCursor cursor = mergeOp.getCursor();
 
@@ -575,10 +574,6 @@
             cursor.close();
         }
         invIndexBulkLoader.end();
-
-        // Add the merged components for cleanup.
-        mergedComponents.addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
-
         return component;
     }
 
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTree.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTree.java
index c603e1c..e17f742 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTree.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTree.java
@@ -300,15 +300,13 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public ILSMComponent merge(List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents, ILSMIOOperation operation)
-            throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
+    public ILSMComponent merge(ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
         LSMRTreeMergeOperation mergeOp = (LSMRTreeMergeOperation) operation;
         ITreeIndexCursor cursor = mergeOp.getCursor();
         ISearchPredicate rtreeSearchPred = new SearchPredicate(null, null);
         ILSMIndexOperationContext opCtx = ((LSMRTreeSortedCursor) cursor).getOpCtx();
         opCtx.getComponentHolder().addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
         search(opCtx, cursor, rtreeSearchPred);
-        mergedComponents.addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
 
         LSMRTreeImmutableComponent mergedComponent = createDiskComponent(componentFactory,
                 mergeOp.getRTreeMergeTarget(), mergeOp.getBTreeMergeTarget(), mergeOp.getBloomFilterMergeTarget(), true);
diff --git a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java
index 5340efd..c095244 100644
--- a/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java
+++ b/hyracks/hyracks-storage-am-lsm-rtree/src/main/java/edu/uci/ics/hyracks/storage/am/lsm/rtree/impls/LSMRTreeWithAntiMatterTuples.java
@@ -258,15 +258,13 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public ILSMComponent merge(List<ILSMComponent> mergedComponents, ILSMIOOperation operation)
-            throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
+    public ILSMComponent merge(ILSMIOOperation operation) throws HyracksDataException, IndexException {
         LSMRTreeMergeOperation mergeOp = (LSMRTreeMergeOperation) operation;
         ITreeIndexCursor cursor = mergeOp.getCursor();
         ISearchPredicate rtreeSearchPred = new SearchPredicate(null, null);
         ILSMIndexOperationContext opCtx = ((LSMIndexSearchCursor) cursor).getOpCtx();
         opCtx.getComponentHolder().addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
         search(opCtx, cursor, rtreeSearchPred);
-        mergedComponents.addAll(mergeOp.getMergingComponents());
 
         // Bulk load the tuples from all on-disk RTrees into the new RTree.
         LSMRTreeImmutableComponent component = createDiskComponent(componentFactory, mergeOp.getRTreeMergeTarget(),