diff --git a/reftable/merged.c b/reftable/merged.c
index 5b93e20f42..bb0836e344 100644
--- a/reftable/merged.c
+++ b/reftable/merged.c
@@ -66,6 +66,8 @@ static int merged_iter_seek(struct merged_iter *mi, struct reftable_record *want
 	int err;
 
 	mi->advance_index = -1;
+	while (!merged_iter_pqueue_is_empty(mi->pq))
+		merged_iter_pqueue_remove(&mi->pq);
 
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < mi->subiters_len; i++) {
 		err = iterator_seek(&mi->subiters[i].iter, want);
diff --git a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c
index 2591b5e597..a12bd0e1a3 100644
--- a/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c
+++ b/t/unit-tests/t-reftable-merged.c
@@ -273,6 +273,78 @@ static void t_merged_seek_multiple_times(void)
 	reftable_free(sources);
 }
 
+static void t_merged_seek_multiple_times_without_draining(void)
+{
+	struct reftable_ref_record r1[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "a",
+			.update_index = 1,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 1 },
+		},
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "c",
+			.update_index = 1,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 2 },
+		}
+	};
+	struct reftable_ref_record r2[] = {
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "b",
+			.update_index = 2,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 3 },
+		},
+		{
+			.refname = (char *) "d",
+			.update_index = 2,
+			.value_type = REFTABLE_REF_VAL1,
+			.value.val1 = { 4 },
+		},
+	};
+	struct reftable_ref_record *refs[] = {
+		r1, r2,
+	};
+	size_t sizes[] = {
+		ARRAY_SIZE(r1), ARRAY_SIZE(r2),
+	};
+	struct reftable_buf bufs[] = {
+		REFTABLE_BUF_INIT, REFTABLE_BUF_INIT,
+	};
+	struct reftable_block_source *sources = NULL;
+	struct reftable_reader **readers = NULL;
+	struct reftable_ref_record rec = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_iterator it = { 0 };
+	struct reftable_merged_table *mt;
+	int err;
+
+	mt = merged_table_from_records(refs, &sources, &readers, sizes, bufs, 2);
+	merged_table_init_iter(mt, &it, BLOCK_TYPE_REF);
+
+	err = reftable_iterator_seek_ref(&it, "b");
+	check(!err);
+	err = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &rec);
+	check(!err);
+	err = reftable_ref_record_equal(&rec, &r2[0], REFTABLE_HASH_SIZE_SHA1);
+	check(err == 1);
+
+	err = reftable_iterator_seek_ref(&it, "a");
+	check(!err);
+	err = reftable_iterator_next_ref(&it, &rec);
+	check(!err);
+	err = reftable_ref_record_equal(&rec, &r1[0], REFTABLE_HASH_SIZE_SHA1);
+	check(err == 1);
+
+	for (size_t i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(bufs); i++)
+		reftable_buf_release(&bufs[i]);
+	readers_destroy(readers, ARRAY_SIZE(refs));
+	reftable_ref_record_release(&rec);
+	reftable_iterator_destroy(&it);
+	reftable_merged_table_free(mt);
+	reftable_free(sources);
+}
+
 static struct reftable_merged_table *
 merged_table_from_log_records(struct reftable_log_record **logs,
 			      struct reftable_block_source **source,
@@ -467,6 +539,7 @@ int cmd_main(int argc UNUSED, const char *argv[] UNUSED)
 	TEST(t_merged_logs(), "merged table with multiple log updates for same ref");
 	TEST(t_merged_refs(), "merged table with multiple updates to same ref");
 	TEST(t_merged_seek_multiple_times(), "merged table can seek multiple times");
+	TEST(t_merged_seek_multiple_times_without_draining(), "merged table can seek multiple times without draining");
 	TEST(t_merged_single_record(), "ref occurring in only one record can be fetched");
 
 	return test_done();