Index: src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HStore.java =================================================================== --- src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HStore.java (revision 692965) +++ src/java/org/apache/hadoop/hbase/regionserver/HStore.java (working copy) @@ -1451,7 +1451,8 @@ // most closely matches what we're looking for. We'll have to update it as // deletes are found all over the place as we go along before finally // reading the best key out of it at the end. - SortedMap candidateKeys = new TreeMap(); + SortedMap candidateKeys = new TreeMap( + new HStoreKey.HStoreKeyWritableComparator(info)); // Keep a list of deleted cell keys. We need this because as we go through // the store files, the cell with the delete marker may be in one file and