diff --git a/src/model/garage.rs b/src/model/garage.rs
index a33265af..c0ffdd31 100644
--- a/src/model/garage.rs
+++ b/src/model/garage.rs
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ use crate::index_counter::*;
 use crate::key_table::*;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "k2v")]
-use crate::k2v::{history_table::*, item_table::*, poll::*, rpc::*};
+use crate::k2v::{history_table::*, item_table::*, sub::*, rpc::*};
 
 /// An entire Garage full of data
 pub struct Garage {
diff --git a/src/model/k2v/history_table.rs b/src/model/k2v/history_table.rs
index 6a6e9a10..9df03f5d 100644
--- a/src/model/k2v/history_table.rs
+++ b/src/model/k2v/history_table.rs
@@ -5,18 +5,21 @@ use garage_db as db;
 use garage_table::crdt::*;
 use garage_table::*;
 
-use crate::k2v::poll::*;
+use crate::k2v::sub::*;
 
 mod v08 {
 	use crate::k2v::causality::K2VNodeId;
-	pub use crate::k2v::item_table::v08::{DvvsValue, K2VItemPartition};
+	pub use crate::k2v::item_table::v08::{DvvsValue, K2VItem, K2VItemPartition};
 	use garage_util::crdt;
 	use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 
 	#[derive(PartialEq, Eq, Clone, Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 	pub struct K2VHistoryEntry {
-		/// Partition key: a K2V partition
-		pub partition: K2VItemPartition,
+		// Partition key: the partition key of ins_item
+
+		/// The inserted item
+		pub ins_item: K2VItem,
+
 		/// Sort key: the node ID and its local counter
 		pub node_counter: K2VHistorySortKey,
 
@@ -25,12 +28,8 @@ mod v08 {
 		/// The timesamp of the update (!= counter, counters are incremented
 		/// by one, timestamps are real clock timestamps)
 		pub timestamp: u64,
-		/// The sort key of the item that was inserted
-		pub ins_sort_key: String,
-		/// The inserted value
-		pub ins_value: DvvsValue,
 
-		/// Whether this history entry is too old and should be deleted
+		/// Mark this history entry for deletion
 		pub deleted: crdt::Bool,
 	}
 
@@ -49,6 +48,7 @@ pub use v08::*;
 
 impl Crdt for K2VHistoryEntry {
 	fn merge(&mut self, other: &Self) {
+		self.ins_item.merge(&other.ins_item);
 		self.deleted.merge(&other.deleted);
 	}
 }
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ impl SortKey for K2VHistorySortKey {
 
 impl Entry<K2VItemPartition, K2VHistorySortKey> for K2VHistoryEntry {
 	fn partition_key(&self) -> &K2VItemPartition {
-		&self.partition
+		&self.ins_item.partition
 	}
 	fn sort_key(&self) -> &K2VHistorySortKey {
 		&self.node_counter
diff --git a/src/model/k2v/item_table.rs b/src/model/k2v/item_table.rs
index 90a2f4d0..cf60fd3f 100644
--- a/src/model/k2v/item_table.rs
+++ b/src/model/k2v/item_table.rs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ use garage_table::*;
 
 use crate::index_counter::*;
 use crate::k2v::causality::*;
-use crate::k2v::poll::*;
+use crate::k2v::sub::*;
 
 pub const ENTRIES: &str = "entries";
 pub const CONFLICTS: &str = "conflicts";
diff --git a/src/model/k2v/mod.rs b/src/model/k2v/mod.rs
index 18deabac..4f7de5b7 100644
--- a/src/model/k2v/mod.rs
+++ b/src/model/k2v/mod.rs
@@ -3,5 +3,6 @@ pub mod causality;
 pub mod history_table;
 pub mod item_table;
 
-pub mod poll;
+pub(crate) mod sub;
+
 pub mod rpc;
diff --git a/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs b/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs
index 1dc396c0..c3cb5f9f 100644
--- a/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs
+++ b/src/model/k2v/rpc.rs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ use garage_table::{PartitionKey, Table};
 use crate::k2v::causality::*;
 use crate::k2v::history_table::*;
 use crate::k2v::item_table::*;
-use crate::k2v::poll::*;
+use crate::k2v::sub::*;
 
 /// RPC messages for K2V
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
@@ -292,8 +292,9 @@ impl K2VRpcHandler {
 		self.item_table
 			.data
 			.update_entry_with(&item.partition, &item.sort_key, |tx, ent| {
+				let local_counter_key = item.partition.hash();
 				let old_local_counter = tx
-					.get(&self.local_counter_tree, b"counter")?
+					.get(&self.local_counter_tree, &local_counter_key)?
 					.and_then(|x| x.try_into().ok())
 					.map(u64::from_be_bytes)
 					.unwrap_or_default();
@@ -314,20 +315,18 @@ impl K2VRpcHandler {
 
 				tx.insert(
 					&self.local_counter_tree,
-					b"counter",
+					&local_counter_key,
 					u64::to_be_bytes(new_local_counter),
 				)?;
 
 				let hist_entry = K2VHistoryEntry {
-					partition: ent.partition.clone(),
+					ins_item: ent.clone(),
 					node_counter: K2VHistorySortKey {
 						node: make_node_id(self.system.id),
 						counter: new_local_counter,
 					},
 					prev_counter: old_local_counter,
 					timestamp: now,
-					ins_sort_key: item.sort_key.clone(),
-					ins_value: item.value.clone(),
 					deleted: false.into(),
 				};
 				self.history_table.queue_insert(tx, &hist_entry)?;
diff --git a/src/model/k2v/poll.rs b/src/model/k2v/sub.rs
similarity index 93%
rename from src/model/k2v/poll.rs
rename to src/model/k2v/sub.rs
index ea3e8d41..1dcca4d5 100644
--- a/src/model/k2v/poll.rs
+++ b/src/model/k2v/sub.rs
@@ -95,21 +95,21 @@ impl SubscriptionManager {
 
 impl PollRange {
 	fn matches(&self, entry: &K2VHistoryEntry) -> bool {
-		entry.partition == self.partition
+		entry.ins_item.partition == self.partition
 			&& self
 				.prefix
 				.as_ref()
-				.map(|x| entry.ins_sort_key.starts_with(x))
+				.map(|x| entry.ins_item.sort_key.starts_with(x))
 				.unwrap_or(true)
 			&& self
 				.start
 				.as_ref()
-				.map(|x| entry.ins_sort_key >= *x)
+				.map(|x| entry.ins_item.sort_key >= *x)
 				.unwrap_or(true)
 			&& self
 				.end
 				.as_ref()
-				.map(|x| entry.ins_sort_key < *x)
+				.map(|x| entry.ins_item.sort_key < *x)
 				.unwrap_or(true)
 	}
 }