diff --git a/src/collections.rs b/src/collections.rs
index c668f5c..1b6c306 100644
--- a/src/collections.rs
+++ b/src/collections.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,39 @@ macro_rules! corrupted_unless {
     };
 }
 
+/// in order to make linked-lists crash-safe, the algorithm will be as follows:
+///
+/// insert:
+///  * check for existance of item, if it exists, it's already a member of the list
+///  * if it does not exist, go to list.tail. this element must exist.
+///  * start walking from list.tail over the next elements until we find a valid item
+///  * this is the true tail of the list. if curr->next is valid but missing, we consider
+///    curr to be true end as well.
+///  * make curr->next = new item's key
+///  * insert new item (prev pointing to curr)
+///  * set list.tail = new item, len+=1
+///
+///    this is safe because if we crash at any point, the list is still valid, and
+///    the accounting will be fixed by the next insert (patching len and tail)
+///
+/// removal:
+///  * check if the element exists. if not, no-op
+///  * if the element is the only item in the list, remove the list, and then remove the item.
+///  * if the element is the first in the (non-empty) list:
+///    * point list.head to element->next, set len-=1
+///    * point the new first element.prev = INVALID
+///    * remove the element
+///  * if the element is the last in the (non-empty) list:
+///    * point list.tail to element->prev, set len-=1
+///    * point the new last element.next = INVALID
+///    * remove the element
+///  * if the element is a middle element:
+///    * point element->prev->next to element->next -- now the element will not be traversed by iteration
+///    * point element->next->prev to element->prev -- now the element is completely disconnected
+///    * set list.len -= 1 -- THIS IS NOT CRASH SAFE. better remove the len altogether
+///    * remove the element
+///
+
 impl VickyStore {
     fn make_coll_key(&self, coll_key: &[u8]) -> (PartedHash, Vec<u8>) {
         let mut full_key = coll_key.to_owned();
@@ -124,7 +157,7 @@ impl VickyStore {
     }
 
     fn lock_collection(&self, coll_ph: PartedHash) -> MutexGuard<()> {
-        self.keyed_locks[coll_ph.signature() as usize % self.keyed_locks.len()]
+        self.keyed_locks[(coll_ph.signature() & self.keyed_locks_mask) as usize]
             .lock()
             .unwrap()
     }
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index de9216f..ed0e471 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ pub struct Config {
     pub hash_seed: HashSeed, // just some entropy, not so important unless you fear DoS
     pub expected_number_of_keys: usize, // hint for creating number of shards accordingly)
     pub merge_small_shards: bool, // whether or not to merge small shards when items are removed
+    pub max_concurrent_collection_ops: u32, // number of keyed locks for concurrent collection ops
 }
 
 impl Default for Config {
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ impl Default for Config {
             hash_seed: HashSeed::new(b"kOYLu0xvq2WtzcKJ").unwrap(),
             expected_number_of_keys: 0,
             merge_small_shards: false,
+            max_concurrent_collection_ops: 64,
         }
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/store.rs b/src/store.rs
index 7f17f8f..f30af1c 100644
--- a/src/store.rs
+++ b/src/store.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ pub struct VickyStore {
     pub(crate) num_compactions: AtomicUsize,
     pub(crate) num_splits: AtomicUsize,
     // locks for complicated operations
+    pub(crate) keyed_locks_mask: u32,
     pub(crate) keyed_locks: Vec<Mutex<()>>,
 }
 
@@ -143,8 +144,13 @@ impl VickyStore {
             Self::create_first_shards(&dir_path, &config, &mut shards)?;
         }
 
+        let mut num_keyed_locks = config.max_concurrent_collection_ops.max(4);
+        if !num_keyed_locks.is_power_of_two() {
+            num_keyed_locks = 1 << (num_keyed_locks.ilog2() + 1);
+        }
+
         let mut keyed_locks = vec![];
-        for _ in 0..1024 {
+        for _ in 0..num_keyed_locks {
             keyed_locks.push(Mutex::new(()));
         }
 
@@ -155,6 +161,7 @@ impl VickyStore {
             num_entries: 0.into(),
             num_compactions: 0.into(),
             num_splits: 0.into(),
+            keyed_locks_mask: num_keyed_locks - 1,
             keyed_locks,
         })
     }
diff --git a/vicky-crasher/src/main.rs b/vicky-crasher/src/main.rs
index 1fcf1cb..0f5afec 100644
--- a/vicky-crasher/src/main.rs
+++ b/vicky-crasher/src/main.rs
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+use std::ops::Range;
 use std::time::Duration;
 
 use rand::Rng;
@@ -5,7 +6,7 @@ use vicky_store::{Config, Result, VickyStore};
 
 const TARGET: u32 = 1_000_000;
 
-fn child_func() -> Result<()> {
+fn child_inserts() -> Result<()> {
     // our job is to create 1M entries while being killed by our evil parent
 
     let store = VickyStore::open("dbdir", Config::default())?;
@@ -33,18 +34,46 @@ fn child_func() -> Result<()> {
     Ok(())
 }
 
-fn main() -> Result<()> {
-    _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all("dbdir");
+fn child_removals() -> Result<()> {
+    // our job is to create 1M entries while being killed by our evil parent
+
+    let store = VickyStore::open("dbdir", Config::default())?;
+    let lowest_bytes = store.get("lowest")?.unwrap_or(vec![0, 0, 0, 0]);
+    let lowest = u32::from_le_bytes([
+        lowest_bytes[0],
+        lowest_bytes[1],
+        lowest_bytes[2],
+        lowest_bytes[3],
+    ]);
+
+    if lowest == TARGET - 1 {
+        println!("child finished (already at {lowest})");
+        return Ok(());
+    }
+
+    println!("child starting at {lowest}");
+
+    for i in lowest..TARGET {
+        store.remove(&i.to_le_bytes())?;
+        store.set("lowest", &i.to_le_bytes())?;
+    }
+    println!("child finished");
+
+    Ok(())
+}
 
+fn parent_run(mut child_func: impl FnMut() -> Result<()>, sleep: Range<u64>) -> Result<()> {
     for i in 0.. {
         let pid = unsafe { libc::fork() };
         assert!(pid >= 0);
         if pid == 0 {
-            child_func()?;
-            return Ok(());
+            let res = child_func();
+            unsafe { libc::exit(if res.is_err() { 1 } else { 0 }) };
         } else {
             // parent
-            std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(rand::thread_rng().gen_range(10..300)));
+            std::thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(
+                rand::thread_rng().gen_range(sleep.clone()),
+            ));
             let mut status = 0i32;
             let rc = unsafe { libc::waitpid(pid, &mut status, libc::WNOHANG) };
             if rc == 0 {
@@ -60,6 +89,13 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
             }
         }
     }
+    Ok(())
+}
+
+fn main() -> Result<()> {
+    _ = std::fs::remove_dir_all("dbdir");
+
+    parent_run(child_inserts, 10..300)?;
 
     println!("Parent starts validating the DB...");
 
@@ -80,5 +116,17 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
 
     println!("DB validated successfully");
 
+    parent_run(child_removals, 10..30)?;
+
+    println!("Parent starts validating the DB...");
+
+    assert_eq!(
+        store.remove("lowest")?,
+        Some((TARGET - 1).to_le_bytes().to_vec())
+    );
+    assert_eq!(store.iter().count(), 0);
+
+    println!("DB validated successfully");
+
     Ok(())
 }