diff --git a/src/indexer/index_writer.rs b/src/indexer/index_writer.rs
index 66ab10e28..df6a47ca1 100644
--- a/src/indexer/index_writer.rs
+++ b/src/indexer/index_writer.rs
@@ -142,8 +142,7 @@ pub(crate) fn advance_deletes(
         return Ok(());
     }
 
-    let mut delete_cursor = segment_entry.delete_cursor().clone();
-    if segment_entry.delete_bitset().is_none() && delete_cursor.get().is_none() {
+    if segment_entry.delete_bitset().is_none() && segment_entry.delete_cursor().get().is_none() {
         // There has been no `DeleteOperation` between the segment status and `target_opstamp`.
         return Ok(());
     }
@@ -159,7 +158,7 @@ pub(crate) fn advance_deletes(
     compute_deleted_bitset(
         &mut delete_bitset,
         &segment_reader,
-        &mut delete_cursor,
+        segment_entry.delete_cursor(),
         &DocToOpstampMapping::None,
         target_opstamp,
     )?;
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index de3f2705a..5db79a1ed 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -940,4 +940,73 @@ mod tests {
             assert_eq!(fast_field_reader.get(0), 4f64)
         }
     }
+
+    // motivated by #729
+    #[test]
+    fn test_update_via_delete_insert() {
+        use crate::collector::Count;
+        use crate::indexer::NoMergePolicy;
+        use crate::query::AllQuery;
+        use crate::SegmentId;
+        use futures::executor::block_on;
+
+        const DOC_COUNT: u64 = 2u64;
+
+        let mut schema_builder = SchemaBuilder::default();
+        let id = schema_builder.add_u64_field("id", INDEXED);
+        let schema = schema_builder.build();
+
+        let index = Index::create_in_ram(schema.clone());
+        let index_reader = index.reader().unwrap();
+
+        let mut index_writer = index.writer(3_000_000).unwrap();
+        index_writer.set_merge_policy(Box::new(NoMergePolicy));
+
+        for doc_id in 0u64..DOC_COUNT {
+            index_writer.add_document(doc!(id => doc_id));
+        }
+        index_writer.commit().unwrap();
+
+        index_reader.reload().unwrap();
+        let searcher = index_reader.searcher();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            searcher.search(&AllQuery, &Count).unwrap(),
+            DOC_COUNT as usize
+        );
+
+        // update the 10 elements by deleting and re-adding
+        for doc_id in 0u64..DOC_COUNT {
+            index_writer.delete_term(Term::from_field_u64(id, doc_id));
+            index_writer.commit().unwrap();
+            index_reader.reload().unwrap();
+            let doc = doc!(id =>  doc_id);
+            index_writer.add_document(doc);
+            index_writer.commit().unwrap();
+            index_reader.reload().unwrap();
+            let searcher = index_reader.searcher();
+            // The number of document should be stable.
+            assert_eq!(
+                searcher.search(&AllQuery, &Count).unwrap(),
+                DOC_COUNT as usize
+            );
+        }
+
+        index_reader.reload().unwrap();
+        let searcher = index_reader.searcher();
+        let segment_ids: Vec<SegmentId> = searcher
+            .segment_readers()
+            .into_iter()
+            .map(|reader| reader.segment_id())
+            .collect();
+        block_on(index_writer.merge(&segment_ids)).unwrap();
+
+        index_reader.reload().unwrap();
+        let searcher = index_reader.searcher();
+
+        assert_eq!(
+            searcher.search(&AllQuery, &Count).unwrap(),
+            DOC_COUNT as usize
+        );
+    }
 }