diff --git a/provider/provider_test.go b/provider/provider_test.go
index 14cd68521464..7ef007b03a70 100644
--- a/provider/provider_test.go
+++ b/provider/provider_test.go
@@ -19,6 +19,15 @@ type mockRouting struct {
 	provided chan cid.Cid
 }
 
+func (r *mockRouting) Provide(ctx context.Context, cid cid.Cid, recursive bool) error {
+	r.provided <- cid
+	return nil
+}
+
+func (r *mockRouting) FindProvidersAsync(ctx context.Context, cid cid.Cid, timeout int) <-chan pstore.PeerInfo {
+	return nil
+}
+
 func mockContentRouting() *mockRouting {
 	r := mockRouting{}
 	r.provided = make(chan cid.Cid)
@@ -68,13 +77,3 @@ func TestAnnouncement(t *testing.T) {
 		}
 	}
 }
-
-func (r *mockRouting) Provide(ctx context.Context, cid cid.Cid, recursive bool) error {
-	r.provided <- cid
-	return nil
-}
-
-// Search for peers who are able to provide a given key
-func (r *mockRouting) FindProvidersAsync(ctx context.Context, cid cid.Cid, timeout int) <-chan pstore.PeerInfo {
-	return nil
-}
diff --git a/provider/queue.go b/provider/queue.go
index 1220779547b0..8d89d2ffa540 100644
--- a/provider/queue.go
+++ b/provider/queue.go
@@ -2,13 +2,14 @@ package provider
 
 import (
 	"context"
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/namespace"
-	"github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/query"
 	"math"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+
+	cid "github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+	datastore "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore"
+	namespace "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/namespace"
+	query "github.com/ipfs/go-datastore/query"
 )
 
 // Queue provides a durable, FIFO interface to the datastore for storing cids
@@ -100,11 +101,11 @@ func (q *Queue) nextEntry() (datastore.Key, cid.Cid) {
 // Run dequeues and enqueues when available.
 func (q *Queue) work() {
 	go func() {
-
 		for {
 			k, c := q.nextEntry()
 			var dequeue chan cid.Cid
 
+			// If c != cid.Undef set dequeue and attempt write, otherwise wait for enqueue
 			if c != cid.Undef {
 				dequeue = q.dequeue
 			}
diff --git a/provider/queue_test.go b/provider/queue_test.go
index 0dd3bab09cad..29f482fb97ba 100644
--- a/provider/queue_test.go
+++ b/provider/queue_test.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func TestBasicOperation(t *testing.T) {
 	assertOrdered(cids, queue, t)
 }
 
-func TestInitialization(t *testing.T) {
+func TestSparseDatastore(t *testing.T) {
 	ctx := context.Background()
 	defer ctx.Done()
 
@@ -63,7 +63,59 @@ func TestInitialization(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 
 	cids := makeCids(10)
+	for _, c := range cids {
+		queue.Enqueue(c)
+	}
+
+	// remove entries in the middle
+	err = queue.ds.Delete(queue.queueKey(5))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	err = queue.ds.Delete(queue.queueKey(6))
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	expected := append(cids[:5], cids[7:]...)
+	assertOrdered(expected, queue, t)
+}
+
+func TestMangledData(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	defer ctx.Done()
 
+	ds := sync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
+	queue, err := NewQueue(ctx, "test", ds)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cids := makeCids(10)
+	for _, c := range cids {
+		queue.Enqueue(c)
+	}
+
+	// remove entries in the middle
+	err = queue.ds.Put(queue.queueKey(5), []byte("borked"))
+
+	expected := append(cids[:5], cids[6:]...)
+	assertOrdered(expected, queue, t)
+}
+
+
+func TestInitialization(t *testing.T) {
+	ctx := context.Background()
+	defer ctx.Done()
+
+	ds := sync.MutexWrap(datastore.NewMapDatastore())
+	queue, err := NewQueue(ctx, "test", ds)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+
+	cids := makeCids(10)
 	for _, c := range cids {
 		queue.Enqueue(c)
 	}