diff --git a/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map.go b/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map.go
index f735244..88e8b24 100644
--- a/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map.go
+++ b/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map.go
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ func (m *TwoPhaseMap[K, D]) GenerateMessage() *TwoPhaseMapState[K] {
 	}
 }
 
-func (m *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) Difference(state *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) *TwoPhaseMapState[K] {
+func (m *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) Difference(highestStale uint64, state *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) *TwoPhaseMapState[K] {
 	mapState := &TwoPhaseMapState[K]{
 		AddContents:    make(map[uint64]uint64),
 		RemoveContents: make(map[uint64]uint64),
@@ -160,7 +160,7 @@ func (m *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) Difference(state *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) *TwoPhaseMa
 	for key, value := range state.AddContents {
 		otherValue, ok := m.AddContents[key]
 
-		if !ok || otherValue < value {
+		if value > highestStale && (!ok || otherValue < value) {
 			mapState.AddContents[key] = value
 		}
 	}
@@ -168,7 +168,7 @@ func (m *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) Difference(state *TwoPhaseMapState[K]) *TwoPhaseMa
 	for key, value := range state.RemoveContents {
 		otherValue, ok := m.RemoveContents[key]
 
-		if !ok || otherValue < value {
+		if value > highestStale && (!ok || otherValue < value) {
 			mapState.RemoveContents[key] = value
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map_syncer.go b/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map_syncer.go
index 1247823..ac38f47 100644
--- a/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map_syncer.go
+++ b/pkg/crdt/two_phase_map_syncer.go
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ func present(syncer *TwoPhaseSyncer) ([]byte, bool) {
 
 	if err != nil {
 		logging.Log.WriteErrorf(err.Error())
-	}
+	} 
 
-	difference := syncer.mapState.Difference(&mapState)
+	difference := syncer.mapState.Difference(syncer.manager.store.Clock.GetStaleCount(), &mapState)
 	syncer.manager.store.Clock.Merge(mapState.Vectors)
 
 	var sendBuffer bytes.Buffer
diff --git a/pkg/crdt/vector_clock.go b/pkg/crdt/vector_clock.go
index 584cef3..278a5c1 100644
--- a/pkg/crdt/vector_clock.go
+++ b/pkg/crdt/vector_clock.go
@@ -23,6 +23,8 @@ type VectorClock[K cmp.Ordered] struct {
 	processID K
 	staleTime uint64
 	hashFunc  func(K) uint64
+	// highest update that's been garbage collected
+	highestStale uint64
 }
 
 // IncrementClock: increments the node's value in the vector clock
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ func (m *VectorClock[K]) getStale() []uint64 {
 	for key, bucket := range m.vectors {
 		if maxTimeStamp-bucket.lastUpdate > m.staleTime {
 			toRemove = append(toRemove, key)
+			m.highestStale = max(bucket.clock, m.highestStale)
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -85,6 +88,15 @@ func (m *VectorClock[K]) getStale() []uint64 {
 	return toRemove
 }
 
+// GetStaleCount: returns a vector clock which is considered to be stale.
+// all updates must be greater than this
+func (m *VectorClock[K]) GetStaleCount() uint64 {
+	m.lock.RLock()
+	staleCount := m.highestStale
+	m.lock.RUnlock()
+	return staleCount
+}
+
 func (m *VectorClock[K]) Prune() {
 	stale := m.getStale()
 
@@ -120,7 +132,9 @@ func (m *VectorClock[K]) put(key uint64, value uint64) {
 		clockValue = bucket.clock
 	}
 
-	if value > clockValue {
+	// Make sure that entries that were garbage collected don't get
+	// addded back
+	if value > clockValue && value > m.highestStale {
 		newBucket := VectorBucket{
 			clock:      value,
 			lastUpdate: uint64(time.Now().Unix()),