diff --git a/redGrapes/util/chunked_list.hpp b/redGrapes/util/chunked_list.hpp
index 9aacec2e..379a0ee4 100644
--- a/redGrapes/util/chunked_list.hpp
+++ b/redGrapes/util/chunked_list.hpp
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ template <
 >
 struct ChunkedList
 {
-    using chunk_offset_t = uint32_t;
-    using refcount_t = uint16_t;
+    using iter_offset_t = uint16_t;
+    using refcount_t = int16_t;
 
     struct Item
     {
@@ -107,58 +107,126 @@ struct ChunkedList
          */
         ItemStorage storage;
 
-        /* in case this item is deleted, `iter_offset` gives an
+        /* this variable tells the distance to the next initialized
+         * and not already deleted item, where a distance of `0`
+         * means that this item exists.
+         * In case this item is deleted, `iter_offset` gives an
          * offset by which we can safely jump to find the next
          * existing item.
+         *
          * iter_offset = 0 means this item exists
          * iter_offset = 1 means previous item exists
          * ...
          */
-        std::atomic< chunk_offset_t > iter_offset;
+        std::atomic< iter_offset_t > iter_offset;
 
         /* counts the number of iterators pointing
-         * at this item currently
+         * at this item currently.
+         * It is possible that iterators keep their
+         * reference to an item while this item is being
+         * deleted. In this case, iter_offset will already
+         * be set, so any new iterators will now skip
+         * this item but as long as some iterators referencing
+         * the already deleted item exist, the item data will
+         * not be destructed.
          */
         std::atomic< refcount_t > refcount;
 
         Item()
-            : iter_offset( 0 )
+            // any item starts uninitialized
+            : iter_offset( 1 )
             , refcount( 0 )
             , storage( TrivialInit_t{} )
         {}
 
         ~Item()
         {
-            if( refcount.fetch_sub(1) == 1 )
-                storage.value.~T();
+            release<false>();
         }
 
         /* initialize value of this item.
          * only intended for new elements,
          * re-assigning is not allowed.
+         * Per Item, only one thread is allowed to
+         * call the assignment operator once.
          */
         T & operator=(T const & value)
         {
-            auto old_refcount = refcount.fetch_add(1);
-            assert( old_refcount == 0 );
+            assert( iter_offset != 0 );
+            assert( refcount == 0 );
 
             storage.value = value;
+
+            /* here, item.value is now fully initalized,
+             * so allow iterators to access this item now.
+             */
             iter_offset = 0;
+
             return storage.value;
         }
 
+        /* Try to increment `refcount` and check if this
+         * item is still alive.
+         *
+         * @return 0 if acquisition was successful,
+         *         otherwise return iterator distance to the next
+         *         valid item
+         */
+        iter_offset_t acquire()
+        {
+            iter_offset_t off = iter_offset.load();
+            refcount_t old_refcount = refcount.load();
+
+            if( iter_offset == 0 && old_refcount >= 0 )
+            {
+                old_refcount = refcount.fetch_add(1);
+                off = iter_offset.load();
+
+                if( old_refcount >= 0 )
+                {
+                    /* The item data is not already destructed,
+                     * but only when `iter_offset` is still set to `0`
+                     * as initialized by `operator=`, the item still exists.
+                     * In case `off > 0`, some thread already called `remove()`
+                     * on this iterator position.
+                     */
+
+                    /* keep others from falsely trying to acquire this item
+                     * if it is deleted already.
+                     */
+                    if( off != 0 )
+                        --refcount;
+                }
+                else 
+                    /* item data is already destructed.
+                     * just decrement refcount to keep others from trying to 
+                     * acquire this item.
+                     */
+                    --refcount;
+            }
+
+            return off;
+        }
+
         /* decrement refcount and in case this 
          * was the last reference, deconstruct the element
+         * @tparam fail_on_invalid if true, this function will
+         *     throw if the item was already deleted
          */
-        void remove()
+        template < bool fail_on_invalid = true > 
+        void release()
         {
             refcount_t old_refcount = refcount.fetch_sub(1);
-
-            if( old_refcount == 1 )
-                storage.value.~T();
-
             if( old_refcount == 0 )
-                throw std::runtime_error("remove inexistent item");
+            {
+                // item is now deleted, and refcount set to -1
+                storage.value.~T();
+            }
+            else if( old_refcount < 0 )
+            {
+                if( fail_on_invalid )
+                    throw std::runtime_error("ChunkedList: try to remove invalid item!");
+            }
         }
     };
 
@@ -178,7 +246,7 @@ struct ChunkedList
          */
         std::atomic< Item * > next_item;
 
-        std::atomic< chunk_offset_t > freed_items{ 0 };
+        std::atomic< size_t > freed_items{ 0 };
 
         Chunk( memory::Block blk )
             : first_item( (Item*) blk.ptr )
@@ -239,20 +307,22 @@ struct ChunkedList
          * tries to acquire the element this iterator points to
          * by incrementing the reference count, so it will not be
          * deleted concurrently to the usage of this iterator.
+         * @return 0 if acquisition was successful,
+         *         otherwise return iterator distance to the next
+         *         valid item
          */
-        bool try_acquire()
+        iter_offset_t try_acquire()
         {
             if( is_valid_idx() )
             {
-                refcount_t old_refcount = item().refcount.fetch_add(1);
-                if( old_refcount >= 1 )
-                {
-                    chunk_offset_t off = item().iter_offset.load();
-                    if( off == 0 )
-                        set_item();
-                }
+                iter_offset_t off = item().acquire();
+                if( off == 0 )
+                    set_item();
+
+                return off;
             }
-            return has_item();
+            else
+                return 1;
         }
 
         /*!
@@ -262,8 +332,8 @@ struct ChunkedList
         {
             if( has_item() )
             {
-                item().remove();
                 unset_item();
+                item().release();
             }
         }
 
@@ -275,26 +345,30 @@ struct ChunkedList
         {
             while( is_valid_idx() )
             {
-                uint16_t step = item().iter_offset;
-
+                iter_offset_t step = try_acquire();
                 if( step == 0 )
                 {
-                    if( try_acquire() )
-                        return;
-                    else
-                        step = 1;
+                    // item was successfully acquired.
+                    assert( has_item() );
+                    return;
                 }
+                else
+                {
+                    // item is not existent
+                    assert( ! has_item() );
 
-                assert( ! has_item() );                
-                cur_item = (uintptr_t) (get_item_ptr() - step);
+                    // jump to next valid item
+                    cur_item = (uintptr_t) (get_item_ptr() - step);
 
-                if( ! is_valid_idx() )
-                {
-                    ++chunk;
-                    if( chunk )
-                        cur_item = (uintptr_t) chunk->last_item.load();
-                    else
-                        cur_item = 0;
+                    // goto next chunk if necessary
+                    if( ! is_valid_idx() )
+                    {
+                        ++chunk;
+                        if( chunk )
+                            cur_item = (uintptr_t) chunk->last_item.load();
+                        else
+                            cur_item = 0;
+                    }
                 }
             }
 
@@ -392,7 +466,7 @@ struct ChunkedList
         {
             this->release();
 
-            if( this->get_item_ptr() > this->chunk->first_item )
+            if( (uintptr_t)(this->get_item_ptr() - 1u) >= (uintptr_t)this->chunk->first_item.load() )
                 this->cur_item = (uintptr_t) (this->get_item_ptr() - 1);
             else
             {
@@ -448,28 +522,54 @@ struct ChunkedList
             {
                 Item * chunk_begin = chunk->first_item;
                 Item * chunk_end = chunk_begin + T_chunk_size;
-                Item * next_item = chunk->next_item.fetch_add(1);
 
-                if( (uintptr_t)next_item < (uintptr_t)chunk_end )
+                /* check if there is a chance to get a slot in this chunk
+                 */
+                if( (uintptr_t)chunk->next_item.load() <= (uintptr_t)chunk_end )
                 {
-                    *next_item = item;
-                    chunk->last_item ++;
-                    if( (uintptr_t)next_item == (uintptr_t)(chunk_end - 1u))
+                    Item * next_item = chunk->next_item.fetch_add(1);
+
+                    if( (uintptr_t)next_item < (uintptr_t)chunk_end )
                     {
-                      // the thread who took the last item of this chunk must allocate
-                      // the next batch of items
-                      chunks.allocate_item();
+                        /* successfully allocated a slot in the current chunk
+                         */
+
+                        // initialize item value
+                        *next_item = item;
+
+                        /* allow iteration to start at the newly initialized item.
+                         * in case it happens that 
+                         */
+                        chunk->last_item ++;
+
+                        return MutBackwardIterator( chunk, next_item );
+                    }
+                    else if ( (uintptr_t)next_item == (uintptr_t)chunk_end )
+                    {
+                        /* here we are the first thread that overflows
+                         * the current chunk, so allocate a new chunk here
+                         */
+                        chunks.allocate_item();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        /* another one, but not the first thread that overflowed
+                         * this chunk. wait for the allocation now.
+                         */
                     }
-                    return MutBackwardIterator( chunk, next_item );
                 }
                 else
-                    chunk->next_item.fetch_sub(1);
+                {
+                    /* `chunk` is already full,
+                     * don't even attempt to increment `next_item`
+                     * just wait for the allocation of the new chunk to happen...
+                     */
+                }
             }
             else
             {
                 throw std::runtime_error("chunk_list: invalid state, there should always be at least one chunk available.");
             }
-
         }
     }
 
@@ -489,10 +589,15 @@ struct ChunkedList
             else
                 pos.item().iter_offset = (pos.get_item_ptr() - 1)->iter_offset + 1;
 
+
+            /* TODO: scan in other direction for deleted items too,
+                and update their `iter_offset` 
+             */  
+
             /* decrement refcount once so the item will be deconstructed
              * eventually, when all iterators drop their references
              */
-            pos.item().remove();
+            pos.item().release();
 
             release_chunk( pos.chunk );
         }
@@ -513,6 +618,8 @@ struct ChunkedList
         return MutBackwardIterator(
             c,
             ( c != chunks.rend() ) ? c->last_item.load() : nullptr
+// TODO: change to this when `last_item` is removed
+//            ( c != chunks.rend() ) ? min(c->last_item.load()-1, c->first_item+T_chunk_size) : nullptr
         );
     }