diff --git a/mutation_partition.hh b/mutation_partition.hh
index 4658e0ef1e..26b7c5cf1b 100644
--- a/mutation_partition.hh
+++ b/mutation_partition.hh
@@ -1295,6 +1295,9 @@ public:
     // object contains at least all the writes it contained before the call (monotonicity). It may contain partial writes.
     // Also, some progress is always guaranteed (liveness).
     //
+    // If returns stop_iteration::yes, then the sum of this and p is NO LONGER the same as before the call,
+    // the state of p is undefined and should not be used for reading.
+    //
     // The operation can be driven to completion like this:
     //
     //   apply_resume res;
diff --git a/mutation_partition_v2.cc b/mutation_partition_v2.cc
index 8e5c32468c..35655c957d 100644
--- a/mutation_partition_v2.cc
+++ b/mutation_partition_v2.cc
@@ -475,9 +475,14 @@ stop_iteration mutation_partition_v2::apply_monotonically(const schema& s, mutat
             lb_i = {};
         }
         ++app_stats.row_writes;
+
+        // We must not return stop_iteration::no if we removed the last element from p._rows.
+        // Otherwise, p_i will be left empty, and thus fully continuous, violating the
+        // invariant that the sum of this and p has the same continuity as before merging.
         if (made_progress && need_preempt() && p_i != p._rows.end()) {
             return stop_iteration::no;
         }
+
         made_progress = true;
     }
     if (prev_compacted && lb_i != _rows.end()) {
diff --git a/mutation_partition_v2.hh b/mutation_partition_v2.hh
index 20e3aae53b..d5d5d924ed 100644
--- a/mutation_partition_v2.hh
+++ b/mutation_partition_v2.hh
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ public:
     // object contains at least all the writes it contained before the call (monotonicity). It may contain partial writes.
     // Also, some progress is always guaranteed (liveness).
     //
+    // If returns stop_iteration::yes, then the sum of this and p is NO LONGER the same as before the call,
+    // the state of p is undefined and should not be used for reading.
+    //
     // The operation can be driven to completion like this:
     //
     //   apply_resume res;
diff --git a/partition_version.cc b/partition_version.cc
index e75bc26c8b..5dbf874ded 100644
--- a/partition_version.cc
+++ b/partition_version.cc
@@ -196,6 +196,8 @@ stop_iteration partition_snapshot::merge_partition_versions(mutation_application
             if (do_stop_iteration == stop_iteration::no) {
                 return stop_iteration::no;
             }
+            // If do_stop_iteration is yes, we have to remove the previous version.
+            // It now appears as fully continuous because it is empty.
             _version_merging_state.reset();
             if (prev->is_referenced()) {
                 _version.release();