diff --git a/NEWS.txt b/NEWS.txt
index 0f54918015..e685b126c2 100644
--- a/NEWS.txt
+++ b/NEWS.txt
@@ -74,6 +74,13 @@ Upgrading
 ---------
     - Nothing specific to 1.0.7, please report to instruction for 1.0.6
 
+Other
+-----
+    - Adds new setstreamthroughput to nodetool to configure streaming
+      throttling
+    - Adds JMX property to get/set rpc_timeout_in_ms at runtime
+    - Allow configuring (per-CF) bloom_filter_fp_chance
+
 
 1.0.6
 =====
@@ -88,13 +95,6 @@ Upgrading
       setting the right value and then run scrub on the column family.
     - Please report to instruction for 1.0.5 if coming from an older version.
 
-Other
------
-    - Adds new setstreamthroughput to nodetool to configure streaming
-      throttling
-    - Adds JMX property to get/set rpc_timeout_in_ms at runtime
-    - Allow configuring (per-CF) bloom_filter_fp_chance
-
 
 1.0.5
 =====
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/HintedHandOffManager.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/HintedHandOffManager.java
index 0d10603495..b93a8e39e3 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/HintedHandOffManager.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/HintedHandOffManager.java
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ public class HintedHandOffManager implements HintedHandOffManagerMBean
                 {
                     logger_.info("Deleting any stored hints for " + endpoint);
                     rm.apply();
-                    hintStore.forceFlush();
+                    hintStore.forceBlockingFlush();
                     CompactionManager.instance.submitMaximal(hintStore, Integer.MAX_VALUE);
                 }
                 catch (Exception e)
@@ -359,9 +359,9 @@ public class HintedHandOffManager implements HintedHandOffManagerMBean
 
         if (rowsReplayed > 0)
         {
-            hintStore.forceFlush();
             try
             {
+                hintStore.forceBlockingFlush();
                 CompactionManager.instance.submitMaximal(hintStore, Integer.MAX_VALUE).get();
             }
             catch (Exception e)
diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/SystemTable.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/SystemTable.java
index 19e9f15f2b..8f1adfc91c 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/SystemTable.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/db/SystemTable.java
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ public class SystemTable
         QueryFilter filter = QueryFilter.getNamesFilter(decorate(ByteBufferUtil.bytes(table)),
                                                         new QueryPath(INDEX_CF),
                                                         ByteBufferUtil.bytes(indexName));
-        return cfs.getColumnFamily(filter) != null;
+        return ColumnFamilyStore.removeDeleted(cfs.getColumnFamily(filter), Integer.MAX_VALUE) != null;
     }
 
     public static void setIndexBuilt(String table, String indexName)