diff --git a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Memtable.java b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Memtable.java
index bc05293f15..c2e5fb48cc 100644
--- a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Memtable.java
+++ b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/Memtable.java
@@ -329,7 +329,10 @@ public class Memtable implements Comparable<Memtable>
                     if (subColumn != null)
                     {
                         columnFamily = cFamily.cloneMeShallow();
-                        columnFamily.addColumn(values[1] + ":" + values[2], subColumn.value(), subColumn.timestamp(), subColumn.isMarkedForDelete());
+                        SuperColumn container = new SuperColumn(superColumn.name());
+                        container.markForDeleteAt(superColumn.getLocalDeletionTime(), superColumn.getMarkedForDeleteAt());
+                        container.addColumn(subColumn.name(), subColumn);
+                        columnFamily.addColumn(container);
                     }
                 }
         	}
diff --git a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java
index 4c45a32608..09b7cf727f 100644
--- a/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java
+++ b/src/org/apache/cassandra/db/SuperColumn.java
@@ -213,7 +213,10 @@ public final class SuperColumn implements IColumn, Serializable
         {
         	addColumn(subColumn.name(), subColumn);
         }
-        markedForDeleteAt = Math.max(markedForDeleteAt, column.getMarkedForDeleteAt());
+        if (column.getMarkedForDeleteAt() > markedForDeleteAt)
+        {
+            markForDeleteAt(column.getLocalDeletionTime(),  column.getMarkedForDeleteAt());
+        }
     }
 
     public int getObjectCount()