diff --git a/HashTable.cpp b/HashTable.cpp
index c7f878a..b1dfc92 100644
--- a/HashTable.cpp
+++ b/HashTable.cpp
@@ -59,6 +59,12 @@ struct __attribute__((visibility("hidden"))) ConflictSet::Impl {
     while (keyUpdates > 0) {
       if (iter == map.end()) {
         iter = map.begin();
+        // The map is empty, so there are no more entries to garbage-collect.
+        // Break rather than spinning forever (keyUpdates is charged at 2x
+        // the entry count, so it may still be > 0 after emptying the map).
+        if (iter == map.end()) {
+          break;
+        }
       }
       for (; iter != map.end(); --keyUpdates) {
         if (iter->second <= oldestVersion) {
diff --git a/test_conflict_set.py b/test_conflict_set.py
index c530b79..67a5780 100644
--- a/test_conflict_set.py
+++ b/test_conflict_set.py
@@ -68,6 +68,25 @@ def test_hash_table_getBytes():
         assert cs.check(read(0, b"key")) == [Result.CONFLICT]
 
 
+def test_hash_table_setOldestVersion_empties_map():
+    # Regression test for issue #78: setOldestVersion must terminate when
+    # its garbage-collection pass erases every entry in the map. Each write
+    # charges keyUpdates += 2, so with 50 writes keyUpdates = 100 and GC is
+    # enabled; erasing all entries leaves keyUpdates > 0 while the map is
+    # empty, which previously caused the GC loop to spin forever.
+    with ConflictSet(0, build_dir=build_dir, implementation="hash_table") as cs:
+        for i in range(50):
+            cs.addWrites(1, write(("k%06d" % i).encode()))
+        # All entries have version 1 <= oldestVersion 1 -> all erased.
+        cs.setOldestVersion(1)
+        # If we reach this point, setOldestVersion returned instead of hanging.
+        # The keys were erased, so reads at a valid version commit.
+        assert cs.check(read(1, b"k000000")) == [Result.COMMIT]
+        assert cs.check(read(2, b"k000000")) == [Result.COMMIT]
+        # A read older than oldestVersion is TooOld.
+        assert cs.check(read(0, b"k000000")) == [Result.TOO_OLD]
+
+
 def test_write_read_without_outer_reference():
     # Regression test for issue #42: WriteRange/ReadRange must keep their
     # backing key buffers alive, because the C library reads the pointer