diff --git a/dp-core/vr_htable.c b/dp-core/vr_htable.c
index 22b7ef2ca..40af6f703 100644
--- a/dp-core/vr_htable.c
+++ b/dp-core/vr_htable.c
@@ -165,11 +165,12 @@ vr_htable_hentry_invalidate(struct vr_htable *table, vr_hentry_t *ent)
     if (!table || !ent)
         return;
 
-    ent->hentry_next_index = VR_INVALID_HENTRY_INDEX;
     ent->hentry_bucket_index = VR_INVALID_HENTRY_INDEX;
 
-    if (ent->hentry_index >= table->ht_hentries)
+    if (ent->hentry_index >= table->ht_hentries) {
+        ent->hentry_next_index = VR_INVALID_HENTRY_INDEX;
         vr_htable_put_free_oentry(table, ent);
+    }
 
     ent->hentry_flags &= VR_HENTRY_FLAG_IN_FREE_LIST;
 }
@@ -186,7 +187,7 @@ __vr_htable_hentry_invalidate(struct vr_htable *table, vr_hentry_t *ent)
         return;
 
     if (ent->hentry_index >= table->ht_hentries) {
-        head_ent = vr_htable_get_hentry_by_index((vr_htable_t)table,
+        head_ent = __vr_htable_get_hentry_by_index((vr_htable_t)table,
                                             ent->hentry_bucket_index);
         for (prev = head_ent; prev; prev = prev->hentry_next) {
             if (prev->hentry_next == ent) {