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diff --git a/.ci/linux-prepare.sh b/.ci/linux-prepare.sh
index c55125cf78..360c0a68ea 100755
--- a/.ci/linux-prepare.sh
+++ b/.ci/linux-prepare.sh
@@ -21,8 +21,7 @@ make -j4 HAVE_LLVM= HAVE_SQLITE= install
 cd ..
 
 pip3 install --disable-pip-version-check --user \
-    flake8 hacking sphinx pyOpenSSL wheel setuptools
-pip3 install --user --upgrade docutils
+    flake8 hacking sphinx wheel setuptools
 pip3 install --user  'meson==0.47.1'
 
 if [ "$M32" ]; then
diff --git a/.cirrus.yml b/.cirrus.yml
index 358f2ba256..a7ae793bc4 100644
--- a/.cirrus.yml
+++ b/.cirrus.yml
@@ -5,11 +5,11 @@ freebsd_build_task:
       image_family: freebsd-12-2-snap
       image_family: freebsd-11-4-snap
     cpu: 4
-    memory: 8G
+    memory: 4G
 
   env:
     DEPENDENCIES: automake libtool gmake gcc wget openssl python3
-    PY_DEPS:      sphinx|openssl
+    PY_DEPS:      sphinx
     matrix:
       COMPILER: gcc
       COMPILER: clang
diff --git a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
index e2350c6d9d..7434ad18ec 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/build-and-test.yml
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: set up python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v2
       with:
-        python-version: '3.x'
+        python-version: '3.9'
 
     - name: create ci signature file for the dpdk cache key
       if:   matrix.dpdk != '' || matrix.dpdk_shared != ''
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ jobs:
     - name: set up python
       uses: actions/setup-python@v2
       with:
-        python-version: '3.x'
+        python-version: '3.9'
     - name: install dependencies
       run:  brew install automake libtool
     - name: prepare
diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 51d0511080..c7aeede06e 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@ addons:
       - libjemalloc-dev
       - libnuma-dev
       - libpcap-dev
-      - python3-openssl
       - python3-pip
       - python3-sphinx
       - libelf-dev
diff --git a/NEWS b/NEWS
index 559a51ba3f..139c24a4f8 100644
--- a/NEWS
+++ b/NEWS
@@ -1,3 +1,13 @@
+v2.16.2 - xx xxx xxxx
+---------------------
+   - Python:
+     * For SSL support, the use of the pyOpenSSL library has been replaced
+       with the native 'ssl' module.
+
+v2.16.1 - 21 Oct 2021
+---------------------
+   - Bug fixes
+
 v2.16.0 - 16 Aug 2021
 ---------------------
    - Removed support for 1024-bit Diffie-Hellman key exchange, which is now
diff --git a/configure.ac b/configure.ac
index 16b32be965..64c26828f2 100644
--- a/configure.ac
+++ b/configure.ac
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 # limitations under the License.
 
 AC_PREREQ(2.63)
-AC_INIT(openvswitch, 2.16.0, bugs@openvswitch.org)
+AC_INIT(openvswitch, 2.16.2, bugs@openvswitch.org)
 AC_CONFIG_SRCDIR([datapath/datapath.c])
 AC_CONFIG_MACRO_DIR([m4])
 AC_CONFIG_AUX_DIR([build-aux])
diff --git a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Actions.c b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Actions.c
index e130c2f966..0c18c62548 100644
--- a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Actions.c
+++ b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Actions.c
@@ -1112,9 +1112,9 @@ OvsPopFieldInPacketBuf(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
      * should split the function and refactor. */
     if (!bufferData) {
         EthHdr *ethHdr = (EthHdr *)bufferStart;
-        /* If the frame is not VLAN make it a no op */
         if (ethHdr->Type != ETH_TYPE_802_1PQ_NBO) {
-            return NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+            OVS_LOG_ERROR("Invalid ethHdr type %u, nbl %p", ethHdr->Type, ovsFwdCtx->curNbl);
+            return NDIS_STATUS_INVALID_PACKET;
         }
     }
     RtlMoveMemory(bufferStart + shiftLength, bufferStart, shiftOffset);
@@ -1137,6 +1137,9 @@ OvsPopFieldInPacketBuf(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
 static __inline NDIS_STATUS
 OvsPopVlanInPktBuf(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx)
 {
+    NDIS_STATUS status;
+    OVS_PACKET_HDR_INFO* layers = &ovsFwdCtx->layers;
+
     /*
      * Declare a dummy vlanTag structure since we need to compute the size
      * of shiftLength. The NDIS one is a unionized structure.
@@ -1145,7 +1148,15 @@ OvsPopVlanInPktBuf(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx)
     UINT32 shiftLength = sizeof(vlanTag.TagHeader);
     UINT32 shiftOffset = sizeof(DL_EUI48) + sizeof(DL_EUI48);
 
-    return OvsPopFieldInPacketBuf(ovsFwdCtx, shiftOffset, shiftLength, NULL);
+    status = OvsPopFieldInPacketBuf(ovsFwdCtx, shiftOffset, shiftLength,
+                                    NULL);
+
+    if (status == NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+        layers->l3Offset -= (UINT16) shiftLength;
+        layers->l4Offset -= (UINT16) shiftLength;
+    }
+
+    return status;
 }
 
 
@@ -1516,6 +1527,7 @@ OvsUpdateAddressAndPort(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
 
     csumInfo.Value = NET_BUFFER_LIST_INFO(ovsFwdCtx->curNbl,
                                           TcpIpChecksumNetBufferListInfo);
+
     /*
      * Adjust the IP header inline as dictated by the action, and also update
      * the IP and the TCP checksum for the data modified.
@@ -1524,6 +1536,7 @@ OvsUpdateAddressAndPort(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
      * ChecksumUpdate32(). Ignoring this for now, since for the most common
      * case, we only update the TTL.
      */
+     /*Only tx direction the checksum value will be reset to be PseudoChecksum*/
 
     if (isSource) {
         addrField = &ipHdr->saddr;
@@ -1540,7 +1553,7 @@ OvsUpdateAddressAndPort(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
                         ((BOOLEAN)csumInfo.Receive.UdpChecksumSucceeded ||
                          (BOOLEAN)csumInfo.Receive.UdpChecksumFailed);
         }
-        if (l4Offload) {
+        if (isTx && l4Offload) {
             *checkField = IPPseudoChecksum(&newAddr, &ipHdr->daddr,
                 tcpHdr ? IPPROTO_TCP : IPPROTO_UDP,
                 ntohs(ipHdr->tot_len) - ipHdr->ihl * 4);
@@ -1561,7 +1574,7 @@ OvsUpdateAddressAndPort(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
                          (BOOLEAN)csumInfo.Receive.UdpChecksumFailed);
         }
 
-       if (l4Offload) {
+       if (isTx && l4Offload) {
             *checkField = IPPseudoChecksum(&ipHdr->saddr, &newAddr,
                 tcpHdr ? IPPROTO_TCP : IPPROTO_UDP,
                 ntohs(ipHdr->tot_len) - ipHdr->ihl * 4);
@@ -1570,7 +1583,7 @@ OvsUpdateAddressAndPort(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
 
     if (*addrField != newAddr) {
         UINT32 oldAddr = *addrField;
-        if (checkField && *checkField != 0 && !l4Offload) {
+        if ((checkField && *checkField != 0) && (!l4Offload || !isTx)) {
             /* Recompute total checksum. */
             *checkField = ChecksumUpdate32(*checkField, oldAddr,
                                             newAddr);
@@ -1579,11 +1592,12 @@ OvsUpdateAddressAndPort(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
             ipHdr->check = ChecksumUpdate32(ipHdr->check, oldAddr,
                                             newAddr);
         }
+
         *addrField = newAddr;
     }
 
     if (portField && *portField != newPort) {
-        if (checkField && !l4Offload) {
+        if ((checkField) && (!l4Offload || !isTx)) {
             /* Recompute total checksum. */
             *checkField = ChecksumUpdate16(*checkField, *portField,
                                            newPort);
@@ -1792,9 +1806,11 @@ OvsExecuteRecirc(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
     }
 
     if (newNbl) {
-        deferredAction = OvsAddDeferredActions(newNbl, key, NULL);
+        deferredAction = OvsAddDeferredActions(newNbl, key, &(ovsFwdCtx->layers),
+                                               NULL);
     } else {
-        deferredAction = OvsAddDeferredActions(ovsFwdCtx->curNbl, key, NULL);
+        deferredAction = OvsAddDeferredActions(ovsFwdCtx->curNbl, key,
+                                              &(ovsFwdCtx->layers), NULL);
     }
 
     if (deferredAction) {
@@ -1964,7 +1980,7 @@ OvsExecuteSampleAction(OvsForwardingContext *ovsFwdCtx,
         return STATUS_SUCCESS;
     }
 
-    if (!OvsAddDeferredActions(newNbl, key, a)) {
+    if (!OvsAddDeferredActions(newNbl, key, &(ovsFwdCtx->layers), a)) {
         OVS_LOG_INFO(
             "Deferred actions limit reached, dropping sample action.");
         OvsCompleteNBL(ovsFwdCtx->switchContext, newNbl, TRUE);
@@ -2100,6 +2116,7 @@ OvsDoExecuteActions(POVS_SWITCH_CONTEXT switchContext,
                  */
                 status = OvsPopVlanInPktBuf(&ovsFwdCtx);
                 if (status != NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+                    OVS_LOG_ERROR("OVS-pop vlan action failed status = %lu", status);
                     dropReason = L"OVS-pop vlan action failed";
                     goto dropit;
                 }
@@ -2349,7 +2366,7 @@ OvsActionsExecute(POVS_SWITCH_CONTEXT switchContext,
 
     if (status == STATUS_SUCCESS) {
         status = OvsProcessDeferredActions(switchContext, completionList,
-                                           portNo, sendFlags, layers);
+                                           portNo, sendFlags, NULL);
     }
 
     return status;
diff --git a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Conntrack.c b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Conntrack.c
index 2610d626a0..fd6f3bae04 100644
--- a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Conntrack.c
+++ b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Conntrack.c
@@ -493,15 +493,32 @@ static __inline NDIS_STATUS
 OvsDetectCtPacket(OvsForwardingContext *fwdCtx,
                   OvsFlowKey *key)
 {
+    NDIS_STATUS status = NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+    OvsFlowKey  newFlowKey = { 0 };
+
     switch (ntohs(key->l2.dlType)) {
     case ETH_TYPE_IPV4:
         if (key->ipKey.nwFrag != OVS_FRAG_TYPE_NONE) {
-            return OvsProcessIpv4Fragment(fwdCtx->switchContext,
+            status = OvsProcessIpv4Fragment(fwdCtx->switchContext,
                                           &fwdCtx->curNbl,
                                           fwdCtx->completionList,
                                           fwdCtx->fwdDetail->SourcePortId,
                                           &fwdCtx->layers,
                                           key->tunKey.tunnelId);
+            if (status == NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+                 /* After the Ipv4 Fragment is reassembled, update flow key as
+                   L3 and L4 headers are not correct */
+                 status =
+                      OvsExtractFlow(fwdCtx->curNbl, fwdCtx->srcVportNo,
+                                     &newFlowKey, &fwdCtx->layers,
+                                     fwdCtx->tunKey.dst != 0 ? &fwdCtx->tunKey : NULL);
+                if (status != NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+                     OVS_LOG_ERROR("Extract flow failed Nbl %p", fwdCtx->curNbl);
+                     return status;
+                 }
+                *key = newFlowKey;
+            }
+            return status;
         }
         if (key->ipKey.nwProto == IPPROTO_TCP
             || key->ipKey.nwProto == IPPROTO_UDP
diff --git a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.c b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.c
index 2febf060dd..a32b75352b 100644
--- a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.c
+++ b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.c
@@ -277,16 +277,23 @@ OvsDeferredActionsQueuePush(POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION_QUEUE queue)
 POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION
 OvsAddDeferredActions(PNET_BUFFER_LIST nbl,
                       OvsFlowKey *key,
+                      POVS_PACKET_HDR_INFO layers,
                       const PNL_ATTR actions)
 {
     POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION_QUEUE queue = OvsDeferredActionsQueueGet();
     POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION deferredAction = NULL;
+    OVS_PACKET_HDR_INFO layersInit = { 0 };
 
     deferredAction = OvsDeferredActionsQueuePush(queue);
     if (deferredAction) {
         deferredAction->nbl = nbl;
         deferredAction->actions = actions;
         deferredAction->key = *key;
+        if (layers) {
+            deferredAction->layers = *layers;
+        } else {
+            deferredAction->layers = layersInit;
+        }
     }
 
     return deferredAction;
@@ -309,9 +316,16 @@ OvsProcessDeferredActions(POVS_SWITCH_CONTEXT switchContext,
     NDIS_STATUS status = NDIS_STATUS_SUCCESS;
     POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION_QUEUE queue = OvsDeferredActionsQueueGet();
     POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION deferredAction = NULL;
+    POVS_PACKET_HDR_INFO layersDeferred = NULL;
 
     /* Process all deferred actions. */
     while ((deferredAction = OvsDeferredActionsQueuePop(queue)) != NULL) {
+        if (layers) {
+            layersDeferred = layers;
+         } else {
+            layersDeferred = &(deferredAction->layers);
+         }
+
         if (deferredAction->actions) {
             status = OvsDoExecuteActions(switchContext,
                                          completionList,
@@ -319,7 +333,7 @@ OvsProcessDeferredActions(POVS_SWITCH_CONTEXT switchContext,
                                          portNo,
                                          sendFlags,
                                          &deferredAction->key, NULL,
-                                         layers, deferredAction->actions,
+                                         layersDeferred, deferredAction->actions,
                                          NlAttrGetSize(deferredAction->actions));
         } else {
             status = OvsDoRecirc(switchContext,
@@ -327,7 +341,7 @@ OvsProcessDeferredActions(POVS_SWITCH_CONTEXT switchContext,
                                  deferredAction->nbl,
                                  &deferredAction->key,
                                  portNo,
-                                 layers);
+                                 layersDeferred);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.h b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.h
index 2b314ce274..74130a4600 100644
--- a/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.h
+++ b/datapath-windows/ovsext/Recirc.h
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #define __RECIRC_H_ 1
 
 #include "Actions.h"
+#include "NetProto.h"
 
 #define DEFERRED_ACTION_QUEUE_SIZE          10
 #define DEFERRED_ACTION_EXEC_LEVEL           4
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@ typedef struct _OVS_DEFERRED_ACTION {
     PNET_BUFFER_LIST    nbl;
     PNL_ATTR            actions;
     OvsFlowKey          key;
+    OVS_PACKET_HDR_INFO layers;
 } OVS_DEFERRED_ACTION, *POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION;
 
 /*
@@ -52,6 +54,7 @@ OvsProcessDeferredActions(POVS_SWITCH_CONTEXT switchContext,
 POVS_DEFERRED_ACTION
 OvsAddDeferredActions(PNET_BUFFER_LIST packet,
                       OvsFlowKey *key,
+                      POVS_PACKET_HDR_INFO layers,
                       const PNL_ATTR actions);
 
 /*
diff --git a/debian/changelog b/debian/changelog
index 239d210b96..a0838ea3d7 100644
--- a/debian/changelog
+++ b/debian/changelog
@@ -1,3 +1,15 @@
+openvswitch (2.16.2-1) unstable; urgency=low
+   [ Open vSwitch team ]
+   * New upstream version
+
+ -- Open vSwitch team <dev@openvswitch.org>  Thu, 21 Oct 2021 23:58:12 +0200
+
+openvswitch (2.16.1-1) unstable; urgency=low
+   [ Open vSwitch team ]
+   * New upstream version
+
+ -- Open vSwitch team <dev@openvswitch.org>  Thu, 21 Oct 2021 23:58:12 +0200
+
 openvswitch (2.16.0-1) unstable; urgency=low
 
    * New upstream version
diff --git a/include/openvswitch/json.h b/include/openvswitch/json.h
index 73b562e03d..0831a9cee1 100644
--- a/include/openvswitch/json.h
+++ b/include/openvswitch/json.h
@@ -50,7 +50,9 @@ enum json_type {
     JSON_INTEGER,               /* 123. */
     JSON_REAL,                  /* 123.456. */
     JSON_STRING,                /* "..." */
-    JSON_N_TYPES
+    JSON_N_TYPES,
+    JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT,     /* Internal type to hold serialized version of
+                                 * data of other types. */
 };
 
 const char *json_type_to_string(enum json_type);
@@ -70,7 +72,7 @@ struct json {
         struct json_array array;
         long long int integer;
         double real;
-        char *string;
+        char *string; /* JSON_STRING or JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT. */
     };
 };
 
@@ -78,6 +80,7 @@ struct json *json_null_create(void);
 struct json *json_boolean_create(bool);
 struct json *json_string_create(const char *);
 struct json *json_string_create_nocopy(char *);
+struct json *json_serialized_object_create(const struct json *);
 struct json *json_integer_create(long long int);
 struct json *json_real_create(double);
 
@@ -99,6 +102,7 @@ void json_object_put_format(struct json *,
     OVS_PRINTF_FORMAT(3, 4);
 
 const char *json_string(const struct json *);
+const char *json_serialized_object(const struct json *);
 struct json_array *json_array(const struct json *);
 struct shash *json_object(const struct json *);
 bool json_boolean(const struct json *);
@@ -125,6 +129,7 @@ struct json *json_parser_finish(struct json_parser *);
 void json_parser_abort(struct json_parser *);
 
 struct json *json_from_string(const char *string);
+struct json *json_from_serialized_object(const struct json *);
 struct json *json_from_file(const char *file_name);
 struct json *json_from_stream(FILE *stream);
 
diff --git a/include/openvswitch/meta-flow.h b/include/openvswitch/meta-flow.h
index 95e52e3587..045dce8f5f 100644
--- a/include/openvswitch/meta-flow.h
+++ b/include/openvswitch/meta-flow.h
@@ -2305,6 +2305,7 @@ void mf_set_flow_value_masked(const struct mf_field *,
                               const union mf_value *mask,
                               struct flow *);
 bool mf_is_tun_metadata(const struct mf_field *);
+bool mf_is_frozen_metadata(const struct mf_field *);
 bool mf_is_pipeline_field(const struct mf_field *);
 bool mf_is_set(const struct mf_field *, const struct flow *);
 void mf_mask_field(const struct mf_field *, struct flow_wildcards *);
diff --git a/lib/db-ctl-base.c b/lib/db-ctl-base.c
index 77cc76a9f6..7074561588 100644
--- a/lib/db-ctl-base.c
+++ b/lib/db-ctl-base.c
@@ -247,15 +247,15 @@ record_id_equals(const union ovsdb_atom *name, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type,
                  const char *record_id)
 {
     if (type == OVSDB_TYPE_STRING) {
-        if (!strcmp(name->string, record_id)) {
+        if (!strcmp(name->s->string, record_id)) {
             return true;
         }
 
         struct uuid uuid;
         size_t len = strlen(record_id);
         if (len >= 4
-            && uuid_from_string(&uuid, name->string)
-            && !strncmp(name->string, record_id, len)) {
+            && uuid_from_string(&uuid, name->s->string)
+            && !strncmp(name->s->string, record_id, len)) {
             return true;
         }
 
@@ -314,15 +314,19 @@ get_row_by_id(struct ctl_context *ctx,
             row, id->name_column, key, value);
 
         /* Extract the name from the column. */
-        const union ovsdb_atom *name;
+        const union ovsdb_atom *name = NULL;
         if (!id->key) {
             name = datum->n == 1 ? &datum->keys[0] : NULL;
         } else {
-            const union ovsdb_atom key_atom
-                = { .string = CONST_CAST(char *, id->key) };
-            unsigned int i = ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, &key_atom,
-                                                  OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
-            name = i == UINT_MAX ? NULL : &datum->values[i];
+            union ovsdb_atom key_atom = {
+                .s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(CONST_CAST(char *, id->key)) };
+            unsigned int i;
+
+            if (ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, &key_atom,
+                                     OVSDB_TYPE_STRING, &i)) {
+                name = &datum->values[i];
+            }
+            ovsdb_atom_destroy(&key_atom, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
         }
         if (!name) {
             continue;
@@ -819,14 +823,14 @@ check_condition(const struct ovsdb_idl_table_class *table,
             goto out;
         }
 
-        idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(have_datum,
-                                   &want_key, column->type.key.type);
-        if (idx == UINT_MAX && !is_set_operator(operator)) {
+        bool found = ovsdb_datum_find_key(have_datum, &want_key,
+                                          column->type.key.type, &idx);
+        if (!found && !is_set_operator(operator)) {
             retval = false;
         } else {
             struct ovsdb_datum a;
 
-            if (idx != UINT_MAX) {
+            if (found) {
                 a.n = 1;
                 a.keys = &have_datum->values[idx];
                 a.values = NULL;
@@ -992,9 +996,8 @@ cmd_get(struct ctl_context *ctx)
                 return;
             }
 
-            idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, &key,
-                                       column->type.key.type);
-            if (idx == UINT_MAX) {
+            if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, &key,
+                                      column->type.key.type, &idx)) {
                 if (must_exist) {
                     ctl_error(
                         ctx, "no key \"%s\" in %s record \"%s\" column %s",
@@ -1375,7 +1378,7 @@ set_column(const struct ovsdb_idl_table_class *table,
         ovsdb_atom_destroy(&value, column->type.value.type);
 
         ovsdb_datum_union(&datum, ovsdb_idl_read(row, column),
-                          &column->type, false);
+                          &column->type);
         ovsdb_idl_txn_verify(row, column);
         ovsdb_idl_txn_write(row, column, &datum);
     } else {
@@ -1514,7 +1517,7 @@ cmd_add(struct ctl_context *ctx)
             ovsdb_datum_destroy(&old, &column->type);
             return;
         }
-        ovsdb_datum_union(&old, &add, type, false);
+        ovsdb_datum_union(&old, &add, type);
         ovsdb_datum_destroy(&add, type);
     }
     if (old.n > type->n_max) {
diff --git a/lib/dp-packet.h b/lib/dp-packet.h
index 08d93c2779..3dc582fbfd 100644
--- a/lib/dp-packet.h
+++ b/lib/dp-packet.h
@@ -199,6 +199,7 @@ struct dp_packet *dp_packet_clone_data_with_headroom(const void *, size_t,
 void dp_packet_resize(struct dp_packet *b, size_t new_headroom,
                       size_t new_tailroom);
 static inline void dp_packet_delete(struct dp_packet *);
+static inline void dp_packet_swap(struct dp_packet *, struct dp_packet *);
 
 static inline void *dp_packet_at(const struct dp_packet *, size_t offset,
                                  size_t size);
@@ -256,6 +257,18 @@ dp_packet_delete(struct dp_packet *b)
     }
 }
 
+/* Swaps content of two packets. */
+static inline void
+dp_packet_swap(struct dp_packet *a, struct dp_packet *b)
+{
+    ovs_assert(a->source == DPBUF_MALLOC || a->source == DPBUF_STUB);
+    ovs_assert(b->source == DPBUF_MALLOC || b->source == DPBUF_STUB);
+    struct dp_packet c = *a;
+
+    *a = *b;
+    *b = c;
+}
+
 /* If 'b' contains at least 'offset + size' bytes of data, returns a pointer to
  * byte 'offset'.  Otherwise, returns a null pointer. */
 static inline void *
diff --git a/lib/dpdk-stub.c b/lib/dpdk-stub.c
index b7d577870d..fe24f9abdf 100644
--- a/lib/dpdk-stub.c
+++ b/lib/dpdk-stub.c
@@ -83,7 +83,7 @@ bool
 dpdk_get_cpu_has_isa(const char *arch OVS_UNUSED,
                      const char *feature OVS_UNUSED)
 {
-    VLOG_ERR_ONCE("DPDK not supported in this version of Open vSwitch, "
+    VLOG_DBG_ONCE("DPDK not supported in this version of Open vSwitch, "
                   "cannot use CPU flag based optimizations");
     return false;
 }
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dfc.h b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dfc.h
index 92092ebec9..3dfc91f0fe 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dfc.h
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-dfc.h
@@ -59,7 +59,8 @@ extern "C" {
  * Thread-safety
  * =============
  *
- * Each pmd_thread has its own private exact match cache.
+ * Each pmd_thread has its own private exact match cache and signature match
+ * cache.
  * If dp_netdev_input is not called from a pmd thread, a mutex is used.
  */
 
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h
index a782d9678a..ac4885538c 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev-private-thread.h
@@ -78,10 +78,10 @@ struct dp_netdev_pmd_thread {
     struct ovs_refcount ref_cnt;    /* Every reference must be refcount'ed. */
     struct cmap_node node;          /* In 'dp->poll_threads'. */
 
-    /* Per thread exact-match cache.  Note, the instance for cpu core
-     * NON_PMD_CORE_ID can be accessed by multiple threads, and thusly
-     * need to be protected by 'non_pmd_mutex'.  Every other instance
-     * will only be accessed by its own pmd thread. */
+    /* Per thread exact match cache and signature match cache.  Note, the
+     * instance for cpu core NON_PMD_CORE_ID can be accessed by multiple
+     * threads, and thusly need to be protected by 'non_pmd_mutex'.  Every
+     * other instance will only be accessed by its own pmd thread. */
     OVS_ALIGNED_VAR(CACHE_LINE_SIZE) struct dfc_cache flow_cache;
 
     /* Flow-Table and classifiers
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netdev.c b/lib/dpif-netdev.c
index bddce75b63..d6bee2a5a9 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netdev.c
+++ b/lib/dpif-netdev.c
@@ -4061,7 +4061,10 @@ dpif_netdev_execute(struct dpif *dpif, struct dpif_execute *execute)
                                flow_hash_5tuple(execute->flow, 0));
     }
 
-    dp_packet_batch_init_packet(&pp, execute->packet);
+    /* Making a copy because the packet might be stolen during the execution
+     * and caller might still need it.  */
+    struct dp_packet *packet_clone = dp_packet_clone(execute->packet);
+    dp_packet_batch_init_packet(&pp, packet_clone);
     dp_netdev_execute_actions(pmd, &pp, false, execute->flow,
                               execute->actions, execute->actions_len);
     dp_netdev_pmd_flush_output_packets(pmd, true);
@@ -4071,6 +4074,24 @@ dpif_netdev_execute(struct dpif *dpif, struct dpif_execute *execute)
         dp_netdev_pmd_unref(pmd);
     }
 
+    if (dp_packet_batch_size(&pp) == 1) {
+        /* Packet wasn't dropped during the execution.  Swapping content with
+         * the original packet, because the caller might expect actions to
+         * modify it.  Uisng the packet from a batch instead of 'packet_clone'
+         * because it maybe stolen and replaced by other packet, e.g. by
+         * the fragmentation engine. */
+        dp_packet_swap(execute->packet, pp.packets[0]);
+        dp_packet_delete_batch(&pp, true);
+    } else if (dp_packet_batch_size(&pp)) {
+        /* FIXME: We have more packets than expected.  Likely, we got IP
+         * fragments of the reassembled packet.  Dropping them here as we have
+         * no way to get them to the caller.  It might be that all the required
+         * actions with them are already executed, but it also might not be a
+         * case, e.g. if dpif_netdev_execute() called to execute a single
+         * tunnel push. */
+        dp_packet_delete_batch(&pp, true);
+    }
+
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/dpif-netlink.c b/lib/dpif-netlink.c
index 34fc042373..5f4b60c5a6 100644
--- a/lib/dpif-netlink.c
+++ b/lib/dpif-netlink.c
@@ -84,6 +84,8 @@ enum { MAX_PORTS = USHRT_MAX };
 #define EPOLLEXCLUSIVE (1u << 28)
 #endif
 
+#define OVS_DP_F_UNSUPPORTED (1 << 31);
+
 /* This PID is not used by the kernel datapath when using dispatch per CPU,
  * but it is required to be set (not zero). */
 #define DPIF_NETLINK_PER_CPU_PID UINT32_MAX
@@ -382,36 +384,62 @@ dpif_netlink_open(const struct dpif_class *class OVS_UNUSED, const char *name,
         dp_request.cmd = OVS_DP_CMD_SET;
     }
 
-    /* The Open vSwitch kernel module has two modes for dispatching upcalls:
-     * per-vport and per-cpu.
-     *
-     * When dispatching upcalls per-vport, the kernel will
-     * send the upcall via a Netlink socket that has been selected based on the
-     * vport that received the packet that is causing the upcall.
-     *
-     * When dispatching upcall per-cpu, the kernel will send the upcall via
-     * a Netlink socket that has been selected based on the cpu that received
-     * the packet that is causing the upcall.
-     *
-     * First we test to see if the kernel module supports per-cpu dispatching
-     * (the preferred method). If it does not support per-cpu dispatching, we
-     * fall back to the per-vport dispatch mode.
+    /* Some older kernels will not reject unknown features. This will cause
+     * 'ovs-vswitchd' to incorrectly assume a feature is supported. In order to
+     * test for that, we attempt to set a feature that we know is not supported
+     * by any kernel. If this feature is not rejected, we can assume we are
+     * running on one of these older kernels.
      */
     dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_UNALIGNED;
-    dp_request.user_features &= ~OVS_DP_F_VPORT_PIDS;
-    dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_DISPATCH_UPCALL_PER_CPU;
+    dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_VPORT_PIDS;
+    dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_UNSUPPORTED;
     error = dpif_netlink_dp_transact(&dp_request, &dp, &buf);
     if (error) {
-        dp_request.user_features &= ~OVS_DP_F_DISPATCH_UPCALL_PER_CPU;
+        /* The Open vSwitch kernel module has two modes for dispatching
+         * upcalls: per-vport and per-cpu.
+         *
+         * When dispatching upcalls per-vport, the kernel will
+         * send the upcall via a Netlink socket that has been selected based on
+         * the vport that received the packet that is causing the upcall.
+         *
+         * When dispatching upcall per-cpu, the kernel will send the upcall via
+         * a Netlink socket that has been selected based on the cpu that
+         * received the packet that is causing the upcall.
+         *
+         * First we test to see if the kernel module supports per-cpu
+         * dispatching (the preferred method). If it does not support per-cpu
+         * dispatching, we fall back to the per-vport dispatch mode.
+         */
+        dp_request.user_features &= ~OVS_DP_F_UNSUPPORTED;
+        dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_UNALIGNED;
+        dp_request.user_features &= ~OVS_DP_F_VPORT_PIDS;
+        dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_DISPATCH_UPCALL_PER_CPU;
+        error = dpif_netlink_dp_transact(&dp_request, &dp, &buf);
+        if (error) {
+            dp_request.user_features &= ~OVS_DP_F_DISPATCH_UPCALL_PER_CPU;
+            dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_VPORT_PIDS;
+            error = dpif_netlink_dp_transact(&dp_request, &dp, &buf);
+        }
+        if (error) {
+            return error;
+        }
+
+        error = open_dpif(&dp, dpifp);
+        dpif_netlink_set_features(*dpifp, OVS_DP_F_TC_RECIRC_SHARING);
+    } else {
+        VLOG_INFO("Kernel does not correctly support feature negotiation. "
+                  "Using standard features.");
+        dp_request.cmd = OVS_DP_CMD_SET;
+        dp_request.user_features = 0;
+        dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_UNALIGNED;
         dp_request.user_features |= OVS_DP_F_VPORT_PIDS;
         error = dpif_netlink_dp_transact(&dp_request, &dp, &buf);
-    }
-    if (error) {
-        return error;
+        if (error) {
+            return error;
+        }
+        error = open_dpif(&dp, dpifp);
     }
 
-    error = open_dpif(&dp, dpifp);
-    dpif_netlink_set_features(*dpifp, OVS_DP_F_TC_RECIRC_SHARING);
     ofpbuf_delete(buf);
 
     if (create) {
diff --git a/lib/ipf.c b/lib/ipf.c
index d9f781147a..507db2aea2 100644
--- a/lib/ipf.c
+++ b/lib/ipf.c
@@ -943,6 +943,8 @@ ipf_extract_frags_from_batch(struct ipf *ipf, struct dp_packet_batch *pb,
             ovs_mutex_lock(&ipf->ipf_lock);
             if (!ipf_handle_frag(ipf, pkt, dl_type, zone, now, hash_basis)) {
                 dp_packet_batch_refill(pb, pkt, pb_idx);
+            } else {
+                dp_packet_delete(pkt);
             }
             ovs_mutex_unlock(&ipf->ipf_lock);
         } else {
@@ -1152,52 +1154,56 @@ ipf_post_execute_reass_pkts(struct ipf *ipf,
          * NETDEV_MAX_BURST. */
         DP_PACKET_BATCH_REFILL_FOR_EACH (pb_idx, pb_cnt, pkt, pb) {
             if (rp && pkt == rp->list->reass_execute_ctx) {
+                const struct ipf_frag *frag_0 = &rp->list->frag_list[0];
+                void *l4_frag = dp_packet_l4(frag_0->pkt);
+                void *l4_reass = dp_packet_l4(pkt);
+                memcpy(l4_frag, l4_reass, dp_packet_l4_size(frag_0->pkt));
+
                 for (int i = 0; i <= rp->list->last_inuse_idx; i++) {
-                    rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_label = pkt->md.ct_label;
-                    rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_mark = pkt->md.ct_mark;
-                    rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_state = pkt->md.ct_state;
-                    rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_zone = pkt->md.ct_zone;
-                    rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple_ipv6 =
+                    const struct ipf_frag *frag_i = &rp->list->frag_list[i];
+
+                    frag_i->pkt->md.ct_label = pkt->md.ct_label;
+                    frag_i->pkt->md.ct_mark = pkt->md.ct_mark;
+                    frag_i->pkt->md.ct_state = pkt->md.ct_state;
+                    frag_i->pkt->md.ct_zone = pkt->md.ct_zone;
+                    frag_i->pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple_ipv6 =
                         pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple_ipv6;
                     if (pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple_ipv6) {
-                        rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple.ipv6 =
+                        frag_i->pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple.ipv6 =
                             pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple.ipv6;
                     } else {
-                        rp->list->frag_list[i].pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple.ipv4  =
+                        frag_i->pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple.ipv4 =
                             pkt->md.ct_orig_tuple.ipv4;
                     }
-                }
-
-                const struct ipf_frag *frag_0 = &rp->list->frag_list[0];
-                void *l4_frag = dp_packet_l4(frag_0->pkt);
-                void *l4_reass = dp_packet_l4(pkt);
-                memcpy(l4_frag, l4_reass, dp_packet_l4_size(frag_0->pkt));
-
-                if (v6) {
-                    struct ovs_16aligned_ip6_hdr *l3_frag
-                        = dp_packet_l3(frag_0->pkt);
-                    struct ovs_16aligned_ip6_hdr *l3_reass = dp_packet_l3(pkt);
-                    l3_frag->ip6_src = l3_reass->ip6_src;
-                    l3_frag->ip6_dst = l3_reass->ip6_dst;
-                } else {
-                    struct ip_header *l3_frag = dp_packet_l3(frag_0->pkt);
-                    struct ip_header *l3_reass = dp_packet_l3(pkt);
-                    if (!dp_packet_hwol_is_ipv4(frag_0->pkt)) {
-                        ovs_be32 reass_ip =
-                            get_16aligned_be32(&l3_reass->ip_src);
-                        ovs_be32 frag_ip =
-                            get_16aligned_be32(&l3_frag->ip_src);
-
-                        l3_frag->ip_csum = recalc_csum32(l3_frag->ip_csum,
-                                                         frag_ip, reass_ip);
-                        reass_ip = get_16aligned_be32(&l3_reass->ip_dst);
-                        frag_ip = get_16aligned_be32(&l3_frag->ip_dst);
-                        l3_frag->ip_csum = recalc_csum32(l3_frag->ip_csum,
-                                                         frag_ip, reass_ip);
+                    if (v6) {
+                        struct ovs_16aligned_ip6_hdr *l3_frag
+                            = dp_packet_l3(frag_i->pkt);
+                        struct ovs_16aligned_ip6_hdr *l3_reass
+                            = dp_packet_l3(pkt);
+                        l3_frag->ip6_src = l3_reass->ip6_src;
+                        l3_frag->ip6_dst = l3_reass->ip6_dst;
+                    } else {
+                        struct ip_header *l3_frag = dp_packet_l3(frag_i->pkt);
+                        struct ip_header *l3_reass = dp_packet_l3(pkt);
+                        if (!dp_packet_hwol_is_ipv4(frag_i->pkt)) {
+                            ovs_be32 reass_ip =
+                                get_16aligned_be32(&l3_reass->ip_src);
+                            ovs_be32 frag_ip =
+                                get_16aligned_be32(&l3_frag->ip_src);
+
+                            l3_frag->ip_csum = recalc_csum32(l3_frag->ip_csum,
+                                                             frag_ip,
+                                                             reass_ip);
+                            reass_ip = get_16aligned_be32(&l3_reass->ip_dst);
+                            frag_ip = get_16aligned_be32(&l3_frag->ip_dst);
+                            l3_frag->ip_csum = recalc_csum32(l3_frag->ip_csum,
+                                                             frag_ip,
+                                                             reass_ip);
+                        }
+
+                        l3_frag->ip_src = l3_reass->ip_src;
+                        l3_frag->ip_dst = l3_reass->ip_dst;
                     }
-
-                    l3_frag->ip_src = l3_reass->ip_src;
-                    l3_frag->ip_dst = l3_reass->ip_dst;
                 }
 
                 ipf_completed_list_add(&ipf->frag_complete_list, rp->list);
diff --git a/lib/json.c b/lib/json.c
index 32d25003b8..0baf7c622c 100644
--- a/lib/json.c
+++ b/lib/json.c
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@ json_type_to_string(enum json_type type)
     case JSON_STRING:
         return "string";
 
+    case JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT:
     case JSON_N_TYPES:
     default:
         return "<invalid>";
@@ -180,6 +181,14 @@ json_string_create(const char *s)
     return json_string_create_nocopy(xstrdup(s));
 }
 
+struct json *
+json_serialized_object_create(const struct json *src)
+{
+    struct json *json = json_create(JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT);
+    json->string = json_to_string(src, JSSF_SORT);
+    return json;
+}
+
 struct json *
 json_array_create_empty(void)
 {
@@ -309,6 +318,13 @@ json_string(const struct json *json)
     return json->string;
 }
 
+const char *
+json_serialized_object(const struct json *json)
+{
+    ovs_assert(json->type == JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT);
+    return json->string;
+}
+
 struct json_array *
 json_array(const struct json *json)
 {
@@ -362,6 +378,7 @@ json_destroy(struct json *json)
             break;
 
         case JSON_STRING:
+        case JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT:
             free(json->string);
             break;
 
@@ -422,6 +439,9 @@ json_deep_clone(const struct json *json)
     case JSON_STRING:
         return json_string_create(json->string);
 
+    case JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT:
+        return json_serialized_object_create(json);
+
     case JSON_NULL:
     case JSON_FALSE:
     case JSON_TRUE:
@@ -521,6 +541,7 @@ json_hash(const struct json *json, size_t basis)
         return json_hash_array(&json->array, basis);
 
     case JSON_STRING:
+    case JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT:
         return hash_string(json->string, basis);
 
     case JSON_NULL:
@@ -596,6 +617,7 @@ json_equal(const struct json *a, const struct json *b)
         return json_equal_array(&a->array, &b->array);
 
     case JSON_STRING:
+    case JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT:
         return !strcmp(a->string, b->string);
 
     case JSON_NULL:
@@ -1072,6 +1094,14 @@ json_from_string(const char *string)
     return json_parser_finish(p);
 }
 
+/* Parses data of JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT to the real JSON. */
+struct json *
+json_from_serialized_object(const struct json *json)
+{
+    ovs_assert(json->type == JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT);
+    return json_from_string(json->string);
+}
+
 /* Reads the file named 'file_name', parses its contents as a JSON object or
  * array, and returns a newly allocated 'struct json'.  The caller must free
  * the returned structure with json_destroy() when it is no longer needed.
@@ -1563,6 +1593,10 @@ json_serialize(const struct json *json, struct json_serializer *s)
         json_serialize_string(json->string, ds);
         break;
 
+    case JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT:
+        ds_put_cstr(ds, json->string);
+        break;
+
     case JSON_N_TYPES:
     default:
         OVS_NOT_REACHED();
@@ -1696,14 +1730,30 @@ json_serialize_string(const char *string, struct ds *ds)
 {
     uint8_t c;
     uint8_t c2;
+    size_t count;
     const char *escape;
+    const char *start;
 
     ds_put_char(ds, '"');
+    count = 0;
+    start = string;
     while ((c = *string++) != '\0') {
-        escape = chars_escaping[c];
-        while ((c2 = *escape++) != '\0') {
-            ds_put_char(ds, c2);
+        if (c >= ' ' && c != '"' && c != '\\') {
+            count++;
+        } else {
+            if (count) {
+                ds_put_buffer(ds, start, count);
+                count = 0;
+            }
+            start = string;
+            escape = chars_escaping[c];
+            while ((c2 = *escape++) != '\0') {
+                ds_put_char(ds, c2);
+            }
         }
     }
+    if (count) {
+        ds_put_buffer(ds, start, count);
+    }
     ds_put_char(ds, '"');
 }
diff --git a/lib/meta-flow.c b/lib/meta-flow.c
index c808d205d5..e03cd8d0c5 100644
--- a/lib/meta-flow.c
+++ b/lib/meta-flow.c
@@ -1788,6 +1788,19 @@ mf_is_tun_metadata(const struct mf_field *mf)
            mf->id < MFF_TUN_METADATA0 + TUN_METADATA_NUM_OPTS;
 }
 
+bool
+mf_is_frozen_metadata(const struct mf_field *mf)
+{
+    if (mf->id >= MFF_TUN_ID && mf->id <= MFF_IN_PORT_OXM) {
+        return true;
+    }
+
+    if (mf->id >= MFF_REG0 && mf->id < MFF_ETH_SRC) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 bool
 mf_is_pipeline_field(const struct mf_field *mf)
 {
diff --git a/lib/netdev-dpdk.c b/lib/netdev-dpdk.c
index 45a96b9be2..ca92c947a2 100644
--- a/lib/netdev-dpdk.c
+++ b/lib/netdev-dpdk.c
@@ -961,14 +961,6 @@ dpdk_eth_dev_port_config(struct netdev_dpdk *dev, int n_rxq, int n_txq)
 
     rte_eth_dev_info_get(dev->port_id, &info);
 
-    /* As of DPDK 19.11, it is not allowed to set a mq_mode for
-     * virtio PMD driver. */
-    if (!strcmp(info.driver_name, "net_virtio")) {
-        conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_NONE;
-    } else {
-        conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_RSS;
-    }
-
     /* As of DPDK 17.11.1 a few PMDs require to explicitly enable
      * scatter to support jumbo RX.
      * Setting scatter for the device is done after checking for
@@ -1000,6 +992,11 @@ dpdk_eth_dev_port_config(struct netdev_dpdk *dev, int n_rxq, int n_txq)
     /* Limit configured rss hash functions to only those supported
      * by the eth device. */
     conf.rx_adv_conf.rss_conf.rss_hf &= info.flow_type_rss_offloads;
+    if (conf.rx_adv_conf.rss_conf.rss_hf == 0) {
+        conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_NONE;
+    } else {
+        conf.rxmode.mq_mode = ETH_MQ_RX_RSS;
+    }
 
     /* A device may report more queues than it makes available (this has
      * been observed for Intel xl710, which reserves some of them for
diff --git a/lib/netdev-linux.c b/lib/netdev-linux.c
index 60dd138914..97bd21be4a 100644
--- a/lib/netdev-linux.c
+++ b/lib/netdev-linux.c
@@ -627,6 +627,7 @@ netdev_linux_notify_sock(void)
         if (!error) {
             size_t i;
 
+            nl_sock_listen_all_nsid(sock, true);
             for (i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(mcgroups); i++) {
                 error = nl_sock_join_mcgroup(sock, mcgroups[i]);
                 if (error) {
@@ -636,7 +637,6 @@ netdev_linux_notify_sock(void)
                 }
             }
         }
-        nl_sock_listen_all_nsid(sock, true);
         ovsthread_once_done(&once);
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/odp-util.c b/lib/odp-util.c
index 7729a90608..fbdfc7ad83 100644
--- a/lib/odp-util.c
+++ b/lib/odp-util.c
@@ -2941,7 +2941,7 @@ odp_nsh_key_from_attr__(const struct nlattr *attr, bool is_mask,
             const struct ovs_nsh_key_md1 *md1 = nl_attr_get(a);
             has_md1 = true;
             memcpy(nsh->context, md1->context, sizeof md1->context);
-            if (len == 2 * sizeof(*md1)) {
+            if (nsh_mask && (len == 2 * sizeof *md1)) {
                 const struct ovs_nsh_key_md1 *md1_mask = md1 + 1;
                 memcpy(nsh_mask->context, md1_mask->context,
                        sizeof(*md1_mask));
@@ -4618,7 +4618,7 @@ odp_flow_format(const struct nlattr *key, size_t key_len,
             }
             ds_put_char(ds, ')');
         }
-        if (!has_ethtype_key) {
+        if (!has_ethtype_key && mask) {
             const struct nlattr *ma = nl_attr_find__(mask, mask_len,
                                                      OVS_KEY_ATTR_ETHERTYPE);
             if (ma) {
diff --git a/lib/ovsdb-cs.c b/lib/ovsdb-cs.c
index 659d49dbf7..fcb6fe1b34 100644
--- a/lib/ovsdb-cs.c
+++ b/lib/ovsdb-cs.c
@@ -1833,7 +1833,7 @@ server_column_get_string(const struct server_row *row,
 {
     ovs_assert(server_columns[index].type.key.type == OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
     const struct ovsdb_datum *d = &row->data[index];
-    return d->n == 1 ? d->keys[0].string : default_value;
+    return d->n == 1 ? d->keys[0].s->string : default_value;
 }
 
 static bool
diff --git a/lib/ovsdb-data.c b/lib/ovsdb-data.c
index c145f5ad97..6654ed6deb 100644
--- a/lib/ovsdb-data.c
+++ b/lib/ovsdb-data.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_init_default(union ovsdb_atom *atom, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type)
         break;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        atom->string = xmemdup("", 1);
+        atom->s = ovsdb_atom_string_create_nocopy(xmemdup("", 1));
         break;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_is_default(const union ovsdb_atom *atom,
         return atom->boolean == false;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        return atom->string[0] == '\0';
+        return atom->s->string[0] == '\0';
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
         return uuid_is_zero(&atom->uuid);
@@ -172,7 +172,8 @@ ovsdb_atom_clone(union ovsdb_atom *new, const union ovsdb_atom *old,
         break;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        new->string = xstrdup(old->string);
+        new->s = old->s;
+        new->s->n_refs++;
         break;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_hash(const union ovsdb_atom *atom, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type,
         return hash_boolean(atom->boolean, basis);
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        return hash_string(atom->string, basis);
+        return hash_string(atom->s->string, basis);
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
         return hash_int(uuid_hash(&atom->uuid), basis);
@@ -246,7 +247,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_compare_3way(const union ovsdb_atom *a,
         return a->boolean - b->boolean;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        return strcmp(a->string, b->string);
+        return a->s == b->s ? 0 : strcmp(a->s->string, b->s->string);
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
         return uuid_compare_3way(&a->uuid, &b->uuid);
@@ -404,7 +405,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_from_json__(union ovsdb_atom *atom,
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
         if (json->type == JSON_STRING) {
-            atom->string = xstrdup(json->string);
+            atom->s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(json->string);
             return NULL;
         }
         break;
@@ -473,7 +474,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_to_json(const union ovsdb_atom *atom, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type)
         return json_boolean_create(atom->boolean);
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        return json_string_create(atom->string);
+        return json_string_create(atom->s->string);
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
         return wrap_json("uuid", json_string_create_nocopy(
@@ -551,14 +552,18 @@ ovsdb_atom_from_string__(union ovsdb_atom *atom,
             if (s_len < 2 || s[s_len - 1] != '"') {
                 return xasprintf("%s: missing quote at end of "
                                  "quoted string", s);
-            } else if (!json_string_unescape(s + 1, s_len - 2,
-                                             &atom->string)) {
-                char *error = xasprintf("%s: %s", s, atom->string);
-                free(atom->string);
-                return error;
+            } else {
+                char *res;
+                if (json_string_unescape(s + 1, s_len - 2, &res)) {
+                    atom->s = ovsdb_atom_string_create_nocopy(res);
+                } else {
+                    char *error = xasprintf("%s: %s", s, res);
+                    free(res);
+                    return error;
+                }
             }
         } else {
-            atom->string = xstrdup(s);
+            atom->s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(s);
         }
         break;
 
@@ -721,14 +726,14 @@ ovsdb_atom_to_string(const union ovsdb_atom *atom, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type,
         break;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        if (string_needs_quotes(atom->string)) {
+        if (string_needs_quotes(atom->s->string)) {
             struct json json;
 
             json.type = JSON_STRING;
-            json.string = atom->string;
+            json.string = atom->s->string;
             json_to_ds(&json, 0, out);
         } else {
-            ds_put_cstr(out, atom->string);
+            ds_put_cstr(out, atom->s->string);
         }
         break;
 
@@ -750,7 +755,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_to_bare(const union ovsdb_atom *atom, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type,
                    struct ds *out)
 {
     if (type == OVSDB_TYPE_STRING) {
-        ds_put_cstr(out, atom->string);
+        ds_put_cstr(out, atom->s->string);
     } else {
         ovsdb_atom_to_string(atom, type, out);
     }
@@ -799,7 +804,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_check_constraints(const union ovsdb_atom *atom,
                              const struct ovsdb_base_type *base)
 {
     if (base->enum_
-        && ovsdb_datum_find_key(base->enum_, atom, base->type) == UINT_MAX) {
+        && !ovsdb_datum_find_key(base->enum_, atom, base->type, NULL)) {
         struct ovsdb_error *error;
         struct ds actual = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
         struct ds valid = DS_EMPTY_INITIALIZER;
@@ -877,7 +882,7 @@ ovsdb_atom_check_constraints(const union ovsdb_atom *atom,
         return NULL;
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_STRING:
-        return check_string_constraints(atom->string, &base->string);
+        return check_string_constraints(atom->s->string, &base->string);
 
     case OVSDB_TYPE_UUID:
         return NULL;
@@ -1691,8 +1696,8 @@ ovsdb_datum_from_smap(struct ovsdb_datum *datum, const struct smap *smap)
     struct smap_node *node;
     size_t i = 0;
     SMAP_FOR_EACH (node, smap) {
-        datum->keys[i].string = xstrdup(node->key);
-        datum->values[i].string = xstrdup(node->value);
+        datum->keys[i].s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(node->key);
+        datum->values[i].s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(node->value);
         i++;
     }
     ovs_assert(i == datum->n);
@@ -1784,14 +1789,16 @@ ovsdb_datum_compare_3way(const struct ovsdb_datum *a,
                                        a->n));
 }
 
-/* If 'key' is one of the keys in 'datum', returns its index within 'datum',
- * otherwise UINT_MAX.  'key.type' must be the type of the atoms stored in the
- * 'keys' array in 'datum'.
+/* If 'key' is one of the keys in 'datum', returns 'true' and sets '*pos' to
+ * its index within 'datum', otherwise returns 'false' and sets '*pos' to the
+ * index where 'key' should have been.  'key.type' must be the type of the
+ * atoms stored in the 'keys' array in 'datum'.
  */
-unsigned int
+bool
 ovsdb_datum_find_key(const struct ovsdb_datum *datum,
                      const union ovsdb_atom *key,
-                     enum ovsdb_atomic_type key_type)
+                     enum ovsdb_atomic_type key_type,
+                     unsigned int *pos)
 {
     unsigned int low = 0;
     unsigned int high = datum->n;
@@ -1803,10 +1810,16 @@ ovsdb_datum_find_key(const struct ovsdb_datum *datum,
         } else if (cmp > 0) {
             low = idx + 1;
         } else {
-            return idx;
+            if (pos) {
+                *pos = idx;
+            }
+            return true;
         }
     }
-    return UINT_MAX;
+    if (pos) {
+        *pos = low;
+    }
+    return false;
 }
 
 /* If 'key' and 'value' is one of the key-value pairs in 'datum', returns its
@@ -1821,10 +1834,11 @@ ovsdb_datum_find_key_value(const struct ovsdb_datum *datum,
                            const union ovsdb_atom *value,
                            enum ovsdb_atomic_type value_type)
 {
-    unsigned int idx = ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, key, key_type);
-    if (idx != UINT_MAX
-        && value_type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID
-        && !ovsdb_atom_equals(&datum->values[idx], value, value_type)) {
+    unsigned int idx;
+
+    if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(datum, key, key_type, &idx)
+        || (value_type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID
+            && !ovsdb_atom_equals(&datum->values[idx], value, value_type))) {
         idx = UINT_MAX;
     }
     return idx;
@@ -1948,38 +1962,68 @@ ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(struct ovsdb_datum *datum,
     }
 }
 
+/* Adds 'n' atoms starting from index 'start_idx' from 'src' to the end of
+ * 'dst'.  'dst' should have enough memory allocated to hold the additional
+ * 'n' atoms.  Atoms are not cloned, i.e. 'dst' will reference the same data.
+ * Caller also should take care of the result being sorted. */
+static void
+ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(struct ovsdb_datum *dst,
+                        const struct ovsdb_datum *src,
+                        unsigned int start_idx, unsigned int n,
+                        const struct ovsdb_type *type)
+{
+    memcpy(&dst->keys[dst->n], &src->keys[start_idx], n * sizeof src->keys[0]);
+    if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+        memcpy(&dst->values[dst->n], &src->values[start_idx],
+               n * sizeof src->values[0]);
+    }
+    dst->n += n;
+}
+
 void
 ovsdb_datum_union(struct ovsdb_datum *a, const struct ovsdb_datum *b,
-                  const struct ovsdb_type *type, bool replace)
+                  const struct ovsdb_type *type)
 {
-    unsigned int n;
-    size_t bi;
+    struct ovsdb_datum result;
+    unsigned int copied, pos;
 
-    n = a->n;
-    for (bi = 0; bi < b->n; bi++) {
-        unsigned int ai;
+    ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&result);
 
-        ai = ovsdb_datum_find_key(a, &b->keys[bi], type->key.type);
-        if (ai == UINT_MAX) {
-            if (n == a->n) {
-                ovsdb_datum_reallocate(a, type, a->n + (b->n - bi));
-            }
-            ovsdb_atom_clone(&a->keys[n], &b->keys[bi], type->key.type);
-            if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
-                ovsdb_atom_clone(&a->values[n], &b->values[bi],
-                                 type->value.type);
-            }
-            n++;
-        } else if (replace && type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
-            ovsdb_atom_destroy(&a->values[ai], type->value.type);
-            ovsdb_atom_clone(&a->values[ai], &b->values[bi],
+    copied = 0;
+    for (size_t bi = 0; bi < b->n; bi++) {
+        if (ovsdb_datum_find_key(a, &b->keys[bi], type->key.type, &pos)) {
+            /* Atom with the same key already exists. */
+            continue;
+        }
+        if (!result.keys) {
+            ovsdb_datum_reallocate(&result, type, a->n + (b->n - bi));
+        }
+        if (pos > copied) {
+            /* Need to copy some atoms from 'a' first. */
+            ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(&result, a, copied, pos - copied, type);
+            copied = pos;
+        }
+        /* Inserting new atom from 'b'. */
+        ovsdb_atom_clone(&result.keys[result.n], &b->keys[bi], type->key.type);
+        if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+            ovsdb_atom_clone(&result.values[result.n], &b->values[bi],
                              type->value.type);
         }
+        result.n++;
     }
-    if (n != a->n) {
-        a->n = n;
-        ovs_assert(!ovsdb_datum_sort(a, type->key.type));
+    if (!result.keys) {
+        /* 'a' doesn't need to be changed. */
+        return;
+    }
+    if (a->n > copied) {
+        /* Copying remaining atoms. */
+        ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(&result, a, copied, a->n - copied, type);
     }
+    /* All atoms are copied now. */
+    a->n = 0;
+
+    ovsdb_datum_swap(&result, a);
+    ovsdb_datum_destroy(&result, type);
 }
 
 void
@@ -1987,26 +2031,55 @@ ovsdb_datum_subtract(struct ovsdb_datum *a, const struct ovsdb_type *a_type,
                      const struct ovsdb_datum *b,
                      const struct ovsdb_type *b_type)
 {
-    bool changed = false;
-    size_t i;
+    unsigned int *idx, ai;
+    size_t n_idx;
 
     ovs_assert(a_type->key.type == b_type->key.type);
     ovs_assert(a_type->value.type == b_type->value.type
                || b_type->value.type == OVSDB_TYPE_VOID);
 
-    /* XXX The big-O of this could easily be improved. */
-    for (i = 0; i < a->n; ) {
-        unsigned int idx = ovsdb_datum_find(a, i, b, b_type);
-        if (idx != UINT_MAX) {
-            changed = true;
-            ovsdb_datum_remove_unsafe(a, i, a_type);
-        } else {
-            i++;
+    idx = xmalloc(b->n * sizeof *idx);
+    n_idx = 0;
+    for (size_t bi = 0; bi < b->n; bi++) {
+        ai = ovsdb_datum_find(b, bi, a, b_type);
+        if (ai == UINT_MAX) {
+            /* No such atom in 'a'. */
+            continue;
         }
+        /* Not destroying right away since ovsdb_datum_find() will use them. */
+        idx[n_idx++] = ai;
     }
-    if (changed) {
-        ovsdb_datum_sort_assert(a, a_type->key.type);
+    if (!n_idx) {
+        free(idx);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    struct ovsdb_datum result;
+
+    ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&result);
+    ovsdb_datum_reallocate(&result, a_type, a->n - n_idx);
+
+    unsigned int start_idx = 0;
+    for (size_t i = 0; i < n_idx; i++) {
+        ai = idx[i];
+
+        /* Destroying atom. */
+        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&a->keys[ai], a_type->key.type);
+        if (a_type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+            ovsdb_atom_destroy(&a->values[ai], a_type->value.type);
+        }
+
+        /* Copy non-removed atoms from 'a' to result. */
+        ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(&result, a, start_idx, ai - start_idx, a_type);
+        start_idx = idx[i] + 1;
     }
+    /* Copying remaining atoms. */
+    ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(&result, a, start_idx, a->n - start_idx, a_type);
+    a->n = 0;
+
+    ovsdb_datum_swap(&result, a);
+    ovsdb_datum_destroy(&result, a_type);
+    free(idx);
 }
 
 struct ovsdb_symbol_table *
@@ -2067,6 +2140,64 @@ ovsdb_symbol_table_insert(struct ovsdb_symbol_table *symtab,
 
 /* APIs for Generating and apply diffs.  */
 
+/* Find what needs to be added to and removed from 'old' to construct 'new'.
+ *
+ * The 'added' and 'removed' datums are always safe; the orders of keys are
+ * maintained since they are added in order.   */
+void
+ovsdb_datum_added_removed(struct ovsdb_datum *added,
+                          struct ovsdb_datum *removed,
+                          const struct ovsdb_datum *old,
+                          const struct ovsdb_datum *new,
+                          const struct ovsdb_type *type)
+{
+    size_t oi, ni;
+
+    ovsdb_datum_init_empty(added);
+    ovsdb_datum_init_empty(removed);
+    if (!ovsdb_type_is_composite(type)) {
+        ovsdb_datum_clone(removed, old, type);
+        ovsdb_datum_clone(added, new, type);
+        return;
+    }
+
+    /* Generate the diff in O(n) time. */
+    for (oi = ni = 0; oi < old->n && ni < new->n;) {
+        int c = ovsdb_atom_compare_3way(&old->keys[oi], &new->keys[ni],
+                                        type->key.type);
+        if (c < 0) {
+            ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(removed, &old->keys[oi], &old->values[oi],
+                                   type, NULL);
+            oi++;
+        } else if (c > 0) {
+            ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(added, &new->keys[ni], &new->values[ni],
+                                   type, NULL);
+            ni++;
+        } else {
+            if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID &&
+                ovsdb_atom_compare_3way(&old->values[oi], &new->values[ni],
+                                        type->value.type)) {
+                ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(removed, &old->keys[oi],
+                                       &old->values[oi], type, NULL);
+                ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(added, &new->keys[ni], &new->values[ni],
+                                       type, NULL);
+            }
+            oi++; ni++;
+        }
+    }
+
+    for (; oi < old->n; oi++) {
+        ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(removed, &old->keys[oi], &old->values[oi],
+                               type, NULL);
+    }
+
+    for (; ni < new->n; ni++) {
+        ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(added, &new->keys[ni], &new->values[ni],
+                               type, NULL);
+    }
+}
+
+
 /* Generate a difference ovsdb_dataum between 'old' and 'new'.
  * 'new' can be regenerated by applying the difference to the 'old'.
  *
@@ -2127,6 +2258,106 @@ ovsdb_datum_diff(struct ovsdb_datum *diff,
     }
 }
 
+/* Apply 'diff' to 'a'.
+ *
+ * Return NULL if the 'a' is successfully updated, otherwise, return
+ * ovsdb_error. */
+struct ovsdb_error *
+ovsdb_datum_apply_diff_in_place(struct ovsdb_datum *a,
+                                const struct ovsdb_datum *diff,
+                                const struct ovsdb_type *type)
+{
+    struct ovsdb_error *error = NULL;
+    struct ovsdb_datum result;
+    size_t i, new_size;
+    unsigned int *idx, pos;
+    enum {
+        DIFF_OP_ADD,
+        DIFF_OP_REMOVE,
+        DIFF_OP_UPDATE,
+    } *operation;
+
+    if (!ovsdb_type_is_composite(type)) {
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(a, type);
+        ovsdb_datum_clone(a, diff, type);
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    operation = xmalloc(diff->n * sizeof *operation);
+    idx = xmalloc(diff->n * sizeof *idx);
+    new_size = a->n;
+    for (i = 0; i < diff->n; i++) {
+        if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(a, &diff->keys[i], type->key.type, &pos)) {
+            operation[i] = DIFF_OP_ADD;
+            new_size++;
+        } else if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID
+                   && !ovsdb_atom_equals(&diff->values[i], &a->values[pos],
+                                         type->value.type)) {
+            operation[i] = DIFF_OP_UPDATE;
+        } else {
+            operation[i] = DIFF_OP_REMOVE;
+            new_size--;
+        }
+        idx[i] = pos;
+    }
+
+    /* Make sure member size of 'new' conforms to type. */
+    if (new_size < type->n_min || new_size > type->n_max) {
+        error = ovsdb_error(NULL, "Datum crated by diff has size error");
+        goto exit;
+    }
+
+    ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&result);
+    ovsdb_datum_reallocate(&result, type, new_size);
+
+    unsigned int copied = 0;
+    for (i = 0; i < diff->n; i++) {
+        pos = idx[i];
+
+        if (copied < pos) {
+            /* Copying all atoms that should go before the current one. */
+            ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(&result, a, copied, pos - copied, type);
+            copied = pos;
+        }
+
+        switch (operation[i]) {
+        case DIFF_OP_UPDATE:
+        case DIFF_OP_ADD:
+            /* Inserting new atom from 'diff'. */
+            ovsdb_atom_clone(&result.keys[result.n],
+                             &diff->keys[i], type->key.type);
+            if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+                ovsdb_atom_clone(&result.values[result.n],
+                                 &diff->values[i], type->value.type);
+            }
+            result.n++;
+            if (operation[i] != DIFF_OP_UPDATE) {
+                break;
+            }
+            /* fall through */
+
+        case DIFF_OP_REMOVE:
+            /* Destroying atom. */
+            ovsdb_atom_destroy(&a->keys[pos], type->key.type);
+            if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+                ovsdb_atom_destroy(&a->values[pos], type->value.type);
+            }
+            copied++; /* Skipping removed atom. */
+            break;
+        }
+    }
+    /* Copying remaining atoms. */
+    ovsdb_datum_push_unsafe(&result, a, copied, a->n - copied, type);
+    a->n = 0;
+
+    ovsdb_datum_swap(&result, a);
+    ovsdb_datum_destroy(&result, type);
+exit:
+    free(operation);
+    free(idx);
+    return error;
+}
+
 /* Apply 'diff' to 'old' to regenerate 'new'.
  *
  * Return NULL if the 'new' is successfully generated, otherwise, return
diff --git a/lib/ovsdb-data.h b/lib/ovsdb-data.h
index c5a80ee39f..f66ed3472c 100644
--- a/lib/ovsdb-data.h
+++ b/lib/ovsdb-data.h
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include "compiler.h"
 #include "ovsdb-types.h"
 #include "openvswitch/shash.h"
+#include "util.h"
 
 #ifdef  __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
@@ -31,12 +32,33 @@ struct ds;
 struct ovsdb_symbol_table;
 struct smap;
 
+struct ovsdb_atom_string {
+    char *string;
+    size_t n_refs;
+};
+
+static inline struct ovsdb_atom_string *
+ovsdb_atom_string_create_nocopy(char *str)
+{
+    struct ovsdb_atom_string *s = xzalloc(sizeof *s);
+
+    s->string = str;
+    s->n_refs = 1;
+    return s;
+}
+
+static inline struct ovsdb_atom_string *
+ovsdb_atom_string_create(const char *str)
+{
+    return ovsdb_atom_string_create_nocopy(xstrdup(str));
+}
+
 /* One value of an atomic type (given by enum ovs_atomic_type). */
 union ovsdb_atom {
     int64_t integer;
     double real;
     bool boolean;
-    char *string;
+    struct ovsdb_atom_string *s;
     struct uuid uuid;
 };
 
@@ -66,8 +88,9 @@ ovsdb_atom_needs_destruction(enum ovsdb_atomic_type type)
 static inline void
 ovsdb_atom_destroy(union ovsdb_atom *atom, enum ovsdb_atomic_type type)
 {
-    if (type == OVSDB_TYPE_STRING) {
-        free(atom->string);
+    if (type == OVSDB_TYPE_STRING && !--atom->s->n_refs) {
+        free(atom->s->string);
+        free(atom->s);
     }
 }
 
@@ -209,9 +232,10 @@ bool ovsdb_datum_equals(const struct ovsdb_datum *,
                         const struct ovsdb_type *);
 
 /* Search. */
-unsigned int ovsdb_datum_find_key(const struct ovsdb_datum *,
-                                  const union ovsdb_atom *key,
-                                  enum ovsdb_atomic_type key_type);
+bool ovsdb_datum_find_key(const struct ovsdb_datum *,
+                          const union ovsdb_atom *key,
+                          enum ovsdb_atomic_type key_type,
+                          unsigned int *pos);
 unsigned int ovsdb_datum_find_key_value(const struct ovsdb_datum *,
                                         const union ovsdb_atom *key,
                                         enum ovsdb_atomic_type key_type,
@@ -227,14 +251,19 @@ bool ovsdb_datum_excludes_all(const struct ovsdb_datum *,
                               const struct ovsdb_type *);
 void ovsdb_datum_union(struct ovsdb_datum *,
                        const struct ovsdb_datum *,
-                       const struct ovsdb_type *,
-                       bool replace);
+                       const struct ovsdb_type *);
 void ovsdb_datum_subtract(struct ovsdb_datum *a,
                           const struct ovsdb_type *a_type,
                           const struct ovsdb_datum *b,
                           const struct ovsdb_type *b_type);
 
 /* Generate and apply diffs */
+void ovsdb_datum_added_removed(struct ovsdb_datum *added,
+                               struct ovsdb_datum *removed,
+                               const struct ovsdb_datum *old,
+                               const struct ovsdb_datum *new,
+                               const struct ovsdb_type *type);
+
 void ovsdb_datum_diff(struct ovsdb_datum *diff,
                       const struct ovsdb_datum *old_datum,
                       const struct ovsdb_datum *new_datum,
@@ -246,6 +275,12 @@ struct ovsdb_error *ovsdb_datum_apply_diff(struct ovsdb_datum *new_datum,
                                            const struct ovsdb_type *type)
 OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
 
+struct ovsdb_error * ovsdb_datum_apply_diff_in_place(
+                struct ovsdb_datum *a,
+                const struct ovsdb_datum *diff,
+                const struct ovsdb_type *type)
+OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
+
 /* Raw operations that may not maintain the invariants. */
 void ovsdb_datum_remove_unsafe(struct ovsdb_datum *, size_t idx,
                                const struct ovsdb_type *);
diff --git a/lib/ovsdb-idl.c b/lib/ovsdb-idl.c
index 2198c69c60..198ba5a828 100644
--- a/lib/ovsdb-idl.c
+++ b/lib/ovsdb-idl.c
@@ -1898,8 +1898,7 @@ ovsdb_idl_index_destroy_row(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row_)
     BITMAP_FOR_EACH_1 (i, class->n_columns, row->written) {
         c = &class->columns[i];
         (c->unparse) (row);
-        free(row->new_datum[i].values);
-        free(row->new_datum[i].keys);
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&row->new_datum[i], &c->type);
     }
     free(row->new_datum);
     free(row->written);
@@ -2787,9 +2786,8 @@ ovsdb_idl_txn_extract_mutations(struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
                     struct ovsdb_datum *new_datum;
                     unsigned int pos;
                     new_datum = map_op_datum(map_op);
-                    pos = ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum,
-                                               &new_datum->keys[0],
-                                               key_type);
+                    ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum, &new_datum->keys[0],
+                                         key_type, &pos);
                     if (ovsdb_atom_equals(&new_datum->values[0],
                                           &old_datum->values[pos],
                                           value_type)) {
@@ -2798,11 +2796,9 @@ ovsdb_idl_txn_extract_mutations(struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
                     }
                 } else if (map_op_type(map_op) == MAP_OP_DELETE){
                     /* Verify that there is a key to delete. */
-                    unsigned int pos;
-                    pos = ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum,
-                                               &map_op_datum(map_op)->keys[0],
-                                               key_type);
-                    if (pos == UINT_MAX) {
+                    if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum,
+                                              &map_op_datum(map_op)->keys[0],
+                                              key_type, NULL)) {
                         /* No key to delete.  Move on to next update. */
                         VLOG_WARN("Trying to delete a key that doesn't "
                                   "exist in the map.");
@@ -2897,11 +2893,9 @@ ovsdb_idl_txn_extract_mutations(struct ovsdb_idl_row *row,
                     any_ins = true;
                 } else { /* SETP_OP_DELETE */
                     /* Verify that there is a key to delete. */
-                    unsigned int pos;
-                    pos = ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum,
-                                               &set_op_datum(set_op)->keys[0],
-                                               key_type);
-                    if (pos == UINT_MAX) {
+                    if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum,
+                                              &set_op_datum(set_op)->keys[0],
+                                              key_type, NULL)) {
                         /* No key to delete.  Move on to next update. */
                         VLOG_WARN("Trying to delete a key that doesn't "
                                   "exist in the set.");
@@ -4066,7 +4060,6 @@ ovsdb_idl_txn_write_partial_map(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row_,
     struct ovsdb_idl_row *row = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_idl_row *, row_);
     enum ovsdb_atomic_type key_type;
     enum map_op_type op_type;
-    unsigned int pos;
     const struct ovsdb_datum *old_datum;
 
     if (!is_valid_partial_update(row, column, datum)) {
@@ -4078,8 +4071,11 @@ ovsdb_idl_txn_write_partial_map(const struct ovsdb_idl_row *row_,
     /* Find out if this is an insert or an update. */
     key_type = column->type.key.type;
     old_datum = ovsdb_idl_read(row, column);
-    pos = ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum, &datum->keys[0], key_type);
-    op_type = pos == UINT_MAX ? MAP_OP_INSERT : MAP_OP_UPDATE;
+    if (ovsdb_datum_find_key(old_datum, &datum->keys[0], key_type, NULL)) {
+        op_type = MAP_OP_UPDATE;
+    } else {
+        op_type = MAP_OP_INSERT;
+    }
 
     ovsdb_idl_txn_add_map_op(row, column, datum, op_type);
 }
diff --git a/lib/pcap-file.c b/lib/pcap-file.c
index b30a11c24b..41835f6f4d 100644
--- a/lib/pcap-file.c
+++ b/lib/pcap-file.c
@@ -89,6 +89,7 @@ ovs_pcap_open(const char *file_name, const char *mode)
                    : mode[0] == 'w' ? "writing"
                    : "appending"),
                   ovs_strerror(errno));
+        free(p_file);
         return NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-xlate.c b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-xlate.c
index a426fcfeb6..1bab22aa5e 100644
--- a/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-xlate.c
+++ b/ofproto/ofproto-dpif-xlate.c
@@ -6177,11 +6177,32 @@ static void
 compose_conntrack_action(struct xlate_ctx *ctx, struct ofpact_conntrack *ofc,
                          bool is_last_action)
 {
-    ovs_u128 old_ct_label_mask = ctx->wc->masks.ct_label;
-    uint32_t old_ct_mark_mask = ctx->wc->masks.ct_mark;
-    size_t ct_offset;
     uint16_t zone;
+    if (ofc->zone_src.field) {
+        union mf_subvalue value;
+        memset(&value, 0xff, sizeof(value));
+
+        zone = mf_get_subfield(&ofc->zone_src, &ctx->xin->flow);
+        if (ctx->xin->frozen_state) {
+            /* If the upcall is a resume of a recirculation, we only need to
+             * unwildcard the fields that are not in the frozen_metadata, as
+             * when the rules update, OVS will generate a new recirc_id,
+             * which will invalidate the megaflow with old the recirc_id.
+             */
+            if (!mf_is_frozen_metadata(ofc->zone_src.field)) {
+                mf_write_subfield_flow(&ofc->zone_src, &value,
+                                       &ctx->wc->masks);
+            }
+        } else {
+            mf_write_subfield_flow(&ofc->zone_src, &value, &ctx->wc->masks);
+        }
+    } else {
+        zone = ofc->zone_imm;
+    }
 
+    size_t ct_offset;
+    ovs_u128 old_ct_label_mask = ctx->wc->masks.ct_label;
+    uint32_t old_ct_mark_mask = ctx->wc->masks.ct_mark;
     /* Ensure that any prior actions are applied before composing the new
      * conntrack action. */
     xlate_commit_actions(ctx);
@@ -6193,11 +6214,6 @@ compose_conntrack_action(struct xlate_ctx *ctx, struct ofpact_conntrack *ofc,
     do_xlate_actions(ofc->actions, ofpact_ct_get_action_len(ofc), ctx,
                      is_last_action, false);
 
-    if (ofc->zone_src.field) {
-        zone = mf_get_subfield(&ofc->zone_src, &ctx->xin->flow);
-    } else {
-        zone = ofc->zone_imm;
-    }
 
     ct_offset = nl_msg_start_nested(ctx->odp_actions, OVS_ACTION_ATTR_CT);
     if (ofc->flags & NX_CT_F_COMMIT) {
diff --git a/ovsdb/file.c b/ovsdb/file.c
index 59220824fa..9f44007d97 100644
--- a/ovsdb/file.c
+++ b/ovsdb/file.c
@@ -113,19 +113,17 @@ ovsdb_file_update_row_from_json(struct ovsdb_row *row, bool converting,
         if (row_contains_diff
             && !ovsdb_datum_is_default(&row->fields[column->index],
                                        &column->type)) {
-            struct ovsdb_datum new_datum;
-
-            error = ovsdb_datum_apply_diff(&new_datum,
+            error = ovsdb_datum_apply_diff_in_place(
                                            &row->fields[column->index],
                                            &datum, &column->type);
             ovsdb_datum_destroy(&datum, &column->type);
             if (error) {
                 return error;
             }
-            ovsdb_datum_swap(&datum, &new_datum);
+        } else {
+            ovsdb_datum_swap(&row->fields[column->index], &datum);
+            ovsdb_datum_destroy(&datum, &column->type);
         }
-        ovsdb_datum_swap(&row->fields[column->index], &datum);
-        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&datum, &column->type);
     }
 
     return NULL;
diff --git a/ovsdb/monitor.c b/ovsdb/monitor.c
index 532dedcb64..ab814cf20e 100644
--- a/ovsdb/monitor.c
+++ b/ovsdb/monitor.c
@@ -1231,6 +1231,15 @@ ovsdb_monitor_get_update(
                                             condition,
                                             ovsdb_monitor_compose_row_update2);
                 if (!condition || !condition->conditional) {
+                    if (json) {
+                        struct json *json_serialized;
+
+                        /* Pre-serializing the object to avoid doing this
+                         * for every client. */
+                        json_serialized = json_serialized_object_create(json);
+                        json_destroy(json);
+                        json = json_serialized;
+                    }
                     ovsdb_monitor_json_cache_insert(dbmon, version, mcs,
                                                     json);
                 }
diff --git a/ovsdb/mutation.c b/ovsdb/mutation.c
index 56edc5f000..03d1c3499e 100644
--- a/ovsdb/mutation.c
+++ b/ovsdb/mutation.c
@@ -383,7 +383,7 @@ ovsdb_mutation_set_execute(struct ovsdb_row *row,
             break;
 
         case OVSDB_M_INSERT:
-            ovsdb_datum_union(dst, arg, dst_type, false);
+            ovsdb_datum_union(dst, arg, dst_type);
             error = ovsdb_mutation_check_count(dst, dst_type);
             break;
 
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb-idlc.in b/ovsdb/ovsdb-idlc.in
index 61cded16d3..78ebf2dc14 100755
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb-idlc.in
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb-idlc.in
@@ -551,20 +551,20 @@ static void
                 print("    smap_init(&row->%s);" % columnName)
                 print("    for (size_t i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {")
                 print("        smap_add(&row->%s," % columnName)
-                print("                 datum->keys[i].string,")
-                print("                 datum->values[i].string);")
+                print("                 datum->keys[i].s->string,")
+                print("                 datum->values[i].s->string);")
                 print("    }")
             elif (type.n_min == 1 and type.n_max == 1) or type.is_optional_pointer():
                 print("")
                 print("    if (datum->n >= 1) {")
                 if not type.key.ref_table:
-                    print("        %s = datum->keys[0].%s;" % (keyVar, type.key.type.to_string()))
+                    print("        %s = datum->keys[0].%s;" % (keyVar, type.key.type.to_rvalue_string()))
                 else:
                     print("        %s = %s%s_cast(ovsdb_idl_get_row_arc(row_, &%stable_%s, &datum->keys[0].uuid));" % (keyVar, prefix, type.key.ref_table.name.lower(), prefix, type.key.ref_table.name.lower()))
 
                 if valueVar:
                     if not type.value.ref_table:
-                        print("        %s = datum->values[0].%s;" % (valueVar, type.value.type.to_string()))
+                        print("        %s = datum->values[0].%s;" % (valueVar, type.value.type.to_rvalue_string()))
                     else:
                         print("        %s = %s%s_cast(ovsdb_idl_get_row_arc(row_, &%stable_%s, &datum->values[0].uuid));" % (valueVar, prefix, type.value.ref_table.name.lower(), prefix, type.value.ref_table.name.lower()))
                 print("    } else {")
@@ -592,7 +592,7 @@ static void
 """ % (prefix, type.key.ref_table.name.lower(), prefix, type.key.ref_table.name.lower(), prefix, type.key.ref_table.name.lower()))
                     keySrc = "keyRow"
                 else:
-                    keySrc = "datum->keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_string()
+                    keySrc = "datum->keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_rvalue_string()
                 if type.value and type.value.ref_table:
                     print("""\
         struct %s%s *valueRow = %s%s_cast(ovsdb_idl_get_row_arc(row_, &%stable_%s, &datum->values[i].uuid));
@@ -602,7 +602,7 @@ static void
 """ % (prefix, type.value.ref_table.name.lower(), prefix, type.value.ref_table.name.lower(), prefix, type.value.ref_table.name.lower()))
                     valueSrc = "valueRow"
                 elif valueVar:
-                    valueSrc = "datum->values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_string()
+                    valueSrc = "datum->values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_rvalue_string()
                 print("        if (!row->n_%s) {" % (columnName))
 
                 print("            %s = xmalloc(%s * sizeof *%s);" % (
@@ -910,45 +910,45 @@ void
         'args': ', '.join(['%(type)s%(name)s'
                            % m for m in members])})
             if type.n_min == 1 and type.n_max == 1:
-                print("    union ovsdb_atom key;")
+                print("    union ovsdb_atom *key = xmalloc(sizeof *key);")
                 if type.value:
-                    print("    union ovsdb_atom value;")
+                    print("    union ovsdb_atom *value = xmalloc(sizeof *value);")
                 print("")
                 print("    datum.n = 1;")
-                print("    datum.keys = &key;")
-                print("    " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key.%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), keyVar))
+                print("    datum.keys = key;")
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), keyVar))
                 if type.value:
-                    print("    datum.values = &value;")
-                    print("    "+ type.value.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("value.%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), valueVar))
+                    print("    datum.values = value;")
+                    print("    " + type.value.copyCValue("value->%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), valueVar))
                 else:
                     print("    datum.values = NULL;")
-                txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_txn_write_clone"
+                txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_txn_write"
             elif type.is_optional_pointer():
-                print("    union ovsdb_atom key;")
                 print("")
                 print("    if (%s) {" % keyVar)
+                print("        union ovsdb_atom *key = xmalloc(sizeof *key);")
                 print("        datum.n = 1;")
-                print("        datum.keys = &key;")
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key.%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), keyVar))
+                print("        datum.keys = key;")
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), keyVar))
                 print("    } else {")
                 print("        datum.n = 0;")
                 print("        datum.keys = NULL;")
                 print("    }")
                 print("    datum.values = NULL;")
-                txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_txn_write_clone"
+                txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_txn_write"
             elif type.n_max == 1:
-                print("    union ovsdb_atom key;")
                 print("")
                 print("    if (%s) {" % nVar)
+                print("        union ovsdb_atom *key = xmalloc(sizeof *key);")
                 print("        datum.n = 1;")
-                print("        datum.keys = &key;")
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key.%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "*" + keyVar))
+                print("        datum.keys = key;")
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "*" + keyVar))
                 print("    } else {")
                 print("        datum.n = 0;")
                 print("        datum.keys = NULL;")
                 print("    }")
                 print("    datum.values = NULL;")
-                txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_txn_write_clone"
+                txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_txn_write"
             else:
                 print("")
                 print("    datum.n = %s;" % nVar)
@@ -958,9 +958,9 @@ void
                 else:
                     print("    datum.values = NULL;")
                 print("    for (size_t i = 0; i < %s; i++) {" % nVar)
-                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("datum.keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "%s[i]" % keyVar))
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("datum.keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "%s[i]" % keyVar))
                 if type.value:
-                    print("        " + type.value.copyCValue("datum.values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), "%s[i]" % valueVar))
+                    print("        " + type.value.copyCValue("datum.values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), "%s[i]" % valueVar))
                 print("    }")
                 if type.value:
                     valueType = type.value.toAtomicType()
@@ -996,9 +996,8 @@ void
 ''' % {'s': structName, 'c': columnName,'coltype':column.type.key.to_const_c_type(prefix),
         'valtype':column.type.value.to_const_c_type(prefix), 'S': structName.upper(),
         'C': columnName.upper(), 't': tableName})
-
-                print("    "+ type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "new_key"))
-                print("    "+ type.value.copyCValue("datum->values[0].%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), "new_value"))
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "new_key"))
+                print("    " + type.value.copyCValue("datum->values[0].%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), "new_value"))
                 print('''
     ovsdb_idl_txn_write_partial_map(&row->header_,
                                     &%(s)s_col_%(c)s,
@@ -1022,8 +1021,7 @@ void
 ''' % {'s': structName, 'c': columnName,'coltype':column.type.key.to_const_c_type(prefix),
         'valtype':column.type.value.to_const_c_type(prefix), 'S': structName.upper(),
         'C': columnName.upper(), 't': tableName})
-
-                print("    "+ type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "delete_key"))
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "delete_key"))
                 print('''
     ovsdb_idl_txn_delete_partial_map(&row->header_,
                                     &%(s)s_col_%(c)s,
@@ -1049,8 +1047,7 @@ void
     datum->values = NULL;
 ''' % {'s': structName, 'c': columnName,
         'valtype':column.type.key.to_const_c_type(prefix), 't': tableName})
-
-                print("    "+ type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "new_value"))
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "new_value"))
                 print('''
     ovsdb_idl_txn_write_partial_set(&row->header_,
                                     &%(s)s_col_%(c)s,
@@ -1074,8 +1071,7 @@ void
 ''' % {'s': structName, 'c': columnName,'coltype':column.type.key.to_const_c_type(prefix),
         'valtype':column.type.key.to_const_c_type(prefix), 'S': structName.upper(),
         'C': columnName.upper(), 't': tableName})
-
-                print("    "+ type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "delete_value"))
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("datum->keys[0].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "delete_value"))
                 print('''
     ovsdb_idl_txn_delete_partial_set(&row->header_,
                                     &%(s)s_col_%(c)s,
@@ -1143,37 +1139,36 @@ void
             print("    struct ovsdb_datum datum;")
             free = []
             if type.n_min == 1 and type.n_max == 1:
-                print("    union ovsdb_atom key;")
+                print("    union ovsdb_atom *key = xmalloc(sizeof *key);")
                 if type.value:
-                    print("    union ovsdb_atom value;")
+                    print("    union ovsdb_atom *value = xmalloc(sizeof *value);")
                 print("")
                 print("    datum.n = 1;")
-                print("    datum.keys = &key;")
-                print("    " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key.%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), keyVar, refTable=False))
+                print("    datum.keys = key;")
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), keyVar, refTable=False))
                 if type.value:
-                    print("    datum.values = &value;")
-                    print("    "+ type.value.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("value.%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), valueVar, refTable=False))
+                    print("    " + type.value.copyCValue("value.%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), valueVar, refTable=False))
                 else:
                     print("    datum.values = NULL;")
             elif type.is_optional_pointer():
-                print("    union ovsdb_atom key;")
                 print("")
                 print("    if (%s) {" % keyVar)
+                print("        union ovsdb_atom *key = xmalloc(sizeof *key);")
                 print("        datum.n = 1;")
-                print("        datum.keys = &key;")
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key.%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), keyVar, refTable=False))
+                print("        datum.keys = key;")
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), keyVar, refTable=False))
                 print("    } else {")
                 print("        datum.n = 0;")
                 print("        datum.keys = NULL;")
                 print("    }")
                 print("    datum.values = NULL;")
             elif type.n_max == 1:
-                print("    union ovsdb_atom key;")
                 print("")
                 print("    if (%s) {" % nVar)
+                print("        union ovsdb_atom *key = xmalloc(sizeof *key);")
                 print("        datum.n = 1;")
-                print("        datum.keys = &key;")
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key.%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "*" + keyVar, refTable=False))
+                print("        datum.keys = key;")
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "*" + keyVar, refTable=False))
                 print("    } else {")
                 print("        datum.n = 0;")
                 print("        datum.keys = NULL;")
@@ -1182,16 +1177,14 @@ void
             else:
                 print("    datum.n = %s;" % nVar)
                 print("    datum.keys = %s ? xmalloc(%s * sizeof *datum.keys) : NULL;" % (nVar, nVar))
-                free += ['datum.keys']
                 if type.value:
                     print("    datum.values = xmalloc(%s * sizeof *datum.values);" % nVar)
-                    free += ['datum.values']
                 else:
                     print("    datum.values = NULL;")
                 print("    for (size_t i = 0; i < %s; i++) {" % nVar)
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("datum.keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "%s[i]" % keyVar, refTable=False))
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("datum.keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "%s[i]" % keyVar, refTable=False))
                 if type.value:
-                    print("        " + type.value.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("datum.values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), "%s[i]" % valueVar, refTable=False))
+                    print("        " + type.value.copyCValue("datum.values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), "%s[i]" % valueVar, refTable=False))
                 print("    }")
                 if type.value:
                     valueType = type.value.toAtomicType()
@@ -1211,8 +1204,8 @@ void
        's': structName,
        'S': structName.upper(),
        'c': columnName})
-            for var in free:
-                print("    free(%s);" % var)
+            print("    ovsdb_datum_destroy(&datum, &%(s)s_col_%(c)s.type);" \
+                  % {'s': structName, 'c': columnName})
             print("}")
 
 # Index table related functions
@@ -1309,8 +1302,8 @@ struct %(s)s *
 
         i = 0;
         SMAP_FOR_EACH (node, %(c)s) {
-            datum->keys[i].string = node->key;
-            datum->values[i].string = node->value;
+            datum->keys[i].s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(node->key);
+            datum->values[i].s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(node->value);
             i++;
         }
         ovsdb_datum_sort_unique(datum, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
@@ -1359,10 +1352,10 @@ struct %(s)s *
                 print()
                 print("    datum.n = 1;")
                 print("    datum.keys = key;")
-                print("    " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), keyVar))
+                print("    " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), keyVar))
                 if type.value:
                     print("    datum.values = value;")
-                    print("    "+ type.value.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("value->%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), valueVar))
+                    print("    " + type.value.copyCValue("value->%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), valueVar))
                 else:
                     print("    datum.values = NULL;")
                 txn_write_func = "ovsdb_idl_index_write"
@@ -1373,7 +1366,7 @@ struct %(s)s *
                 print("        key = xmalloc(sizeof (union ovsdb_atom));")
                 print("        datum.n = 1;")
                 print("        datum.keys = key;")
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), keyVar))
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), keyVar))
                 print("    } else {")
                 print("        datum.n = 0;")
                 print("        datum.keys = NULL;")
@@ -1387,7 +1380,7 @@ struct %(s)s *
                 print("        key = xmalloc(sizeof(union ovsdb_atom));")
                 print("        datum.n = 1;")
                 print("        datum.keys = key;")
-                print("        " + type.key.assign_c_value_casting_away_const("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "*" + keyVar))
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("key->%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "*" + keyVar))
                 print("    } else {")
                 print("        datum.n = 0;")
                 print("        datum.keys = NULL;")
@@ -1404,9 +1397,9 @@ struct %(s)s *
                 else:
                     print("    datum.values = NULL;")
                 print("    for (i = 0; i < %s; i++) {" % nVar)
-                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("datum.keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_string(), "%s[i]" % keyVar))
+                print("        " + type.key.copyCValue("datum.keys[i].%s" % type.key.type.to_lvalue_string(), "%s[i]" % keyVar))
                 if type.value:
-                    print("        " + type.value.copyCValue("datum.values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_string(), "%s[i]" % valueVar))
+                    print("        " + type.value.copyCValue("datum.values[i].%s" % type.value.type.to_lvalue_string(), "%s[i]" % valueVar))
                 print("    }")
                 if type.value:
                     valueType = type.value.toAtomicType()
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb-server.c b/ovsdb/ovsdb-server.c
index 0b3d2bb714..b34d97e291 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb-server.c
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb-server.c
@@ -904,8 +904,8 @@ query_db_string(const struct shash *all_dbs, const char *name,
 
             datum = &row->fields[column->index];
             for (i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {
-                if (datum->keys[i].string[0]) {
-                    return datum->keys[i].string;
+                if (datum->keys[i].s->string[0]) {
+                    return datum->keys[i].s->string;
                 }
             }
         }
@@ -1018,7 +1018,7 @@ query_db_remotes(const char *name, const struct shash *all_dbs,
 
             datum = &row->fields[column->index];
             for (i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {
-                add_remote(remotes, datum->keys[i].string);
+                add_remote(remotes, datum->keys[i].s->string);
             }
         }
     } else if (column->type.key.type == OVSDB_TYPE_UUID
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c b/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c
index 05a0223e71..d4a9e34cc4 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb-tool.c
@@ -919,7 +919,8 @@ print_raft_header(const struct raft_header *h,
         if (!uuid_is_zero(&h->snap.eid)) {
             printf(" prev_eid: %04x\n", uuid_prefix(&h->snap.eid, 4));
         }
-        print_data("prev_", h->snap.data, schemap, names);
+        print_data("prev_", raft_entry_get_parsed_data(&h->snap),
+                            schemap, names);
     }
 }
 
@@ -973,11 +974,13 @@ raft_header_to_standalone_log(const struct raft_header *h,
                               struct ovsdb_log *db_log_data)
 {
     if (h->snap_index) {
-        if (!h->snap.data || json_array(h->snap.data)->n != 2) {
+        const struct json *data = raft_entry_get_parsed_data(&h->snap);
+
+        if (!data || json_array(data)->n != 2) {
             ovs_fatal(0, "Incorrect raft header data array length");
         }
 
-        struct json_array *pa = json_array(h->snap.data);
+        struct json_array *pa = json_array(data);
         struct json *schema_json = pa->elems[0];
         struct ovsdb_error *error = NULL;
 
@@ -1373,7 +1376,7 @@ do_check_cluster(struct ovs_cmdl_context *ctx)
                 }
                 struct raft_entry *e = &s->entries[log_idx];
                 e->term = r->term;
-                e->data = r->entry.data;
+                raft_entry_set_parsed_data_nocopy(e, r->entry.data);
                 e->eid = r->entry.eid;
                 e->servers = r->entry.servers;
                 break;
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb-util.c b/ovsdb/ovsdb-util.c
index c4075cdae3..6d7be066b6 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb-util.c
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb-util.c
@@ -111,13 +111,13 @@ ovsdb_util_read_map_string_column(const struct ovsdb_row *row,
 
     for (i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {
         atom_key = &datum->keys[i];
-        if (!strcmp(atom_key->string, key)) {
+        if (!strcmp(atom_key->s->string, key)) {
             atom_value = &datum->values[i];
             break;
         }
     }
 
-    return atom_value ? atom_value->string : NULL;
+    return atom_value ? atom_value->s->string : NULL;
 }
 
 /* Read string-uuid key-values from a map.  Returns the row associated with
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ ovsdb_util_read_map_string_uuid_column(const struct ovsdb_row *row,
     const struct ovsdb_datum *datum = &row->fields[column->index];
     for (size_t i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {
         union ovsdb_atom *atom_key = &datum->keys[i];
-        if (!strcmp(atom_key->string, key)) {
+        if (!strcmp(atom_key->s->string, key)) {
             const union ovsdb_atom *atom_value = &datum->values[i];
             return ovsdb_table_get_row(ref_table, &atom_value->uuid);
         }
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ ovsdb_util_read_string_column(const struct ovsdb_row *row,
     const union ovsdb_atom *atom;
 
     atom = ovsdb_util_read_column(row, column_name, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
-    *stringp = atom ? atom->string : NULL;
+    *stringp = atom ? atom->s->string : NULL;
     return atom != NULL;
 }
 
@@ -269,8 +269,10 @@ ovsdb_util_write_string_column(struct ovsdb_row *row, const char *column_name,
                                const char *string)
 {
     if (string) {
-        const union ovsdb_atom atom = { .string = CONST_CAST(char *, string) };
+        union ovsdb_atom atom = {
+            .s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(CONST_CAST(char *, string)) };
         ovsdb_util_write_singleton(row, column_name, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
+        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&atom, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
     } else {
         ovsdb_util_clear_column(row, column_name);
     }
@@ -305,8 +307,8 @@ ovsdb_util_write_string_string_column(struct ovsdb_row *row,
     datum->values = xmalloc(n * sizeof *datum->values);
 
     for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
-        datum->keys[i].string = keys[i];
-        datum->values[i].string = values[i];
+        datum->keys[i].s = ovsdb_atom_string_create_nocopy(keys[i]);
+        datum->values[i].s = ovsdb_atom_string_create_nocopy(values[i]);
     }
 
     /* Sort and check constraints. */
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb.c b/ovsdb/ovsdb.c
index 126d16a2f5..e6d866182c 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb.c
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb.c
@@ -422,6 +422,8 @@ ovsdb_create(struct ovsdb_schema *schema, struct ovsdb_storage *storage)
     ovs_list_init(&db->triggers);
     db->run_triggers_now = db->run_triggers = false;
 
+    db->n_atoms = 0;
+
     db->is_relay = false;
     ovs_list_init(&db->txn_forward_new);
     hmap_init(&db->txn_forward_sent);
@@ -518,6 +520,9 @@ ovsdb_get_memory_usage(const struct ovsdb *db, struct simap *usage)
     }
 
     simap_increase(usage, "cells", cells);
+    simap_increase(usage, "atoms", db->n_atoms);
+    simap_increase(usage, "txn-history", db->n_txn_history);
+    simap_increase(usage, "txn-history-atoms", db->n_txn_history_atoms);
 
     if (db->storage) {
         ovsdb_storage_get_memory_usage(db->storage, usage);
diff --git a/ovsdb/ovsdb.h b/ovsdb/ovsdb.h
index 4a7bd0f0ec..ec2d235ec2 100644
--- a/ovsdb/ovsdb.h
+++ b/ovsdb/ovsdb.h
@@ -90,8 +90,11 @@ struct ovsdb {
     /* History trasanctions for incremental monitor transfer. */
     bool need_txn_history;     /* Need to maintain history of transactions. */
     unsigned int n_txn_history; /* Current number of history transactions. */
+    unsigned int n_txn_history_atoms; /* Total number of atoms in history. */
     struct ovs_list txn_history; /* Contains "struct ovsdb_txn_history_node. */
 
+    size_t n_atoms;  /* Total number of ovsdb atoms in the database. */
+
     /* Relay mode. */
     bool is_relay;  /* True, if database is in relay mode. */
     /* List that holds transactions waiting to be forwarded to the server. */
diff --git a/ovsdb/raft-private.c b/ovsdb/raft-private.c
index 26d39a087f..30760233ee 100644
--- a/ovsdb/raft-private.c
+++ b/ovsdb/raft-private.c
@@ -18,11 +18,14 @@
 
 #include "raft-private.h"
 
+#include "coverage.h"
 #include "openvswitch/dynamic-string.h"
 #include "ovsdb-error.h"
 #include "ovsdb-parser.h"
 #include "socket-util.h"
 #include "sset.h"
+
+COVERAGE_DEFINE(raft_entry_serialize);
 
 /* Addresses of Raft servers. */
 
@@ -281,7 +284,8 @@ void
 raft_entry_clone(struct raft_entry *dst, const struct raft_entry *src)
 {
     dst->term = src->term;
-    dst->data = json_nullable_clone(src->data);
+    dst->data.full_json = json_nullable_clone(src->data.full_json);
+    dst->data.serialized = json_nullable_clone(src->data.serialized);
     dst->eid = src->eid;
     dst->servers = json_nullable_clone(src->servers);
     dst->election_timer = src->election_timer;
@@ -291,7 +295,8 @@ void
 raft_entry_uninit(struct raft_entry *e)
 {
     if (e) {
-        json_destroy(e->data);
+        json_destroy(e->data.full_json);
+        json_destroy(e->data.serialized);
         json_destroy(e->servers);
     }
 }
@@ -301,8 +306,9 @@ raft_entry_to_json(const struct raft_entry *e)
 {
     struct json *json = json_object_create();
     raft_put_uint64(json, "term", e->term);
-    if (e->data) {
-        json_object_put(json, "data", json_clone(e->data));
+    if (raft_entry_has_data(e)) {
+        json_object_put(json, "data",
+                        json_clone(raft_entry_get_serialized_data(e)));
         json_object_put_format(json, "eid", UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(&e->eid));
     }
     if (e->servers) {
@@ -323,9 +329,10 @@ raft_entry_from_json(struct json *json, struct raft_entry *e)
     struct ovsdb_parser p;
     ovsdb_parser_init(&p, json, "raft log entry");
     e->term = raft_parse_required_uint64(&p, "term");
-    e->data = json_nullable_clone(
+    raft_entry_set_parsed_data(e,
         ovsdb_parser_member(&p, "data", OP_OBJECT | OP_ARRAY | OP_OPTIONAL));
-    e->eid = e->data ? raft_parse_required_uuid(&p, "eid") : UUID_ZERO;
+    e->eid = raft_entry_has_data(e)
+             ? raft_parse_required_uuid(&p, "eid") : UUID_ZERO;
     e->servers = json_nullable_clone(
         ovsdb_parser_member(&p, "servers", OP_OBJECT | OP_OPTIONAL));
     if (e->servers) {
@@ -344,9 +351,72 @@ bool
 raft_entry_equals(const struct raft_entry *a, const struct raft_entry *b)
 {
     return (a->term == b->term
-            && json_equal(a->data, b->data)
             && uuid_equals(&a->eid, &b->eid)
-            && json_equal(a->servers, b->servers));
+            && json_equal(a->servers, b->servers)
+            && json_equal(raft_entry_get_parsed_data(a),
+                          raft_entry_get_parsed_data(b)));
+}
+
+bool
+raft_entry_has_data(const struct raft_entry *e)
+{
+    return e->data.full_json || e->data.serialized;
+}
+
+static void
+raft_entry_data_serialize(struct raft_entry *e)
+{
+    if (!raft_entry_has_data(e) || e->data.serialized) {
+        return;
+    }
+    COVERAGE_INC(raft_entry_serialize);
+    e->data.serialized = json_serialized_object_create(e->data.full_json);
+}
+
+void
+raft_entry_set_parsed_data_nocopy(struct raft_entry *e, struct json *json)
+{
+    ovs_assert(!json || json->type != JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT);
+    e->data.full_json = json;
+    e->data.serialized = NULL;
+}
+
+void
+raft_entry_set_parsed_data(struct raft_entry *e, const struct json *json)
+{
+    raft_entry_set_parsed_data_nocopy(e, json_nullable_clone(json));
+}
+
+/* Returns a pointer to the fully parsed json object of the data.
+ * Caller takes the ownership of the result.
+ *
+ * Entry will no longer contain a fully parsed json object.
+ * Subsequent calls for the same raft entry will return NULL. */
+struct json * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
+raft_entry_steal_parsed_data(struct raft_entry *e)
+{
+    /* Ensure that serialized version exists. */
+    raft_entry_data_serialize(e);
+
+    struct json *json = e->data.full_json;
+    e->data.full_json = NULL;
+
+    return json;
+}
+
+/* Returns a pointer to the fully parsed json object of the data, if any. */
+const struct json *
+raft_entry_get_parsed_data(const struct raft_entry *e)
+{
+    return e->data.full_json;
+}
+
+/* Returns a pointer to the JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT of the data. */
+const struct json *
+raft_entry_get_serialized_data(const struct raft_entry *e)
+{
+    raft_entry_data_serialize(CONST_CAST(struct raft_entry *, e));
+    return e->data.serialized;
 }
 
 void
@@ -402,8 +472,8 @@ raft_header_from_json__(struct raft_header *h, struct ovsdb_parser *p)
          * present, all of them must be. */
         h->snap_index = raft_parse_optional_uint64(p, "prev_index");
         if (h->snap_index) {
-            h->snap.data = json_nullable_clone(
-                ovsdb_parser_member(p, "prev_data", OP_ANY));
+            raft_entry_set_parsed_data(
+                &h->snap, ovsdb_parser_member(p, "prev_data", OP_ANY));
             h->snap.eid = raft_parse_required_uuid(p, "prev_eid");
             h->snap.term = raft_parse_required_uint64(p, "prev_term");
             h->snap.election_timer = raft_parse_optional_uint64(
@@ -455,8 +525,9 @@ raft_header_to_json(const struct raft_header *h)
     if (h->snap_index) {
         raft_put_uint64(json, "prev_index", h->snap_index);
         raft_put_uint64(json, "prev_term", h->snap.term);
-        if (h->snap.data) {
-            json_object_put(json, "prev_data", json_clone(h->snap.data));
+        if (raft_entry_has_data(&h->snap)) {
+            json_object_put(json, "prev_data",
+                json_clone(raft_entry_get_serialized_data(&h->snap)));
         }
         json_object_put_format(json, "prev_eid",
                                UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(&h->snap.eid));
diff --git a/ovsdb/raft-private.h b/ovsdb/raft-private.h
index a69e37e5c2..48c6df511f 100644
--- a/ovsdb/raft-private.h
+++ b/ovsdb/raft-private.h
@@ -118,7 +118,10 @@ void raft_servers_format(const struct hmap *servers, struct ds *ds);
  * entry.  */
 struct raft_entry {
     uint64_t term;
-    struct json *data;
+    struct {
+        struct json *full_json;   /* Fully parsed JSON object. */
+        struct json *serialized;  /* JSON_SERIALIZED_OBJECT version of data. */
+    } data;
     struct uuid eid;
     struct json *servers;
     uint64_t election_timer;
@@ -130,6 +133,13 @@ struct json *raft_entry_to_json(const struct raft_entry *);
 struct ovsdb_error *raft_entry_from_json(struct json *, struct raft_entry *)
     OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
 bool raft_entry_equals(const struct raft_entry *, const struct raft_entry *);
+bool raft_entry_has_data(const struct raft_entry *);
+void raft_entry_set_parsed_data(struct raft_entry *, const struct json *);
+void raft_entry_set_parsed_data_nocopy(struct raft_entry *, struct json *);
+struct json *raft_entry_steal_parsed_data(struct raft_entry *)
+    OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
+const struct json *raft_entry_get_parsed_data(const struct raft_entry *);
+const struct json *raft_entry_get_serialized_data(const struct raft_entry *);
 
 /* On disk data serialization and deserialization. */
 
diff --git a/ovsdb/raft.c b/ovsdb/raft.c
index 2fb5156519..ce40c5bc07 100644
--- a/ovsdb/raft.c
+++ b/ovsdb/raft.c
@@ -494,11 +494,11 @@ raft_create_cluster(const char *file_name, const char *name,
         .snap_index = index++,
         .snap = {
             .term = term,
-            .data = json_nullable_clone(data),
             .eid = uuid_random(),
             .servers = json_object_create(),
         },
     };
+    raft_entry_set_parsed_data(&h.snap, data);
     shash_add_nocopy(json_object(h.snap.servers),
                      xasprintf(UUID_FMT, UUID_ARGS(&h.sid)),
                      json_string_create(local_address));
@@ -727,10 +727,10 @@ raft_add_entry(struct raft *raft,
     uint64_t index = raft->log_end++;
     struct raft_entry *entry = &raft->entries[index - raft->log_start];
     entry->term = term;
-    entry->data = data;
     entry->eid = eid ? *eid : UUID_ZERO;
     entry->servers = servers;
     entry->election_timer = election_timer;
+    raft_entry_set_parsed_data_nocopy(entry, data);
     return index;
 }
 
@@ -741,13 +741,16 @@ raft_write_entry(struct raft *raft, uint64_t term, struct json *data,
                  const struct uuid *eid, struct json *servers,
                  uint64_t election_timer)
 {
+    uint64_t index = raft_add_entry(raft, term, data, eid, servers,
+                                    election_timer);
+    const struct json *entry_data = raft_entry_get_serialized_data(
+                                      &raft->entries[index - raft->log_start]);
     struct raft_record r = {
         .type = RAFT_REC_ENTRY,
         .term = term,
         .entry = {
-            .index = raft_add_entry(raft, term, data, eid, servers,
-                                    election_timer),
-            .data = data,
+            .index = index,
+            .data = CONST_CAST(struct json *, entry_data),
             .servers = servers,
             .election_timer = election_timer,
             .eid = eid ? *eid : UUID_ZERO,
@@ -2161,7 +2164,7 @@ raft_get_eid(const struct raft *raft, uint64_t index)
 {
     for (; index >= raft->log_start; index--) {
         const struct raft_entry *e = raft_get_entry(raft, index);
-        if (e->data) {
+        if (raft_entry_has_data(e)) {
             return &e->eid;
         }
     }
@@ -2826,8 +2829,8 @@ raft_truncate(struct raft *raft, uint64_t new_end)
     return servers_changed;
 }
 
-static const struct json *
-raft_peek_next_entry(struct raft *raft, struct uuid *eid)
+static const struct raft_entry *
+raft_peek_next_entry(struct raft *raft)
 {
     /* Invariant: log_start - 2 <= last_applied <= commit_index < log_end. */
     ovs_assert(raft->log_start <= raft->last_applied + 2);
@@ -2839,32 +2842,20 @@ raft_peek_next_entry(struct raft *raft, struct uuid *eid)
     }
 
     if (raft->log_start == raft->last_applied + 2) {
-        *eid = raft->snap.eid;
-        return raft->snap.data;
+        return &raft->snap;
     }
 
     while (raft->last_applied < raft->commit_index) {
         const struct raft_entry *e = raft_get_entry(raft,
                                                     raft->last_applied + 1);
-        if (e->data) {
-            *eid = e->eid;
-            return e->data;
+        if (raft_entry_has_data(e)) {
+            return e;
         }
         raft->last_applied++;
     }
     return NULL;
 }
 
-static const struct json *
-raft_get_next_entry(struct raft *raft, struct uuid *eid)
-{
-    const struct json *data = raft_peek_next_entry(raft, eid);
-    if (data) {
-        raft->last_applied++;
-    }
-    return data;
-}
-
 /* Updates commit index in raft log. If commit index is already up-to-date
  * it does nothing and return false, otherwise, returns true. */
 static bool
@@ -2878,7 +2869,7 @@ raft_update_commit_index(struct raft *raft, uint64_t new_commit_index)
         while (raft->commit_index < new_commit_index) {
             uint64_t index = ++raft->commit_index;
             const struct raft_entry *e = raft_get_entry(raft, index);
-            if (e->data) {
+            if (raft_entry_has_data(e)) {
                 struct raft_command *cmd
                     = raft_find_command_by_eid(raft, &e->eid);
                 if (cmd) {
@@ -3059,7 +3050,9 @@ raft_handle_append_entries(struct raft *raft,
     for (; i < n_entries; i++) {
         const struct raft_entry *e = &entries[i];
         error = raft_write_entry(raft, e->term,
-                                 json_nullable_clone(e->data), &e->eid,
+                                 json_nullable_clone(
+                                    raft_entry_get_parsed_data(e)),
+                                 &e->eid,
                                  json_nullable_clone(e->servers),
                                  e->election_timer);
         if (error) {
@@ -3314,20 +3307,29 @@ bool
 raft_has_next_entry(const struct raft *raft_)
 {
     struct raft *raft = CONST_CAST(struct raft *, raft_);
-    struct uuid eid;
-    return raft_peek_next_entry(raft, &eid) != NULL;
+    return raft_peek_next_entry(raft) != NULL;
 }
 
 /* Returns the next log entry or snapshot from 'raft', or NULL if there are
- * none left to read.  Stores the entry ID of the log entry in '*eid'.  Stores
- * true in '*is_snapshot' if the returned data is a snapshot, false if it is a
- * log entry. */
-const struct json *
-raft_next_entry(struct raft *raft, struct uuid *eid, bool *is_snapshot)
+ * none left to read.  Stores the entry ID of the log entry in '*eid'.
+ *
+ * The caller takes ownership of the result. */
+struct json * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
+raft_next_entry(struct raft *raft, struct uuid *eid)
 {
-    const struct json *data = raft_get_next_entry(raft, eid);
-    *is_snapshot = data == raft->snap.data;
-    return data;
+    const struct raft_entry *e = raft_peek_next_entry(raft);
+
+    if (!e) {
+        return NULL;
+    }
+
+    raft->last_applied++;
+    *eid = e->eid;
+
+    /* DB will only read each entry once, so we don't need to store the fully
+     * parsed json object any longer.  The serialized version is sufficient
+     * for sending to other cluster members or writing to the log. */
+    return raft_entry_steal_parsed_data(CONST_CAST(struct raft_entry *, e));
 }
 
 /* Returns the log index of the last-read snapshot or log entry. */
@@ -3420,6 +3422,7 @@ raft_send_install_snapshot_request(struct raft *raft,
                                    const struct raft_server *s,
                                    const char *comment)
 {
+    const struct json *data = raft_entry_get_serialized_data(&raft->snap);
     union raft_rpc rpc = {
         .install_snapshot_request = {
             .common = {
@@ -3432,7 +3435,7 @@ raft_send_install_snapshot_request(struct raft *raft,
             .last_term = raft->snap.term,
             .last_servers = raft->snap.servers,
             .last_eid = raft->snap.eid,
-            .data = raft->snap.data,
+            .data = CONST_CAST(struct json *, data),
             .election_timer = raft->election_timer, /* use latest value */
         }
     };
@@ -3980,6 +3983,10 @@ raft_write_snapshot(struct raft *raft, struct ovsdb_log *log,
                     uint64_t new_log_start,
                     const struct raft_entry *new_snapshot)
 {
+    /* Ensure that new snapshot contains serialized data object, so it will
+     * not be allocated while serializing the on-stack raft header object. */
+    ovs_assert(raft_entry_get_serialized_data(new_snapshot));
+
     struct raft_header h = {
         .sid = raft->sid,
         .cid = raft->cid,
@@ -3998,12 +4005,13 @@ raft_write_snapshot(struct raft *raft, struct ovsdb_log *log,
     /* Write log records. */
     for (uint64_t index = new_log_start; index < raft->log_end; index++) {
         const struct raft_entry *e = &raft->entries[index - raft->log_start];
+        const struct json *log_data = raft_entry_get_serialized_data(e);
         struct raft_record r = {
             .type = RAFT_REC_ENTRY,
             .term = e->term,
             .entry = {
                 .index = index,
-                .data = e->data,
+                .data = CONST_CAST(struct json *, log_data),
                 .servers = e->servers,
                 .election_timer = e->election_timer,
                 .eid = e->eid,
@@ -4093,19 +4101,21 @@ raft_handle_install_snapshot_request__(
 
     /* Case 3: The new snapshot starts past the end of our current log, so
      * discard all of our current log. */
-    const struct raft_entry new_snapshot = {
+    struct raft_entry new_snapshot = {
         .term = rq->last_term,
-        .data = rq->data,
         .eid = rq->last_eid,
-        .servers = rq->last_servers,
+        .servers = json_clone(rq->last_servers),
         .election_timer = rq->election_timer,
     };
+    raft_entry_set_parsed_data(&new_snapshot, rq->data);
+
     struct ovsdb_error *error = raft_save_snapshot(raft, new_log_start,
                                                    &new_snapshot);
     if (error) {
         char *error_s = ovsdb_error_to_string_free(error);
         VLOG_WARN("could not save snapshot: %s", error_s);
         free(error_s);
+        raft_entry_uninit(&new_snapshot);
         return false;
     }
 
@@ -4120,7 +4130,7 @@ raft_handle_install_snapshot_request__(
     }
 
     raft_entry_uninit(&raft->snap);
-    raft_entry_clone(&raft->snap, &new_snapshot);
+    raft->snap = new_snapshot;
 
     raft_get_servers_from_log(raft, VLL_INFO);
     raft_get_election_timer_from_log(raft);
@@ -4265,11 +4275,12 @@ raft_store_snapshot(struct raft *raft, const struct json *new_snapshot_data)
     uint64_t new_log_start = raft->last_applied + 1;
     struct raft_entry new_snapshot = {
         .term = raft_get_term(raft, new_log_start - 1),
-        .data = json_clone(new_snapshot_data),
         .eid = *raft_get_eid(raft, new_log_start - 1),
         .servers = json_clone(raft_servers_for_index(raft, new_log_start - 1)),
         .election_timer = raft->election_timer,
     };
+    raft_entry_set_parsed_data(&new_snapshot, new_snapshot_data);
+
     struct ovsdb_error *error = raft_save_snapshot(raft, new_log_start,
                                                    &new_snapshot);
     if (error) {
@@ -4286,6 +4297,9 @@ raft_store_snapshot(struct raft *raft, const struct json *new_snapshot_data)
     memmove(&raft->entries[0], &raft->entries[new_log_start - raft->log_start],
             (raft->log_end - new_log_start) * sizeof *raft->entries);
     raft->log_start = new_log_start;
+    /* It's a snapshot of the current database state, ovsdb-server will not
+     * read it back.  Destroying the parsed json object to not waste memory. */
+    json_destroy(raft_entry_steal_parsed_data(&raft->snap));
     return NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/ovsdb/raft.h b/ovsdb/raft.h
index 3545c41c2c..599bc0ae86 100644
--- a/ovsdb/raft.h
+++ b/ovsdb/raft.h
@@ -132,8 +132,8 @@ bool raft_left(const struct raft *);
 bool raft_failed(const struct raft *);
 
 /* Reading snapshots and log entries. */
-const struct json *raft_next_entry(struct raft *, struct uuid *eid,
-                                   bool *is_snapshot);
+struct json *raft_next_entry(struct raft *, struct uuid *eid)
+    OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT;
 bool raft_has_next_entry(const struct raft *);
 
 uint64_t raft_get_applied_index(const struct raft *);
diff --git a/ovsdb/rbac.c b/ovsdb/rbac.c
index 2986027c90..ff411675f0 100644
--- a/ovsdb/rbac.c
+++ b/ovsdb/rbac.c
@@ -53,8 +53,8 @@ ovsdb_find_row_by_string_key(const struct ovsdb_table *table,
         HMAP_FOR_EACH (row, hmap_node, &table->rows) {
             const struct ovsdb_datum *datum = &row->fields[column->index];
             for (size_t i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {
-                if (datum->keys[i].string[0] &&
-                    !strcmp(key, datum->keys[i].string)) {
+                if (datum->keys[i].s->string[0] &&
+                    !strcmp(key, datum->keys[i].s->string)) {
                     return row;
                 }
             }
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ ovsdb_rbac_authorized(const struct ovsdb_row *perms,
     }
 
     for (i = 0; i < datum->n; i++) {
-        const char *name = datum->keys[i].string;
+        const char *name = datum->keys[i].s->string;
         const char *value = NULL;
         bool is_map;
 
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ rbac_column_modification_permitted(const struct ovsdb_column *column,
     size_t i;
 
     for (i = 0; i < modifiable->n; i++) {
-        char *name = modifiable->keys[i].string;
+        char *name = modifiable->keys[i].s->string;
 
         if (!strcmp(name, column->name)) {
             return true;
diff --git a/ovsdb/row.c b/ovsdb/row.c
index 65a0546211..e83c60a218 100644
--- a/ovsdb/row.c
+++ b/ovsdb/row.c
@@ -38,8 +38,7 @@ allocate_row(const struct ovsdb_table *table)
     struct ovsdb_row *row = xmalloc(row_size);
     row->table = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_table *, table);
     row->txn_row = NULL;
-    ovs_list_init(&row->src_refs);
-    ovs_list_init(&row->dst_refs);
+    hmap_init(&row->dst_refs);
     row->n_refs = 0;
     return row;
 }
@@ -61,6 +60,78 @@ ovsdb_row_create(const struct ovsdb_table *table)
     return row;
 }
 
+static struct ovsdb_weak_ref *
+ovsdb_weak_ref_clone(struct ovsdb_weak_ref *src)
+{
+    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak = xzalloc(sizeof *weak);
+
+    hmap_node_nullify(&weak->dst_node);
+    ovs_list_init(&weak->src_node);
+    weak->src_table = src->src_table;
+    weak->src = src->src;
+    weak->dst_table = src->dst_table;
+    weak->dst = src->dst;
+    ovsdb_atom_clone(&weak->key, &src->key, src->type.key.type);
+    if (src->type.value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+        ovsdb_atom_clone(&weak->value, &src->value, src->type.value.type);
+    }
+    ovsdb_type_clone(&weak->type, &src->type);
+    weak->column_idx = src->column_idx;
+    weak->by_key = src->by_key;
+    return weak;
+}
+
+uint32_t
+ovsdb_weak_ref_hash(const struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak)
+{
+    return uuid_hash(&weak->src);
+}
+
+static bool
+ovsdb_weak_ref_equals(const struct ovsdb_weak_ref *a,
+                      const struct ovsdb_weak_ref *b)
+{
+    if (a == b) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    return a->src_table == b->src_table
+           && a->dst_table == b->dst_table
+           && uuid_equals(&a->src, &b->src)
+           && uuid_equals(&a->dst, &b->dst)
+           && a->column_idx == b->column_idx
+           && a->by_key == b->by_key
+           && ovsdb_atom_equals(&a->key, &b->key, a->type.key.type);
+}
+
+struct ovsdb_weak_ref *
+ovsdb_row_find_weak_ref(const struct ovsdb_row *row,
+                        const struct ovsdb_weak_ref *ref)
+{
+    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak;
+    HMAP_FOR_EACH_WITH_HASH (weak, dst_node,
+                             ovsdb_weak_ref_hash(ref), &row->dst_refs) {
+        if (ovsdb_weak_ref_equals(weak, ref)) {
+            return weak;
+        }
+    }
+    return NULL;
+}
+
+void
+ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak)
+{
+    if (!weak) {
+        return;
+    }
+    ovs_assert(ovs_list_is_empty(&weak->src_node));
+    ovsdb_atom_destroy(&weak->key, weak->type.key.type);
+    if (weak->type.value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+        ovsdb_atom_destroy(&weak->value, weak->type.value.type);
+    }
+    ovsdb_type_destroy(&weak->type);
+    free(weak);
+}
+
 struct ovsdb_row *
 ovsdb_row_clone(const struct ovsdb_row *old)
 {
@@ -75,6 +146,13 @@ ovsdb_row_clone(const struct ovsdb_row *old)
                           &old->fields[column->index],
                           &column->type);
     }
+
+    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *clone;
+    HMAP_FOR_EACH (weak, dst_node, &old->dst_refs) {
+        clone = ovsdb_weak_ref_clone(weak);
+        hmap_insert(&new->dst_refs, &clone->dst_node,
+                    ovsdb_weak_ref_hash(clone));
+    }
     return new;
 }
 
@@ -85,20 +163,13 @@ ovsdb_row_destroy(struct ovsdb_row *row)
 {
     if (row) {
         const struct ovsdb_table *table = row->table;
-        struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *next;
+        struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak;
         const struct shash_node *node;
 
-        LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, dst_node, &row->dst_refs) {
-            ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
-            ovs_list_remove(&weak->dst_node);
-            free(weak);
-        }
-
-        LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &row->src_refs) {
-            ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
-            ovs_list_remove(&weak->dst_node);
-            free(weak);
+        HMAP_FOR_EACH_POP (weak, dst_node, &row->dst_refs) {
+            ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(weak);
         }
+        hmap_destroy(&row->dst_refs);
 
         SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &table->schema->columns) {
             const struct ovsdb_column *column = node->data;
diff --git a/ovsdb/row.h b/ovsdb/row.h
index 394ac8eb49..fe04555d0c 100644
--- a/ovsdb/row.h
+++ b/ovsdb/row.h
@@ -36,11 +36,28 @@ struct ovsdb_column_set;
  * ovsdb_weak_ref" structures are created for them.
  */
 struct ovsdb_weak_ref {
-    struct ovs_list src_node;      /* In src->src_refs list. */
-    struct ovs_list dst_node;      /* In destination row's dst_refs list. */
-    struct ovsdb_row *src;         /* Source row. */
-    struct ovsdb_table *dst_table; /* Destination table. */
+    struct hmap_node dst_node;     /* In ovsdb_row's 'dst_refs' hmap. */
+    struct ovs_list src_node;      /* In txn_row's 'deleted/added_refs'. */
+
+    struct ovsdb_table *src_table; /* Source row table. */
+    struct uuid src;               /* Source row uuid. */
+
+    struct ovsdb_table *dst_table; /* Destination row table. */
     struct uuid dst;               /* Destination row uuid. */
+
+    /* Source row's key-value pair that created this reference.
+     * This information is needed in order to find and delete the reference
+     * from the source row.  We need both key and value in order to avoid
+     * accidential deletion of an updated data, i.e. if value in datum got
+     * updated and the reference was created by the old value.
+     * Storing column index in order to remove references from the correct
+     * column.   'by_key' flag allows to distinguish 2 references in a corner
+     * case where key and value are the same. */
+    union ovsdb_atom key;
+    union ovsdb_atom value;
+    struct ovsdb_type type;        /* Datum type of the key-value pair. */
+    unsigned int column_idx;       /* Row column index for this pair. */
+    bool by_key;                   /* 'true' if reference is a 'key'. */
 };
 
 /* A row in a database table. */
@@ -50,8 +67,7 @@ struct ovsdb_row {
     struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row; /* Transaction that row is in, if any. */
 
     /* Weak references.  Updated and checked only at transaction commit. */
-    struct ovs_list src_refs;   /* Weak references from this row. */
-    struct ovs_list dst_refs;   /* Weak references to this row. */
+    struct hmap dst_refs;          /* Weak references to this row. */
 
     /* Number of strong refs to this row from other rows, in this table or
      * other tables, through 'uuid' columns that have a 'refTable' constraint
@@ -69,6 +85,12 @@ struct ovsdb_row {
      * index 'i' is contained in hmap table->indexes[i].  */
 };
 
+uint32_t ovsdb_weak_ref_hash(const struct ovsdb_weak_ref *);
+struct ovsdb_weak_ref * ovsdb_row_find_weak_ref(const struct ovsdb_row *,
+                                                const struct ovsdb_weak_ref *);
+void ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(struct ovsdb_weak_ref *);
+
+
 struct ovsdb_row *ovsdb_row_create(const struct ovsdb_table *);
 struct ovsdb_row *ovsdb_row_clone(const struct ovsdb_row *);
 void ovsdb_row_destroy(struct ovsdb_row *);
diff --git a/ovsdb/storage.c b/ovsdb/storage.c
index d727b1eacd..9e32efe582 100644
--- a/ovsdb/storage.c
+++ b/ovsdb/storage.c
@@ -268,9 +268,7 @@ ovsdb_storage_read(struct ovsdb_storage *storage,
     struct json *schema_json = NULL;
     struct json *txn_json = NULL;
     if (storage->raft) {
-        bool is_snapshot;
-        json = json_nullable_clone(
-            raft_next_entry(storage->raft, txnid, &is_snapshot));
+        json = raft_next_entry(storage->raft, txnid);
         if (!json) {
             return NULL;
         } else if (json->type != JSON_ARRAY || json->array.n != 2) {
diff --git a/ovsdb/transaction.c b/ovsdb/transaction.c
index 8ffefcf7c9..88e0528002 100644
--- a/ovsdb/transaction.c
+++ b/ovsdb/transaction.c
@@ -41,6 +41,9 @@ struct ovsdb_txn {
     struct ovs_list txn_tables; /* Contains "struct ovsdb_txn_table"s. */
     struct ds comment;
     struct uuid txnid; /* For clustered mode only. It is the eid. */
+    size_t n_atoms;    /* Number of atoms in all transaction rows. */
+    ssize_t n_atoms_diff;  /* Difference between number of added and
+                            * removed atoms. */
 };
 
 /* A table modified by a transaction. */
@@ -86,6 +89,10 @@ struct ovsdb_txn_row {
     struct uuid uuid;
     struct ovsdb_table *table;
 
+    /* Weak refs that needs to be added/deleted to/from destination rows. */
+    struct ovs_list added_refs;
+    struct ovs_list deleted_refs;
+
     /* Used by for_each_txn_row(). */
     unsigned int serial;        /* Serial number of in-progress commit. */
 
@@ -151,6 +158,23 @@ ovsdb_txn_row_abort(struct ovsdb_txn *txn OVS_UNUSED,
     } else {
         hmap_replace(&new->table->rows, &new->hmap_node, &old->hmap_node);
     }
+
+    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *next;
+    LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &txn_row->deleted_refs) {
+        ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
+        ovs_list_init(&weak->src_node);
+        if (hmap_node_is_null(&weak->dst_node)) {
+            ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(weak);
+        }
+    }
+    LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &txn_row->added_refs) {
+        ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
+        ovs_list_init(&weak->src_node);
+        if (hmap_node_is_null(&weak->dst_node)) {
+            ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(weak);
+        }
+    }
+
     ovsdb_row_destroy(new);
     free(txn_row);
 
@@ -266,9 +290,9 @@ ovsdb_txn_adjust_atom_refs(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, const struct ovsdb_row *r,
 
 static struct ovsdb_error * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
 ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, const struct ovsdb_row *r,
-                          const struct ovsdb_column *column, int delta)
+                          const struct ovsdb_column *column,
+                          const struct ovsdb_datum *field, int delta)
 {
-    const struct ovsdb_datum *field = &r->fields[column->index];
     struct ovsdb_error *error;
 
     error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_atom_refs(txn, r, column, &column->type.key,
@@ -291,14 +315,39 @@ update_row_ref_count(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, struct ovsdb_txn_row *r)
         struct ovsdb_error *error;
 
         if (bitmap_is_set(r->changed, column->index)) {
-            if (r->old) {
-                error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(txn, r->old, column, -1);
+            if (r->old && !r->new) {
+                error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(
+                            txn, r->old, column,
+                            &r->old->fields[column->index], -1);
                 if (error) {
                     return OVSDB_WRAP_BUG("error decreasing refcount", error);
                 }
-            }
-            if (r->new) {
-                error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(txn, r->new, column, 1);
+            } else if (!r->old && r->new) {
+                error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(
+                            txn, r->new, column,
+                            &r->new->fields[column->index], 1);
+                if (error) {
+                    return error;
+                }
+            } else if (r->old && r->new) {
+                struct ovsdb_datum added, removed;
+
+                ovsdb_datum_added_removed(&added, &removed,
+                                          &r->old->fields[column->index],
+                                          &r->new->fields[column->index],
+                                          &column->type);
+
+                error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(
+                            txn, r->old, column, &removed, -1);
+                ovsdb_datum_destroy(&removed, &column->type);
+                if (error) {
+                    ovsdb_datum_destroy(&added, &column->type);
+                    return OVSDB_WRAP_BUG("error decreasing refcount", error);
+                }
+
+                error = ovsdb_txn_adjust_row_refs(
+                            txn, r->new, column, &added, 1);
+                ovsdb_datum_destroy(&added, &column->type);
                 if (error) {
                     return error;
                 }
@@ -459,93 +508,125 @@ static struct ovsdb_error *
 ovsdb_txn_update_weak_refs(struct ovsdb_txn *txn OVS_UNUSED,
                            struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row)
 {
-    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *next;
+    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *next, *dst_weak;
+    struct ovsdb_row *dst_row;
 
-    /* Remove the weak references originating in the old version of the row. */
-    if (txn_row->old) {
-        LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &txn_row->old->src_refs) {
-            ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
-            ovs_list_remove(&weak->dst_node);
-            free(weak);
+    /* Find and clean up deleted references from destination rows. */
+    LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &txn_row->deleted_refs) {
+        dst_row = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_row *,
+                    ovsdb_table_get_row(weak->dst_table, &weak->dst));
+        if (dst_row) {
+            dst_weak = ovsdb_row_find_weak_ref(dst_row, weak);
+            hmap_remove(&dst_row->dst_refs, &dst_weak->dst_node);
+            ovs_assert(ovs_list_is_empty(&dst_weak->src_node));
+            ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(dst_weak);
+        }
+        ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
+        ovs_list_init(&weak->src_node);
+        if (hmap_node_is_null(&weak->dst_node)) {
+            ovsdb_weak_ref_destroy(weak);
         }
     }
 
-    /* Although the originating rows have the responsibility of updating the
-     * weak references in the dst, it is possible that some source rows aren't
-     * part of the transaction.  In that situation this row needs to move the
-     * list of incoming weak references from the old row into the new one.
-     */
-    if (txn_row->old && txn_row->new) {
-        /* Move the incoming weak references from old to new. */
-        ovs_list_push_back_all(&txn_row->new->dst_refs,
-                               &txn_row->old->dst_refs);
-    }
-
-    /* Insert the weak references originating in the new version of the row. */
-    struct ovsdb_row *dst_row;
-    if (txn_row->new) {
-        LIST_FOR_EACH (weak, src_node, &txn_row->new->src_refs) {
-            /* dst_row MUST exist. */
-            dst_row = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_row *,
+    /* Insert the weak references added in the new version of the row. */
+    LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &txn_row->added_refs) {
+        dst_row = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_row *,
                     ovsdb_table_get_row(weak->dst_table, &weak->dst));
-            ovs_list_insert(&dst_row->dst_refs, &weak->dst_node);
-        }
+
+        ovs_assert(!ovsdb_row_find_weak_ref(dst_row, weak));
+        hmap_insert(&dst_row->dst_refs, &weak->dst_node,
+                    ovsdb_weak_ref_hash(weak));
+        ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
+        ovs_list_init(&weak->src_node);
     }
 
     return NULL;
 }
 
 static void
-add_weak_ref(const struct ovsdb_row *src_, const struct ovsdb_row *dst_)
+add_weak_ref(struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row, const struct ovsdb_row *dst_,
+             struct ovs_list *ref_list,
+             const union ovsdb_atom *key, const union ovsdb_atom *value,
+             bool by_key, const struct ovsdb_column *column)
 {
-    struct ovsdb_row *src = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_row *, src_);
     struct ovsdb_row *dst = CONST_CAST(struct ovsdb_row *, dst_);
     struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak;
 
-    if (src == dst) {
+    if (txn_row->new == dst) {
         return;
     }
 
-    if (!ovs_list_is_empty(&dst->dst_refs)) {
-        /* Omit duplicates. */
-        weak = CONTAINER_OF(ovs_list_back(&dst->dst_refs),
-                            struct ovsdb_weak_ref, dst_node);
-        if (weak->src == src) {
-            return;
-        }
-    }
-
-    weak = xmalloc(sizeof *weak);
-    weak->src = src;
+    weak = xzalloc(sizeof *weak);
+    weak->src_table = txn_row->new->table;
+    weak->src = *ovsdb_row_get_uuid(txn_row->new);
     weak->dst_table = dst->table;
     weak->dst = *ovsdb_row_get_uuid(dst);
-    /* The dst_refs list is updated at commit time. */
-    ovs_list_init(&weak->dst_node);
-    ovs_list_push_back(&src->src_refs, &weak->src_node);
+    ovsdb_type_clone(&weak->type, &column->type);
+    ovsdb_atom_clone(&weak->key, key, column->type.key.type);
+    if (column->type.value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+        ovsdb_atom_clone(&weak->value, value, column->type.value.type);
+    }
+    weak->by_key = by_key;
+    weak->column_idx = column->index;
+    hmap_node_nullify(&weak->dst_node);
+    ovs_list_push_back(ref_list, &weak->src_node);
+}
+
+static void
+find_and_add_weak_ref(struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row,
+                      const union ovsdb_atom *key,
+                      const union ovsdb_atom *value,
+                      const struct ovsdb_column *column,
+                      bool by_key, struct ovs_list *ref_list,
+                      struct ovsdb_datum *not_found, bool *zero)
+{
+    const struct ovsdb_row *row = by_key
+        ? ovsdb_table_get_row(column->type.key.uuid.refTable, &key->uuid)
+        : ovsdb_table_get_row(column->type.value.uuid.refTable, &value->uuid);
+
+    if (row) {
+        add_weak_ref(txn_row, row, ref_list, key, value, by_key, column);
+    } else if (not_found) {
+        if (uuid_is_zero(by_key ? &key->uuid : &value->uuid)) {
+            *zero = true;
+        }
+        ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(not_found, key, value, &column->type, NULL);
+    }
 }
 
 static struct ovsdb_error * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
 assess_weak_refs(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row)
 {
+    struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *next;
     struct ovsdb_table *table;
     struct shash_node *node;
 
     if (txn_row->old && !txn_row->new) {
         /* Mark rows that have weak references to 'txn_row' as modified, so
-         * that their weak references will get reassessed. */
-        struct ovsdb_weak_ref *weak, *next;
-
-        LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, dst_node, &txn_row->old->dst_refs) {
-            if (!weak->src->txn_row) {
-                ovsdb_txn_row_modify(txn, weak->src);
+         * that their weak references will get reassessed.  Adding all weak
+         * refs to 'deleted_ref' lists of their source rows, so they will be
+         * cleaned up from datums and deleted on commit. */
+
+        HMAP_FOR_EACH (weak, dst_node, &txn_row->old->dst_refs) {
+            struct ovsdb_txn_row *src_txn_row;
+
+            src_txn_row = find_or_make_txn_row(txn, weak->src_table,
+                                               &weak->src);
+            if (!src_txn_row) {
+                /* Source row is also removed. */
+                continue;
             }
+            ovs_assert(src_txn_row);
+            ovs_assert(ovs_list_is_empty(&weak->src_node));
+            ovs_list_insert(&src_txn_row->deleted_refs, &weak->src_node);
         }
     }
 
     if (!txn_row->new) {
-        /* We don't have to do anything about references that originate at
-         * 'txn_row', because ovsdb_row_destroy() will remove those weak
-         * references. */
+        /* Since all the atoms will be destroyed by the ovsdb_row_destroy(),
+         * there is no need to check them here.  Source references queued
+         * into 'deleted_ref' while removing other rows will be cleaned up at
+         * commit time. */
         return NULL;
     }
 
@@ -553,50 +634,94 @@ assess_weak_refs(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row)
     SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &table->schema->columns) {
         const struct ovsdb_column *column = node->data;
         struct ovsdb_datum *datum = &txn_row->new->fields[column->index];
+        struct ovsdb_datum added, removed, deleted_refs;
         unsigned int orig_n, i;
         bool zero = false;
 
         orig_n = datum->n;
 
+        /* Collecting all key-value pairs that references deleted rows. */
+        ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&deleted_refs);
+        LIST_FOR_EACH_SAFE (weak, next, src_node, &txn_row->deleted_refs) {
+            if (column->index == weak->column_idx) {
+                ovsdb_datum_add_unsafe(&deleted_refs, &weak->key, &weak->value,
+                                       &column->type, NULL);
+                ovs_list_remove(&weak->src_node);
+                ovs_list_init(&weak->src_node);
+            }
+        }
+        ovsdb_datum_sort_unique(&deleted_refs, column->type.key.type,
+                                               column->type.value.type);
+
+        /* Removing elements that references deleted rows. */
+        ovsdb_datum_subtract(datum, &column->type,
+                             &deleted_refs, &column->type);
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&deleted_refs, &column->type);
+
+        /* Generating the difference between old and new data. */
+        if (txn_row->old) {
+            ovsdb_datum_added_removed(&added, &removed,
+                                      &txn_row->old->fields[column->index],
+                                      datum, &column->type);
+        } else {
+            ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&removed);
+            ovsdb_datum_clone(&added, datum, &column->type);
+        }
+
+        /* Checking added data and creating new references. */
+        ovsdb_datum_init_empty(&deleted_refs);
         if (ovsdb_base_type_is_weak_ref(&column->type.key)) {
-            for (i = 0; i < datum->n; ) {
-                const struct ovsdb_row *row;
-
-                row = ovsdb_table_get_row(column->type.key.uuid.refTable,
-                                          &datum->keys[i].uuid);
-                if (row) {
-                    add_weak_ref(txn_row->new, row);
-                    i++;
-                } else {
-                    if (uuid_is_zero(&datum->keys[i].uuid)) {
-                        zero = true;
-                    }
-                    ovsdb_datum_remove_unsafe(datum, i, &column->type);
-                }
+            for (i = 0; i < added.n; i++) {
+                find_and_add_weak_ref(txn_row, &added.keys[i],
+                                      added.values ? &added.values[i] : NULL,
+                                      column, true, &txn_row->added_refs,
+                                      &deleted_refs, &zero);
             }
         }
 
         if (ovsdb_base_type_is_weak_ref(&column->type.value)) {
-            for (i = 0; i < datum->n; ) {
-                const struct ovsdb_row *row;
-
-                row = ovsdb_table_get_row(column->type.value.uuid.refTable,
-                                          &datum->values[i].uuid);
-                if (row) {
-                    add_weak_ref(txn_row->new, row);
-                    i++;
-                } else {
-                    if (uuid_is_zero(&datum->values[i].uuid)) {
-                        zero = true;
-                    }
-                    ovsdb_datum_remove_unsafe(datum, i, &column->type);
-                }
+            for (i = 0; i < added.n; i++) {
+                find_and_add_weak_ref(txn_row, &added.keys[i],
+                                      &added.values[i],
+                                      column, false, &txn_row->added_refs,
+                                      &deleted_refs, &zero);
+            }
+        }
+        if (deleted_refs.n) {
+            /* Removing all the references that doesn't point to valid rows. */
+            ovsdb_datum_sort_unique(&deleted_refs, column->type.key.type,
+                                                   column->type.value.type);
+            ovsdb_datum_subtract(datum, &column->type,
+                                 &deleted_refs, &column->type);
+            ovsdb_datum_destroy(&deleted_refs, &column->type);
+        }
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&added, &column->type);
+
+        /* Creating refs that needs to be removed on commit.  This includes
+         * both: the references that got directly removed from the datum and
+         * references removed due to deletion of a referenced row. */
+        if (ovsdb_base_type_is_weak_ref(&column->type.key)) {
+            for (i = 0; i < removed.n; i++) {
+                find_and_add_weak_ref(txn_row, &removed.keys[i],
+                                      removed.values
+                                      ? &removed.values[i] : NULL,
+                                      column, true, &txn_row->deleted_refs,
+                                      NULL, NULL);
             }
         }
 
+        if (ovsdb_base_type_is_weak_ref(&column->type.value)) {
+            for (i = 0; i < removed.n; i++) {
+                find_and_add_weak_ref(txn_row, &removed.keys[i],
+                                      &removed.values[i],
+                                      column, false, &txn_row->deleted_refs,
+                                      NULL, NULL);
+            }
+        }
+        ovsdb_datum_destroy(&removed, &column->type);
+
         if (datum->n != orig_n) {
             bitmap_set1(txn_row->changed, column->index);
-            ovsdb_datum_sort_assert(datum, column->type.key.type);
             if (datum->n < column->type.n_min) {
                 const struct uuid *row_uuid = ovsdb_row_get_uuid(txn_row->new);
                 if (zero && !txn_row->old) {
@@ -817,6 +942,37 @@ check_index_uniqueness(struct ovsdb_txn *txn OVS_UNUSED,
     return NULL;
 }
 
+static struct ovsdb_error * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
+count_atoms(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row)
+{
+    struct ovsdb_table *table = txn_row->table;
+    ssize_t n_atoms_old = 0, n_atoms_new = 0;
+    struct shash_node *node;
+
+    SHASH_FOR_EACH (node, &table->schema->columns) {
+        const struct ovsdb_column *column = node->data;
+        const struct ovsdb_type *type = &column->type;
+        unsigned int idx = column->index;
+
+        if (txn_row->old) {
+            n_atoms_old += txn_row->old->fields[idx].n;
+            if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+                n_atoms_old += txn_row->old->fields[idx].n;
+            }
+        }
+        if (txn_row->new) {
+            n_atoms_new += txn_row->new->fields[idx].n;
+            if (type->value.type != OVSDB_TYPE_VOID) {
+                n_atoms_new += txn_row->new->fields[idx].n;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    txn->n_atoms += n_atoms_old + n_atoms_new;
+    txn->n_atoms_diff += n_atoms_new - n_atoms_old;
+    return NULL;
+}
+
 static struct ovsdb_error * OVS_WARN_UNUSED_RESULT
 update_version(struct ovsdb_txn *txn OVS_UNUSED, struct ovsdb_txn_row *txn_row)
 {
@@ -885,6 +1041,12 @@ ovsdb_txn_precommit(struct ovsdb_txn *txn)
         return error;
     }
 
+    /* Count atoms. */
+    error = for_each_txn_row(txn, count_atoms);
+    if (error) {
+        return OVSDB_WRAP_BUG("can't happen", error);
+    }
+
     /* Update _version for rows that changed.  */
     error = for_each_txn_row(txn, update_version);
     if (error) {
@@ -900,6 +1062,8 @@ ovsdb_txn_clone(const struct ovsdb_txn *txn)
     struct ovsdb_txn *txn_cloned = xzalloc(sizeof *txn_cloned);
     ovs_list_init(&txn_cloned->txn_tables);
     txn_cloned->txnid = txn->txnid;
+    txn_cloned->n_atoms = txn->n_atoms;
+    txn_cloned->n_atoms_diff = txn->n_atoms_diff;
 
     struct ovsdb_txn_table *t;
     LIST_FOR_EACH (t, node, &txn->txn_tables) {
@@ -958,6 +1122,7 @@ ovsdb_txn_add_to_history(struct ovsdb_txn *txn)
         node->txn = ovsdb_txn_clone(txn);
         ovs_list_push_back(&txn->db->txn_history, &node->node);
         txn->db->n_txn_history++;
+        txn->db->n_txn_history_atoms += txn->n_atoms;
     }
 }
 
@@ -968,6 +1133,7 @@ ovsdb_txn_complete(struct ovsdb_txn *txn)
     if (!ovsdb_txn_is_empty(txn)) {
 
         txn->db->run_triggers_now = txn->db->run_triggers = true;
+        txn->db->n_atoms += txn->n_atoms_diff;
         ovsdb_monitors_commit(txn->db, txn);
         ovsdb_error_assert(for_each_txn_row(txn, ovsdb_txn_update_weak_refs));
         ovsdb_error_assert(for_each_txn_row(txn, ovsdb_txn_row_commit));
@@ -1215,6 +1381,9 @@ ovsdb_txn_row_create(struct ovsdb_txn *txn, struct ovsdb_table *table,
     txn_row->n_refs = old ? old->n_refs : 0;
     txn_row->serial = serial - 1;
 
+    ovs_list_init(&txn_row->added_refs);
+    ovs_list_init(&txn_row->deleted_refs);
+
     if (old) {
         old->txn_row = txn_row;
     }
@@ -1423,12 +1592,18 @@ ovsdb_txn_history_run(struct ovsdb *db)
     if (!db->need_txn_history) {
         return;
     }
-    /* Remove old histories to limit the size of the history */
-    while (db->n_txn_history > 100) {
+    /* Remove old histories to limit the size of the history.  Removing until
+     * the number of ovsdb atoms in history becomes less than the number of
+     * atoms in the database, because it will be faster to just get a database
+     * snapshot than re-constructing changes from the history that big. */
+    while (db->n_txn_history &&
+           (db->n_txn_history > 100 ||
+            db->n_txn_history_atoms > db->n_atoms)) {
         struct ovsdb_txn_history_node *txn_h_node = CONTAINER_OF(
                 ovs_list_pop_front(&db->txn_history),
                 struct ovsdb_txn_history_node, node);
 
+        db->n_txn_history_atoms -= txn_h_node->txn->n_atoms;
         ovsdb_txn_destroy_cloned(txn_h_node->txn);
         free(txn_h_node);
         db->n_txn_history--;
@@ -1440,6 +1615,7 @@ ovsdb_txn_history_init(struct ovsdb *db, bool need_txn_history)
 {
     db->need_txn_history = need_txn_history;
     db->n_txn_history = 0;
+    db->n_txn_history_atoms = 0;
     ovs_list_init(&db->txn_history);
 }
 
@@ -1458,4 +1634,5 @@ ovsdb_txn_history_destroy(struct ovsdb *db)
         free(txn_h_node);
     }
     db->n_txn_history = 0;
+    db->n_txn_history_atoms = 0;
 }
diff --git a/python/ovs/db/data.py b/python/ovs/db/data.py
index 2a2102d6be..99bf80ed62 100644
--- a/python/ovs/db/data.py
+++ b/python/ovs/db/data.py
@@ -204,7 +204,7 @@ class Atom(object):
             else:
                 return '.boolean = false'
         elif self.type == ovs.db.types.StringType:
-            return '.string = "%s"' % escapeCString(self.value)
+            return '.s = %s' % escapeCString(self.value)
         elif self.type == ovs.db.types.UuidType:
             return '.uuid = %s' % ovs.ovsuuid.to_c_assignment(self.value)
 
@@ -563,16 +563,41 @@ class Datum(object):
         if n == 0:
             return ["static struct ovsdb_datum %s = { .n = 0 };"]
 
-        s = ["static union ovsdb_atom %s_keys[%d] = {" % (name, n)]
-        for key in sorted(self.values):
-            s += ["    { %s }," % key.cInitAtom(key)]
-        s += ["};"]
+        s = []
+        if self.type.key.type == ovs.db.types.StringType:
+            s += ["static struct ovsdb_atom_string %s_key_strings[%d] = {"
+                  % (name, n)]
+            for key in sorted(self.values):
+                s += ['    { .string = "%s", .n_refs = 2 },'
+                      % escapeCString(key.value)]
+            s += ["};"]
+            s += ["static union ovsdb_atom %s_keys[%d] = {" % (name, n)]
+            for i in range(n):
+                s += ["    { .s = &%s_key_strings[%d] }," % (name, i)]
+            s += ["};"]
+        else:
+            s = ["static union ovsdb_atom %s_keys[%d] = {" % (name, n)]
+            for key in sorted(self.values):
+                s += ["    { %s }," % key.cInitAtom(key)]
+            s += ["};"]
 
         if self.type.value:
-            s = ["static union ovsdb_atom %s_values[%d] = {" % (name, n)]
-            for k, v in sorted(self.values.items()):
-                s += ["    { %s }," % v.cInitAtom(v)]
-            s += ["};"]
+            if self.type.value.type == ovs.db.types.StringType:
+                s += ["static struct ovsdb_atom_string %s_val_strings[%d] = {"
+                      % (name, n)]
+                for k, v in sorted(self.values):
+                    s += ['    { .string = "%s", .n_refs = 2 },'
+                          % escapeCString(v.value)]
+                s += ["};"]
+                s += ["static union ovsdb_atom %s_values[%d] = {" % (name, n)]
+                for i in range(n):
+                    s += ["    { .s = &%s_val_strings[%d] }," % (name, i)]
+                s += ["};"]
+            else:
+                s = ["static union ovsdb_atom %s_values[%d] = {" % (name, n)]
+                for k, v in sorted(self.values.items()):
+                    s += ["    { %s }," % v.cInitAtom(v)]
+                s += ["};"]
 
         s += ["static struct ovsdb_datum %s = {" % name]
         s += ["    .n = %d," % n]
diff --git a/python/ovs/db/idl.py b/python/ovs/db/idl.py
index ecae5e1432..87ee06cdef 100644
--- a/python/ovs/db/idl.py
+++ b/python/ovs/db/idl.py
@@ -1505,6 +1505,11 @@ class Transaction(object):
         if self != self.idl.txn:
             return self._status
 
+        if self.idl.state != Idl.IDL_S_MONITORING:
+            self._status = Transaction.TRY_AGAIN
+            self.__disassemble()
+            return self._status
+
         # If we need a lock but don't have it, give up quickly.
         if self.idl.lock_name and not self.idl.has_lock:
             self._status = Transaction.NOT_LOCKED
diff --git a/python/ovs/db/types.py b/python/ovs/db/types.py
index 626ae8fc44..3318a3b6f8 100644
--- a/python/ovs/db/types.py
+++ b/python/ovs/db/types.py
@@ -48,6 +48,16 @@ class AtomicType(object):
     def to_string(self):
         return self.name
 
+    def to_rvalue_string(self):
+        if self == StringType:
+            return 's->' + self.name
+        return self.name
+
+    def to_lvalue_string(self):
+        if self == StringType:
+            return 's'
+        return self.name
+
     def to_json(self):
         return self.name
 
@@ -373,18 +383,7 @@ class BaseType(object):
                 return "%(dst)s = *%(src)s;" % args
             return ("%(dst)s = %(src)s->header_.uuid;") % args
         elif self.type == StringType:
-            return "%(dst)s = xstrdup(%(src)s);" % args
-        else:
-            return "%(dst)s = %(src)s;" % args
-
-    def assign_c_value_casting_away_const(self, dst, src, refTable=True):
-        args = {'dst': dst, 'src': src}
-        if self.ref_table_name:
-            if not refTable:
-                return "%(dst)s = *%(src)s;" % args
-            return ("%(dst)s = %(src)s->header_.uuid;") % args
-        elif self.type == StringType:
-            return "%(dst)s = CONST_CAST(char *, %(src)s);" % args
+            return "%(dst)s = ovsdb_atom_string_create(%(src)s);" % args
         else:
             return "%(dst)s = %(src)s;" % args
 
diff --git a/python/ovs/poller.py b/python/ovs/poller.py
index 3624ec8655..157719c3a4 100644
--- a/python/ovs/poller.py
+++ b/python/ovs/poller.py
@@ -26,9 +26,9 @@ if sys.platform == "win32":
     import ovs.winutils as winutils
 
 try:
-    from OpenSSL import SSL
+    import ssl
 except ImportError:
-    SSL = None
+    ssl = None
 
 try:
     from eventlet import patcher as eventlet_patcher
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ class _SelectSelect(object):
     def register(self, fd, events):
         if isinstance(fd, socket.socket):
             fd = fd.fileno()
-        if SSL and isinstance(fd, SSL.Connection):
+        if ssl and isinstance(fd, ssl.SSLSocket):
             fd = fd.fileno()
 
         if sys.platform != 'win32':
diff --git a/python/ovs/socket_util.py b/python/ovs/socket_util.py
index 3faa64e9d7..651012bf06 100644
--- a/python/ovs/socket_util.py
+++ b/python/ovs/socket_util.py
@@ -222,8 +222,7 @@ def inet_parse_active(target, default_port):
     return (host_name, port)
 
 
-def inet_open_active(style, target, default_port, dscp):
-    address = inet_parse_active(target, default_port)
+def inet_create_socket_active(style, address):
     try:
         is_addr_inet = is_valid_ipv4_address(address[0])
         if is_addr_inet:
@@ -235,23 +234,32 @@ def inet_open_active(style, target, default_port, dscp):
     except socket.error as e:
         return get_exception_errno(e), None
 
+    return family, sock
+
+
+def inet_connect_active(sock, address, family, dscp):
     try:
         set_nonblocking(sock)
         set_dscp(sock, family, dscp)
-        try:
-            sock.connect(address)
-        except socket.error as e:
-            error = get_exception_errno(e)
-            if sys.platform == 'win32' and error == errno.WSAEWOULDBLOCK:
-                # WSAEWOULDBLOCK would be the equivalent on Windows
-                # for EINPROGRESS on Unix.
-                error = errno.EINPROGRESS
-            if error != errno.EINPROGRESS:
-                raise
-        return 0, sock
+        error = sock.connect_ex(address)
+        if error not in (0, errno.EINPROGRESS, errno.EWOULDBLOCK):
+            sock.close()
+            return error
+        return 0
     except socket.error as e:
         sock.close()
-        return get_exception_errno(e), None
+        return get_exception_errno(e)
+
+
+def inet_open_active(style, target, default_port, dscp):
+    address = inet_parse_active(target, default_port)
+    family, sock = inet_create_socket_active(style, address)
+    if sock is None:
+        return family, sock
+    error = inet_connect_active(sock, address, family, dscp)
+    if error:
+        return error, None
+    return 0, sock
 
 
 def get_exception_errno(e):
diff --git a/python/ovs/stream.py b/python/ovs/stream.py
index f5a520862c..ac5b0fd0c6 100644
--- a/python/ovs/stream.py
+++ b/python/ovs/stream.py
@@ -22,9 +22,9 @@ import ovs.socket_util
 import ovs.vlog
 
 try:
-    from OpenSSL import SSL
+    import ssl
 except ImportError:
-    SSL = None
+    ssl = None
 
 if sys.platform == 'win32':
     import ovs.winutils as winutils
@@ -322,6 +322,12 @@ class Stream(object):
         The recv function will not block waiting for data to arrive.  If no
         data have been received, it returns (errno.EAGAIN, "") immediately."""
 
+        try:
+            return self._recv(n)
+        except socket.error as e:
+            return (ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e), "")
+
+    def _recv(self, n):
         retval = self.connect()
         if retval != 0:
             return (retval, "")
@@ -331,10 +337,7 @@ class Stream(object):
         if sys.platform == 'win32' and self.socket is None:
             return self.__recv_windows(n)
 
-        try:
-            return (0, self.socket.recv(n))
-        except socket.error as e:
-            return (ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e), "")
+        return (0, self.socket.recv(n))
 
     def __recv_windows(self, n):
         if self._read_pending:
@@ -396,6 +399,12 @@ class Stream(object):
         Will not block.  If no bytes can be immediately accepted for
         transmission, returns -errno.EAGAIN immediately."""
 
+        try:
+            return self._send(buf)
+        except socket.error as e:
+            return -ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e)
+
+    def _send(self, buf):
         retval = self.connect()
         if retval != 0:
             return -retval
@@ -409,10 +418,7 @@ class Stream(object):
         if sys.platform == 'win32' and self.socket is None:
             return self.__send_windows(buf)
 
-        try:
-            return self.socket.send(buf)
-        except socket.error as e:
-            return -ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e)
+        return self.socket.send(buf)
 
     def __send_windows(self, buf):
         if self._write_pending:
@@ -769,35 +775,42 @@ class SSLStream(Stream):
     def check_connection_completion(sock):
         try:
             return Stream.check_connection_completion(sock)
-        except SSL.SysCallError as e:
+        except ssl.SSLSyscallError as e:
             return ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e)
 
     @staticmethod
     def needs_probes():
         return True
 
-    @staticmethod
-    def verify_cb(conn, cert, errnum, depth, ok):
-        return ok
-
     @staticmethod
     def _open(suffix, dscp):
-        error, sock = TCPStream._open(suffix, dscp)
-        if error:
-            return error, None
+        address = ovs.socket_util.inet_parse_active(suffix, 0)
+        family, sock = ovs.socket_util.inet_create_socket_active(
+                socket.SOCK_STREAM, address)
+        if sock is None:
+            return family, sock
 
         # Create an SSL context
-        ctx = SSL.Context(SSL.SSLv23_METHOD)
-        ctx.set_verify(SSL.VERIFY_PEER, SSLStream.verify_cb)
-        ctx.set_options(SSL.OP_NO_SSLv2 | SSL.OP_NO_SSLv3)
+        ctx = ssl.SSLContext(ssl.PROTOCOL_SSLv23)
+        ctx.verify_mode = ssl.CERT_REQUIRED
+        ctx.options |= ssl.OP_NO_SSLv2
+        ctx.options |= ssl.OP_NO_SSLv3
         # If the client has not set the SSL configuration files
         # exception would be raised.
-        ctx.use_privatekey_file(Stream._SSL_private_key_file)
-        ctx.use_certificate_file(Stream._SSL_certificate_file)
         ctx.load_verify_locations(Stream._SSL_ca_cert_file)
+        ctx.load_cert_chain(Stream._SSL_certificate_file,
+                            Stream._SSL_private_key_file)
+        ssl_sock = ctx.wrap_socket(sock, do_handshake_on_connect=False)
 
-        ssl_sock = SSL.Connection(ctx, sock)
-        ssl_sock.set_connect_state()
+        # Connect
+        error = ovs.socket_util.inet_connect_active(ssl_sock, address, family,
+                                                    dscp)
+        if not error:
+            try:
+                ssl_sock.setsockopt(socket.IPPROTO_TCP, socket.TCP_NODELAY, 1)
+            except socket.error as e:
+                ssl_sock.close()
+                return ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e), None
         return error, ssl_sock
 
     def connect(self):
@@ -809,40 +822,44 @@ class SSLStream(Stream):
         # TCP Connection is successful. Now do the SSL handshake
         try:
             self.socket.do_handshake()
-        except SSL.WantReadError:
+        except ssl.SSLWantReadError:
             return errno.EAGAIN
-        except SSL.SysCallError as e:
+        except ssl.SSLSyscallError as e:
             return ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e)
 
         return 0
 
     def recv(self, n):
         try:
-            return super(SSLStream, self).recv(n)
-        except SSL.WantReadError:
+            return super(SSLStream, self)._recv(n)
+        except ssl.SSLWantReadError:
             return (errno.EAGAIN, "")
-        except SSL.SysCallError as e:
+        except ssl.SSLSyscallError as e:
             return (ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e), "")
-        except SSL.ZeroReturnError:
+        except ssl.SSLZeroReturnError:
             return (0, "")
+        except socket.error as e:
+            return (ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e), "")
 
     def send(self, buf):
         try:
-            return super(SSLStream, self).send(buf)
-        except SSL.WantWriteError:
+            return super(SSLStream, self)._send(buf)
+        except ssl.SSLWantWriteError:
             return -errno.EAGAIN
-        except SSL.SysCallError as e:
+        except ssl.SSLSyscallError as e:
+            return -ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e)
+        except socket.error as e:
             return -ovs.socket_util.get_exception_errno(e)
 
     def close(self):
         if self.socket:
             try:
-                self.socket.shutdown()
-            except SSL.Error:
+                self.socket.shutdown(socket.SHUT_RDWR)
+            except socket.error:
                 pass
         return super(SSLStream, self).close()
 
 
-if SSL:
+if ssl:
     # Register SSL only if the OpenSSL module is available
     Stream.register_method("ssl", SSLStream)
diff --git a/tests/ofproto-dpif.at b/tests/ofproto-dpif.at
index 956a69e1fa..1dad6f62c6 100644
--- a/tests/ofproto-dpif.at
+++ b/tests/ofproto-dpif.at
@@ -9695,6 +9695,26 @@ OFPST_TABLE reply (OF1.3) (xid=0x2):
 OVS_VSWITCHD_STOP
 AT_CLEANUP
 
+AT_SETUP([ofproto-dpif packet-out table meter drop])
+OVS_VSWITCHD_START
+add_of_ports br0 1 2
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl -O OpenFlow13 add-meter br0 'meter=1 pktps bands=type=drop rate=1'])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl -O OpenFlow13 add-flow br0 'in_port=1 action=meter:1,output:2'])
+
+ovs-ofctl -O OpenFlow13 packet-out br0 "in_port=1 packet=50540000000a50540000000908004500001c000000000011a4cd0a0101010a0101020001000400080000 actions=resubmit(,0)"
+ovs-ofctl -O OpenFlow13 packet-out br0 "in_port=1 packet=50540000000a50540000000908004500001c000000000011a4cd0a0101010a0101020001000400080000 actions=resubmit(,0)"
+
+# Check that vswitchd hasn't crashed by dumping the meter added above
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl -O OpenFlow13 dump-meters br0 | ofctl_strip], [0], [dnl
+OFPST_METER_CONFIG reply (OF1.3):
+meter=1 pktps bands=
+type=drop rate=1
+])
+
+OVS_VSWITCHD_STOP
+AT_CLEANUP
+
 AT_SETUP([ofproto-dpif - ICMPv6])
 OVS_VSWITCHD_START
 add_of_ports br0 1
diff --git a/tests/ovsdb-data.at b/tests/ovsdb-data.at
index 8cd2a26cb3..25c6acdac6 100644
--- a/tests/ovsdb-data.at
+++ b/tests/ovsdb-data.at
@@ -846,18 +846,21 @@ OVSDB_CHECK_POSITIVE([generate and apply diff -- integer],
   [[diff-data '["integer"]' '[0]' '[2]']],
   [[diff: 2
 apply diff: 2
+apply diff in place: 2
 OK]])
 
 OVSDB_CHECK_POSITIVE([generate and apply diff -- boolean],
   [[diff-data '["boolean"]' '[true]' '[false]']],
   [[diff: false
 apply diff: false
+apply diff in place: false
 OK]])
 
 OVSDB_CHECK_POSITIVE([generate and apply diff -- string],
   [[diff-data '["string"]' '["AAA"]' '["BBB"]']],
   [[diff: "BBB"
 apply diff: "BBB"
+apply diff in place: "BBB"
 OK]])
 
 dnl Test set modifications.
@@ -870,15 +873,19 @@ OVSDB_CHECK_POSITIVE([generate and apply diff -- set],
   ]],
   [[diff: ["set",[0,2]]
 apply diff: ["set",[1,2]]
+apply diff in place: ["set",[1,2]]
 OK
 diff: 0
 apply diff: 1
+apply diff in place: 1
 OK
 diff: ["set",[0,1]]
 apply diff: ["set",[0,1]]
+apply diff in place: ["set",[0,1]]
 OK
 diff: ["set",[0,1]]
 apply diff: ["set",[]]
+apply diff in place: ["set",[]]
 OK]])
 
 dnl Test set modifications causes data to violate set size constrain.
@@ -898,18 +905,23 @@ OVSDB_CHECK_POSITIVE([generate and apply diff -- map],
   ]],
   [[diff: ["map",[["2 gills","1 chopin"],["2 pints","1 quart"]]]
 apply diff: ["map",[["2 pints","1 quart"]]]
+apply diff in place: ["map",[["2 pints","1 quart"]]]
 OK
 diff: ["map",[]]
 apply diff: ["map",[["2 gills","1 chopin"]]]
+apply diff in place: ["map",[["2 gills","1 chopin"]]]
 OK
 diff: ["map",[["2 gills","1 chopin"]]]
 apply diff: ["map",[]]
+apply diff in place: ["map",[]]
 OK
 diff: ["map",[["2 pints","1 quart"]]]
 apply diff: ["map",[["2 pints","1 quart"]]]
+apply diff in place: ["map",[["2 pints","1 quart"]]]
 OK
 diff: ["map",[["2 gills","1 gallon"]]]
 apply diff: ["map",[["2 gills","1 gallon"]]]
+apply diff in place: ["map",[["2 gills","1 gallon"]]]
 OK]])
 
 OVSDB_CHECK_NEGATIVE([generate and apply diff with map -- size error],
diff --git a/tests/ovsdb-idl.at b/tests/ovsdb-idl.at
index 1386f13770..cd28a587c6 100644
--- a/tests/ovsdb-idl.at
+++ b/tests/ovsdb-idl.at
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ m4_define([OVSDB_CHECK_IDL_TCP6_MULTIPLE_REMOTES_PY],
 m4_define([OVSDB_CHECK_IDL_SSL_PY],
   [AT_SETUP([$1 - Python3 - SSL])
    AT_SKIP_IF([test "$HAVE_OPENSSL" = no])
-   $PYTHON3 -c "import OpenSSL.SSL"
+   $PYTHON3 -c "import ssl"
    SSL_PRESENT=$?
    AT_SKIP_IF([test $SSL_PRESENT != 0])
    AT_KEYWORDS([ovsdb server idl positive Python with ssl socket $5])
diff --git a/tests/ovsdb-server.at b/tests/ovsdb-server.at
index ac243d6a79..2b742f78b0 100644
--- a/tests/ovsdb-server.at
+++ b/tests/ovsdb-server.at
@@ -1228,6 +1228,69 @@ AT_CHECK([test $logged_updates -lt $logged_nonblock_updates])
 AT_CHECK_UNQUOTED([ovs-vsctl get open_vswitch . system_version], [0],
   [xyzzy$counter
 ])
+OVS_APP_EXIT_AND_WAIT([ovsdb-server])
+AT_CLEANUP
+
+AT_SETUP([ovsdb-server transaction history size])
+on_exit 'kill `cat *.pid`'
+
+dnl Start an ovsdb-server with the clustered vswitchd schema.
+AT_CHECK([ovsdb-tool create-cluster db dnl
+            $abs_top_srcdir/vswitchd/vswitch.ovsschema unix:s1.raft],
+         [0], [ignore], [ignore])
+AT_CHECK([ovsdb-server --detach --no-chdir --pidfile dnl
+            --log-file --remote=punix:db.sock db],
+         [0], [ignore], [ignore])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl --no-wait init])
+
+dnl Create a bridge with N ports per transaction.  Increase N every 4
+dnl iterations.  And then remove the bridges.  By increasing the size of
+dnl transactions, ensuring that they take up a significant percentage of
+dnl the total database size, so the transaction history will not be able
+dnl to hold all of them.
+dnl
+dnl The test verifies that the number of atoms in the transaction history
+dnl is always less than the number of atoms in the database.
+get_n_atoms () {
+    n=$(ovs-appctl -t ovsdb-server memory/show dnl
+            | tr ' ' '\n' | grep atoms | grep "^$1:" | cut -d ':' -f 2)
+    if test X"$n" == "X"; then
+        n=0
+    fi
+    echo $n
+}
+
+check_atoms () {
+    n_db_atoms=$(get_n_atoms atoms)
+    n_txn_history_atoms=$(get_n_atoms txn-history-atoms)
+    echo "n_db_atoms:          $n_db_atoms"
+    echo "n_txn_history_atoms: $n_txn_history_atoms"
+    AT_CHECK([test $n_txn_history_atoms -le $n_db_atoms])
+}
+
+add_ports () {
+    for j in $(seq 1 $2); do
+        printf " -- add-port br$1 p$1-%d" $j
+    done
+}
+
+initial_db_atoms=$(get_n_atoms atoms)
+
+for i in $(seq 1 100); do
+    cmd=$(add_ports $i $(($i / 4 + 1)))
+    AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl --no-wait add-br br$i $cmd])
+    check_atoms
+done
+
+for i in $(seq 1 100); do
+    AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl --no-wait del-br br$i])
+    check_atoms
+done
+
+dnl After removing all the bridges, the number of atoms in the database
+dnl should return to its initial value.
+AT_CHECK([test $(get_n_atoms atoms) -eq $initial_db_atoms])
+
 OVS_APP_EXIT_AND_WAIT([ovsdb-server])
 AT_CLEANUP
 
diff --git a/tests/system-traffic.at b/tests/system-traffic.at
index f400cfabc9..092de308be 100644
--- a/tests/system-traffic.at
+++ b/tests/system-traffic.at
@@ -1981,6 +1981,111 @@ tcp,orig=(src=10.1.1.3,dst=10.1.1.4,sport=<cleared>,dport=<cleared>),reply=(src=
 OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP
 AT_CLEANUP
 
+AT_SETUP([conntrack - zones from other field])
+CHECK_CONNTRACK()
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_START()
+
+ADD_NAMESPACES(at_ns0, at_ns1)
+
+ADD_VETH(p0, at_ns0, br0, "10.1.1.1/24")
+ADD_VETH(p1, at_ns1, br0, "10.1.1.2/24")
+
+dnl Allow any traffic from ns0->ns1. Only allow nd, return traffic from ns1->ns0.
+AT_DATA([flows.txt], [dnl
+priority=1,action=drop
+priority=10,arp,action=normal
+priority=10,icmp,action=normal
+priority=100,in_port=1,tcp,ct_state=-trk,action=ct(zone=5,table=0)
+priority=100,in_port=1,tcp,ct_state=+trk,action=ct(commit,zone=NXM_NX_CT_ZONE[]),2
+priority=100,in_port=2,ct_state=-trk,tcp,action=ct(table=0,zone=5)
+priority=100,in_port=2,ct_state=+trk,ct_zone=5,tcp,action=1
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl --bundle add-flows br0 flows.txt])
+
+OVS_START_L7([at_ns1], [http])
+
+dnl HTTP requests from p0->p1 should work fine.
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [wget 10.1.1.2 -t 3 -T 1 --retry-connrefused -v -o wget0.log])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-conntrack | FORMAT_CT(10.1.1.2)], [0], [dnl
+tcp,dnl
+orig=(src=10.1.1.1,dst=10.1.1.2,sport=<cleared>,dport=<cleared>),dnl
+reply=(src=10.1.1.2,dst=10.1.1.1,sport=<cleared>,dport=<cleared>),dnl
+zone=5,protoinfo=(state=<cleared>)
+])
+
+dnl This is to test when the zoneid is set by a field variable like
+dnl NXM_NX_CT_ZONE, the OVS xlate should generate a megaflow with a form of
+dnl "ct_zone(5), ...  actions: ct(commit, zone=5)".  The match "ct_zone(5)"
+dnl is needed as if we changes the zoneid into 15 in the following, the old
+dnl "ct_zone(5), ... actions: ct(commit, zone=5)" megaflow will not get hit,
+dnl and OVS will generate a new megaflow with the match "ct_zone(0xf)".
+dnl This will make sure that the new packets are committing to zoneid 15
+dnl rather than old 5.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-flows --names filter=in_port=ovs-p0 dnl
+              | grep "+trk" | grep -q "ct_zone(0x5)" ], [0], [])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl mod-flows br0 dnl
+            'priority=100,ct_state=-trk,tcp,in_port="ovs-p0" actions=ct(table=0,zone=15)'])
+
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [wget 10.1.1.2 -t 3 -T 1 --retry-connrefused -v -o wget0.log])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-flows --names filter=in_port=ovs-p0 dnl
+              | grep "+trk" | grep -q "ct_zone(0xf)" ], [0], [])
+
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP
+AT_CLEANUP
+
+AT_SETUP([conntrack - zones from other field, more tests])
+CHECK_CONNTRACK()
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_START()
+
+ADD_NAMESPACES(at_ns0, at_ns1)
+
+ADD_VETH(p0, at_ns0, br0, "10.1.1.1/24")
+ADD_VETH(p1, at_ns1, br0, "10.1.1.2/24")
+
+dnl Allow any traffic from ns0->ns1. Only allow nd, return traffic from ns1->ns0.
+AT_DATA([flows.txt], [dnl
+priority=1,action=drop
+priority=10,arp,action=normal
+priority=10,icmp,action=normal
+priority=100,in_port=1,tcp,ct_state=-trk,action=ct(zone=5,table=0,commit,exec(load:0xffff0005->NXM_NX_CT_LABEL[[0..31]]))
+priority=100,in_port=1,tcp,ct_state=+trk,action=ct(commit,zone=NXM_NX_CT_LABEL[[0..15]]),2
+priority=100,in_port=2,ct_state=-trk,tcp,action=ct(table=0,zone=5)
+priority=100,in_port=2,ct_state=+trk,ct_zone=5,tcp,action=1
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl --bundle add-flows br0 flows.txt])
+
+OVS_START_L7([at_ns1], [http])
+
+dnl HTTP requests from p0->p1 should work fine.
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [wget 10.1.1.2 -t 3 -T 1 --retry-connrefused -v -o wget0.log])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-conntrack | FORMAT_CT(10.1.1.2)], [0], [dnl
+tcp,dnl
+orig=(src=10.1.1.1,dst=10.1.1.2,sport=<cleared>,dport=<cleared>),dnl
+reply=(src=10.1.1.2,dst=10.1.1.1,sport=<cleared>,dport=<cleared>),dnl
+zone=5,labels=0xffff0005,protoinfo=(state=<cleared>)
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-flows --names filter=in_port=ovs-p0 dnl
+              | grep "+trk" | sed 's/0xffff0005\/0xffff/0x5\/0xffff/' dnl
+              | grep -q "ct_label(0x5/0xffff)" ], [0], [])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl mod-flows br0 'priority=100,ct_state=-trk,tcp,in_port="ovs-p0" actions=ct(table=0,zone=15,commit,exec(load:0xffff000f->NXM_NX_CT_LABEL[[0..31]]))'])
+
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [wget 10.1.1.2 -t 3 -T 1 --retry-connrefused -v -o wget0.log])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-flows --names filter=in_port=ovs-p0 dnl
+              | grep "+trk" | sed 's/0xffff000f\/0xffff/0xf\/0xffff/' dnl
+              | grep -q "ct_label(0xf/0xffff)" ], [0], [])
+
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP
+AT_CLEANUP
+
 AT_SETUP([conntrack - multiple bridges])
 CHECK_CONNTRACK()
 OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_START(
@@ -3305,6 +3410,46 @@ NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [ping6 -s 3200 -q -c 3 -i 0.3 -w 2 fc00::2 | FORMAT_PING
 OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP
 AT_CLEANUP
 
+AT_SETUP([conntrack - IPv4 Fragmentation + NAT])
+AT_SKIP_IF([test $HAVE_TCPDUMP = no])
+CHECK_CONNTRACK()
+
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_START(
+   [set-fail-mode br0 secure -- ])
+
+ADD_NAMESPACES(at_ns0, at_ns1)
+
+ADD_VETH(p0, at_ns0, br0, "10.2.1.1/24")
+ADD_VETH(p1, at_ns1, br0, "10.2.1.2/24")
+
+dnl Create a dummy route for NAT
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns1], [ip addr add 10.1.1.2/32 dev lo])
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [ip route add 10.1.1.0/24 via 10.2.1.2])
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns1], [ip route add 10.1.1.0/24 via 10.2.1.1])
+
+dnl Solely for debugging when things go wrong
+NS_EXEC([at_ns0], [tcpdump -l -n -xx -U -i p0 -w p0.pcap >tcpdump.out 2>/dev/null &])
+NS_EXEC([at_ns1], [tcpdump -l -n -xx -U -i p1 -w p1.pcap >tcpdump.out 2>/dev/null &])
+
+AT_DATA([flows.txt], [dnl
+table=0,arp,actions=normal
+table=0,ct_state=-trk,ip,in_port=ovs-p0, actions=ct(table=1, nat)
+table=0,ct_state=-trk,ip,in_port=ovs-p1, actions=ct(table=1, nat)
+table=1,ct_state=+trk+new,ip,in_port=ovs-p0, actions=ct(commit, nat(src=10.1.1.1)),ovs-p1
+table=1,ct_state=+trk+est,ip,in_port=ovs-p0, actions=ovs-p1
+table=1,ct_state=+trk+est,ip,in_port=ovs-p1, actions=ovs-p0
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl add-flows br0 flows.txt])
+
+dnl Check connectivity
+NS_CHECK_EXEC([at_ns0], [ping -c 1 10.1.1.2 -M dont -s 4500 | FORMAT_PING], [0], [dnl
+1 packets transmitted, 1 received, 0% packet loss, time 0ms
+])
+
+OVS_TRAFFIC_VSWITCHD_STOP
+AT_CLEANUP
+
 AT_SETUP([conntrack - resubmit to ct multiple times])
 CHECK_CONNTRACK()
 
diff --git a/tests/test-json.c b/tests/test-json.c
index a7ee595e0b..072a537252 100644
--- a/tests/test-json.c
+++ b/tests/test-json.c
@@ -22,6 +22,8 @@
 #include <getopt.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 #include "ovstest.h"
+#include "random.h"
+#include "timeval.h"
 #include "util.h"
 
 /* --pretty: If set, the JSON output is pretty-printed, instead of printed as
@@ -157,3 +159,69 @@ test_json_main(int argc, char *argv[])
 }
 
 OVSTEST_REGISTER("test-json", test_json_main);
+
+static void
+json_string_benchmark_main(int argc OVS_UNUSED, char *argv[] OVS_UNUSED)
+{
+    struct {
+        int n;
+        int quote_probablility;
+        int special_probability;
+        int iter;
+    } configs[] = {
+        { 100000,     0, 0, 1000, },
+        { 100000,     2, 1, 1000, },
+        { 100000,    10, 1, 1000, },
+        { 10000000,   0, 0, 100,  },
+        { 10000000,   2, 1, 100,  },
+        { 10000000,  10, 1, 100,  },
+        { 100000000,  0, 0, 10.   },
+        { 100000000,  2, 1, 10,   },
+        { 100000000, 10, 1, 10,   },
+    };
+
+    printf("  SIZE      Q  S            TIME\n");
+    printf("--------------------------------------\n");
+
+    for (int i = 0; i < ARRAY_SIZE(configs); i++) {
+        int iter = configs[i].iter;
+        int n = configs[i].n;
+        char *str = xzalloc(n);
+
+        for (int j = 0; j < n - 1; j++) {
+            int r = random_range(100);
+
+            if (r < configs[i].special_probability) {
+                str[j] = random_range(' ' - 1) + 1;
+            } else if (r < (configs[i].special_probability
+                            + configs[i].quote_probablility)) {
+                str[j] = '"';
+            } else {
+                str[j] = random_range(256 - ' ') + ' ';
+            }
+        }
+
+        printf("%-11d %-2d %-2d: ", n, configs[i].quote_probablility,
+                                       configs[i].special_probability);
+        fflush(stdout);
+
+        struct json *json = json_string_create_nocopy(str);
+        uint64_t start = time_msec();
+
+        char **res = xzalloc(iter * sizeof *res);
+        for (int j = 0; j < iter; j++) {
+            res[j] = json_to_string(json, 0);
+        }
+
+        printf("%16.3lf ms\n", (double) (time_msec() - start) / iter);
+        json_destroy(json);
+        for (int j = 0; j < iter; j++) {
+            free(res[j]);
+        }
+        free(res);
+    }
+
+    exit(0);
+}
+
+OVSTEST_REGISTER("json-string-benchmark", json_string_benchmark_main);
diff --git a/tests/test-ovsdb.c b/tests/test-ovsdb.c
index daa55dab7b..637271619f 100644
--- a/tests/test-ovsdb.c
+++ b/tests/test-ovsdb.c
@@ -512,6 +512,18 @@ do_diff_data(struct ovs_cmdl_context *ctx)
             ovs_fatal(0, "failed to apply diff");
         }
 
+        /* Apply diff to 'old' in place. */
+        error = ovsdb_datum_apply_diff_in_place(&old, &diff, &type);
+        if (error) {
+            char *string = ovsdb_error_to_string_free(error);
+            ovs_fatal(0, "%s", string);
+        }
+
+        /* Test to make sure 'old' equals 'new' now.  */
+        if (!ovsdb_datum_equals(&new, &old, &type)) {
+            ovs_fatal(0, "failed to apply diff in place");
+        }
+
         /* Print diff */
         json = ovsdb_datum_to_json(&diff, &type);
         printf ("diff: ");
@@ -522,6 +534,11 @@ do_diff_data(struct ovs_cmdl_context *ctx)
         printf ("apply diff: ");
         print_and_free_json(json);
 
+        /* Print updated 'old' */
+        json = ovsdb_datum_to_json(&old, &type);
+        printf ("apply diff in place: ");
+        print_and_free_json(json);
+
         ovsdb_datum_destroy(&new, &type);
         ovsdb_datum_destroy(&old, &type);
         ovsdb_datum_destroy(&diff, &type);
@@ -2727,13 +2744,15 @@ print_idl_row_simple2(const struct idltest_simple2 *s, int step)
     printf("%03d: name=%s smap=[",
            step, s->name);
     for (i = 0; i < smap->n; i++) {
-        printf("[%s : %s]%s", smap->keys[i].string, smap->values[i].string,
-                i < smap->n-1? ",": "");
+        printf("[%s : %s]%s",
+               smap->keys[i].s->string, smap->values[i].s->string,
+               i < smap->n - 1 ? "," : "");
     }
     printf("] imap=[");
     for (i = 0; i < imap->n; i++) {
-        printf("[%"PRId64" : %s]%s", imap->keys[i].integer, imap->values[i].string,
-                i < imap->n-1? ",":"");
+        printf("[%"PRId64" : %s]%s",
+               imap->keys[i].integer, imap->values[i].s->string,
+               i < imap->n - 1 ? "," : "");
     }
     printf("]\n");
 }
@@ -2802,8 +2821,8 @@ do_idl_partial_update_map_column(struct ovs_cmdl_context *ctx)
     myTxn = ovsdb_idl_txn_create(idl);
     smap = idltest_simple2_get_smap(myRow, OVSDB_TYPE_STRING,
                                     OVSDB_TYPE_STRING);
-    strcpy(key_to_delete, smap->keys[0].string);
-    idltest_simple2_update_smap_delkey(myRow, smap->keys[0].string);
+    ovs_strlcpy(key_to_delete, smap->keys[0].s->string, sizeof key_to_delete);
+    idltest_simple2_update_smap_delkey(myRow, smap->keys[0].s->string);
     ovsdb_idl_txn_commit_block(myTxn);
     ovsdb_idl_txn_destroy(myTxn);
     ovsdb_idl_get_initial_snapshot(idl);
diff --git a/tests/tunnel-push-pop.at b/tests/tunnel-push-pop.at
index 48c5de9d19..6364653975 100644
--- a/tests/tunnel-push-pop.at
+++ b/tests/tunnel-push-pop.at
@@ -595,6 +595,64 @@ OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([test `ovs-pcap p0.pcap | grep 50540000000a5054000000091235 | wc
 OVS_VSWITCHD_STOP
 AT_CLEANUP
 
+AT_SETUP([tunnel_push_pop - packet_out debug_slow])
+
+OVS_VSWITCHD_START(
+    [add-port br0 p0 dnl
+     -- set Interface p0 type=dummy ofport_request=1 dnl
+                         other-config:hwaddr=aa:55:aa:55:00:00])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl vlog/set dpif_netdev:dbg])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl add-br int-br -- set bridge int-br datapath_type=dummy])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl add-port int-br t2 dnl
+          -- set Interface t2 type=geneve options:remote_ip=1.1.2.92 dnl
+                              options:key=123 ofport_request=2])
+
+dnl First setup dummy interface IP address, then add the route
+dnl so that tnl-port table can get valid IP address for the device.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl netdev-dummy/ip4addr br0 1.1.2.88/24], [0], [OK
+])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl ovs/route/add 1.1.2.92/24 br0], [0], [OK
+])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl add-flow br0 action=normal])
+
+dnl This ARP reply from p0 has two effects:
+dnl 1. The ARP cache will learn that 1.1.2.92 is at f8:bc:12:44:34:b6.
+dnl 2. The br0 mac learning will learn that f8:bc:12:44:34:b6 is on p0.
+AT_CHECK([
+  ovs-appctl netdev-dummy/receive p0 dnl
+      'recirc_id(0),in_port(2),dnl
+       eth(src=f8:bc:12:44:34:b6,dst=ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff),eth_type(0x0806),dnl
+       arp(sip=1.1.2.92,tip=1.1.2.88,op=2,sha=f8:bc:12:44:34:b6,tha=00:00:00:00:00:00)'
+])
+
+AT_CHECK([ovs-vsctl -- set Interface p0 options:tx_pcap=p0.pcap])
+
+packet=50540000000a505400000009123
+dnl Source port is based on a packet hash, so it may differ depending on the
+dnl compiler flags and CPU type.  Masked with '....'.
+encap=f8bc124434b6aa55aa5500000800450000320000400040113406010102580101025c....17c1001e00000000655800007b00
+
+dnl Output to tunnel from a int-br internal port.
+dnl Checking that the packet arrived and it was correctly encapsulated.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl add-flow int-br "in_port=LOCAL,actions=debug_slow,output:2"])
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl netdev-dummy/receive int-br "${packet}4"])
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([test `ovs-pcap p0.pcap | egrep "${encap}${packet}4" | wc -l` -ge 1])
+dnl Sending again to exercise the non-miss upcall path.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl netdev-dummy/receive int-br "${packet}4"])
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([test `ovs-pcap p0.pcap | egrep "${encap}${packet}4" | wc -l` -ge 2])
+
+dnl Output to tunnel from the controller.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-ofctl -O OpenFlow13 packet-out int-br CONTROLLER "debug_slow,output:2" "${packet}5"])
+OVS_WAIT_UNTIL([test `ovs-pcap p0.pcap | egrep "${encap}${packet}5" | wc -l` -ge 1])
+
+dnl Datapath actions should not have tunnel push action.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-flows | grep -q tnl_push], [1])
+dnl There should be slow_path action instead.
+AT_CHECK([ovs-appctl dpctl/dump-flows | grep -q 'slow_path(action)'], [0])
+
+OVS_VSWITCHD_STOP
+AT_CLEANUP
+
 AT_SETUP([tunnel_push_pop - underlay bridge match])
 
 OVS_VSWITCHD_START([add-port br0 p0 -- set Interface p0 type=dummy ofport_request=1 other-config:hwaddr=aa:55:aa:55:00:00])
diff --git a/utilities/ovs-ctl.in b/utilities/ovs-ctl.in
index 71800795c0..e6e07f4763 100644
--- a/utilities/ovs-ctl.in
+++ b/utilities/ovs-ctl.in
@@ -421,7 +421,9 @@ Less important options for "start", "restart" and "force-reload-kmod":
   --no-force-corefiles           do not force on core dumps for OVS daemons
   --no-mlockall                  do not lock all of ovs-vswitchd into memory
   --ovsdb-server-priority=NICE   set ovsdb-server's niceness (default: $OVSDB_SERVER_PRIORITY)
+  --ovsdb-server-options=OPTIONS additional options for ovsdb-server (example: '-vconsole:dbg -vfile:dbg')
   --ovs-vswitchd-priority=NICE   set ovs-vswitchd's niceness (default: $OVS_VSWITCHD_PRIORITY)
+  --ovs-vswitchd-options=OPTIONS additional options for ovs-vswitchd (example: '-vconsole:dbg -vfile:dbg')
   --no-full-hostname             set short hostname instead of full hostname
   --no-record-hostname           do not attempt to determine/record system
                                  hostname as part of start command
diff --git a/vswitchd/bridge.c b/vswitchd/bridge.c
index cb7c5cb769..c790a56adf 100644
--- a/vswitchd/bridge.c
+++ b/vswitchd/bridge.c
@@ -4229,7 +4229,7 @@ bridge_configure_aa(struct bridge *br)
         union ovsdb_atom atom;
 
         atom.integer = m->isid;
-        if (ovsdb_datum_find_key(mc, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_INTEGER) == UINT_MAX) {
+        if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(mc, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_INTEGER, NULL)) {
             VLOG_INFO("Deleting isid=%"PRIu32", vlan=%"PRIu16,
                       m->isid, m->vlan);
             bridge_aa_mapping_destroy(m);
@@ -4826,7 +4826,7 @@ queue_ids_include(const struct ovsdb_datum *queues, int64_t target)
     union ovsdb_atom atom;
 
     atom.integer = target;
-    return ovsdb_datum_find_key(queues, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_INTEGER) != UINT_MAX;
+    return ovsdb_datum_find_key(queues, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_INTEGER, NULL);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -5020,7 +5020,7 @@ bridge_configure_mirrors(struct bridge *br)
         union ovsdb_atom atom;
 
         atom.uuid = m->uuid;
-        if (ovsdb_datum_find_key(mc, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_UUID) == UINT_MAX) {
+        if (!ovsdb_datum_find_key(mc, &atom, OVSDB_TYPE_UUID, NULL)) {
             mirror_destroy(m);
         }
     }