diff --git a/src/ZoneTree.UnitTests/TTLTests.cs b/src/ZoneTree.UnitTests/TTLTests.cs
index a5b46e9..f712bd4 100644
--- a/src/ZoneTree.UnitTests/TTLTests.cs
+++ b/src/ZoneTree.UnitTests/TTLTests.cs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ public class TTLTests
             out v1, 
             void (ref TTLValue<int> v) => 
                 v.SlideExpiration(TimeSpan.FromMilliseconds(300)));
-        Thread.Sleep(300);
+        Thread.Sleep(450); // initial expiration (300) + slided expiration (300) - Thread.Sleep(150)
         f2 = zoneTree.TryGetAndUpdate(
             5,
             out v2,
diff --git a/src/ZoneTree/Core/ZoneTree.cs b/src/ZoneTree/Core/ZoneTree.cs
index b92eb82..a731ac1 100644
--- a/src/ZoneTree/Core/ZoneTree.cs
+++ b/src/ZoneTree/Core/ZoneTree.cs
@@ -219,9 +219,10 @@ public sealed class ZoneTree<TKey, TValue> : IZoneTree<TKey, TValue>, IZoneTreeM
 
         if (SegmentZero.TryGet(key, out value))
         {
-            return !IsValueDeleted(value);
+            if (IsValueDeleted(value))
+                return false;
         }
-        if (!TryGetFromReadonlySegments(in key, out value))
+        else if (!TryGetFromReadonlySegments(in key, out value))
             return false;
 
         valueUpdater(ref value);
@@ -238,9 +239,10 @@ public sealed class ZoneTree<TKey, TValue> : IZoneTree<TKey, TValue>, IZoneTreeM
         {
             if (SegmentZero.TryGet(key, out value))
             {
-                return !IsValueDeleted(value);
+                if (IsValueDeleted(value))
+                    return false;
             }
-            if (!TryGetFromReadonlySegments(in key, out value))
+            else if (!TryGetFromReadonlySegments(in key, out value))
                 return false;
 
             valueUpdater(ref value);