diff --git a/conanfile.py b/conanfile.py
index 1e7364867..70abb5980 100644
--- a/conanfile.py
+++ b/conanfile.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 class HomestoreConan(ConanFile):
     name = "homestore"
-    version = "4.5.5"
+    version = "4.5.6"
 
     homepage = "https://github.com/eBay/Homestore"
     description = "HomeStore Storage Engine"
diff --git a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_mutate_impl.ipp b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_mutate_impl.ipp
index 3eee5b75e..7af504633 100644
--- a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_mutate_impl.ipp
+++ b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_mutate_impl.ipp
@@ -523,7 +523,7 @@ btree_status_t Btree< K, V >::split_node(const BtreeNodePtr& parent_node, const
     }
     BT_NODE_LOG(TRACE, parent_node, "Available space for split entry={}", parent_node->available_size(m_bt_cfg));
 
-//    child_node1->inc_link_version();
+    child_node1->inc_link_version();
 
     // Update the existing parent node entry to point to second child ptr.
     parent_node->update(parent_ind, child_node2->link_info());
diff --git a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node.hpp b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node.hpp
index 05dc1a83e..509d97234 100644
--- a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node.hpp
+++ b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node.hpp
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ class BtreeNode : public sisl::ObjLifeCounter< BtreeNode > {
         return true;
     }
 
-    virtual BtreeLinkInfo get_edge_value() const { return BtreeLinkInfo{edge_id(), link_version()}; }
+    virtual BtreeLinkInfo get_edge_value() const { return BtreeLinkInfo{edge_id(), edge_link_version()}; }
 
     virtual void set_edge_value(const BtreeValue& v) {
         const auto b = v.serialize();
@@ -609,6 +609,10 @@ class BtreeNode : public sisl::ObjLifeCounter< BtreeNode > {
 
     bnodeid_t edge_id() const { return get_persistent_header_const()->edge_info.m_bnodeid; }
     void set_edge_id(bnodeid_t edge) { get_persistent_header()->edge_info.m_bnodeid = edge; }
+    uint64_t edge_link_version() const { return get_persistent_header_const()->edge_info.m_link_version; }
+    void set_edge_link_version(uint64_t link_version) {
+        get_persistent_header()->edge_info.m_link_version = link_version;
+    }
 
     BtreeLinkInfo::bnode_link_info edge_info() const { return get_persistent_header_const()->edge_info; }
     void set_edge_info(const BtreeLinkInfo::bnode_link_info& info) { get_persistent_header()->edge_info = info; }
diff --git a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node_mgr.ipp b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node_mgr.ipp
index cfd06165e..a802c79c7 100644
--- a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node_mgr.ipp
+++ b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_node_mgr.ipp
@@ -69,13 +69,11 @@ btree_status_t Btree< K, V >::get_child_and_lock_node(const BtreeNodePtr& node,
                                                       locktype_t int_lock_type, locktype_t leaf_lock_type,
                                                       void* context) const {
     if (index == node->total_entries()) {
-        const auto& edge_id{node->edge_id()};
-        child_info.set_bnode_id(edge_id);
-        // If bsearch points to last index, it means the search has not found entry unless it is an edge value.
-        if (!child_info.has_valid_bnode_id()) {
+        if (!node->has_valid_edge()) {
             BT_NODE_LOG_ASSERT(false, node, "Child index {} does not have valid bnode_id", index);
             return btree_status_t::not_found;
         }
+        child_info = node->get_edge_value();
     } else {
         BT_NODE_LOG_ASSERT_LT(index, node->total_entries(), node);
         node->get_nth_value(index, &child_info, false /* copy */);
diff --git a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_remove_impl.ipp b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_remove_impl.ipp
index 60b983562..9b62e2e90 100644
--- a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_remove_impl.ipp
+++ b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/btree_remove_impl.ipp
@@ -528,13 +528,14 @@ btree_status_t Btree< K, V >::merge_nodes(const BtreeNodePtr& parent_node, const
         // Finally update the leftmost node with latest key
         leftmost_node->set_next_bnode(next_node_id);
         if (leftmost_node->total_entries()) {
-            //            leftmost_node->inc_link_version();
+            leftmost_node->inc_link_version();
             parent_node->update(start_idx, leftmost_node->get_last_key< K >(), leftmost_node->link_info());
         }
 
         if (parent_node->total_entries() && !parent_node->has_valid_edge()) {
             if (parent_node->compare_nth_key(plast_key, parent_node->total_entries() - 1)) {
                 auto last_node = new_nodes.size() > 0 ? new_nodes[new_nodes.size() - 1] : leftmost_node;
+                last_node->inc_link_version();
                 parent_node->update(parent_node->total_entries() - 1, plast_key, last_node->link_info());
             }
         }
@@ -567,6 +568,28 @@ btree_status_t Btree< K, V >::merge_nodes(const BtreeNodePtr& parent_node, const
 #ifndef NDEBUG
         // BT_DBG_ASSERT(!parent_node_step1.empty() && !parent_node_step2.empty() && !parent_node_step3.empty(),
         //               "Empty string");
+        // check if the link version of parent for each key info match the link version of its child
+        BtreeLinkInfo child_info;
+        if (ret == btree_status_t::success) {
+            for (uint32_t idx = 0; idx < new_nodes.size(); idx++) {
+                parent_node->get_nth_value(start_idx + 1 + idx, &child_info, false /* copy */);
+                BT_NODE_DBG_ASSERT_EQ(child_info.link_version(), new_nodes[idx]->link_version(), parent_node,
+                                      "mismatch of link version of new nodes in successful merge");
+            }
+            parent_node->get_nth_value(start_idx, &child_info, false /* copy */);
+            BT_NODE_DBG_ASSERT_EQ(child_info.link_version(), leftmost_node->link_version(), parent_node,
+                                  "parent_node, mismatch of link version of leftmost node in successful merge");
+        } else {
+            for (uint32_t idx = 0; idx < old_nodes.size(); idx++) {
+                parent_node->get_nth_value(start_idx + 1 + idx, &child_info, false /* copy */);
+                BT_NODE_DBG_ASSERT_EQ(child_info.link_version(), old_nodes[idx]->link_version(), parent_node,
+                                      "mismatch of link version of old nodes in unsuccessful merge");
+            }
+            parent_node->get_nth_value(start_idx, &child_info, false /* copy */);
+            BT_NODE_DBG_ASSERT_EQ(child_info.link_version(), leftmost_node->link_version(), parent_node,
+                                  "parent_node, mismatch of link version of leftmost node in unsuccessful merge");
+        }
+
         if (leftmost_node->total_entries() && (start_idx < parent_node->total_entries())) {
             BT_NODE_DBG_ASSERT_LE(
                 leftmost_node->get_last_key< K >().compare(parent_node->get_nth_key< K >(start_idx, false)), 0,
diff --git a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/simple_node.hpp b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/simple_node.hpp
index 8dbbc62a6..26e32cc68 100644
--- a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/simple_node.hpp
+++ b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/simple_node.hpp
@@ -264,9 +264,9 @@ class SimpleNode : public BtreeNode {
     std::string to_string_keys(bool print_friendly = false) const override {
 #if 0
         std::string delimiter = print_friendly ? "\n" : "\t";
-        auto str = fmt::format("{}{} nEntries={} {} ",
+        auto str = fmt::format("{}{}.{} nEntries={} {} ",
                                print_friendly ? "------------------------------------------------------------\n" : "",
-                               this->node_id(), this->total_entries(), (this->is_leaf() ? "LEAF" : "INTERIOR"));
+                               this->node_id(), this->link_version(), this->total_entries(), (this->is_leaf() ? "LEAF" : "INTERIOR"));
         if (!this->is_leaf() && (this->has_valid_edge())) {
             fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "edge_id={}.{}", this->edge_info().m_bnodeid,
                            this->edge_info().m_link_version);
@@ -279,7 +279,9 @@ class SimpleNode : public BtreeNode {
             fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), " [");
             for (uint32_t i{0}; i < this->total_entries(); ++i) {
                 uint32_t cur_key = get_nth_key< K >(i, false).key();
-                fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "{}{}", cur_key, i == this->total_entries() - 1 ? "" : ", ");
+                BtreeLinkInfo child_info;
+                get_nth_value(i, &child_info, false /* copy */);
+                fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "{}.{} {}", cur_key,  child_info.link_version(), i == this->total_entries() - 1 ? "" : ", ");
             }
             fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "]");
             return str;
diff --git a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/varlen_node.hpp b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/varlen_node.hpp
index 9c89a89c0..959884ce2 100644
--- a/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/varlen_node.hpp
+++ b/src/include/homestore/btree/detail/varlen_node.hpp
@@ -520,9 +520,9 @@ class VariableNode : public BtreeNode {
     std::string to_string_keys(bool print_friendly = false) const override {
 #if 0
         std::string delimiter = print_friendly ? "\n" : "\t";
-        auto str = fmt::format("{}{} nEntries={} {} ",
+        auto str = fmt::format("{}{}.{} nEntries={} {} ",
                                print_friendly ? "------------------------------------------------------------\n" : "",
-                               this->node_id(), this->total_entries(), (this->is_leaf() ? "LEAF" : "INTERIOR"));
+                               this->node_id(), this->link_version(), this->total_entries(), (this->is_leaf() ? "LEAF" : "INTERIOR"));
         if (!this->is_leaf() && (this->has_valid_edge())) {
             fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "edge_id={}.{}", this->edge_info().m_bnodeid,
                            this->edge_info().m_link_version);
@@ -535,7 +535,9 @@ class VariableNode : public BtreeNode {
             fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), " [");
             for (uint32_t i{0}; i < this->total_entries(); ++i) {
                 uint32_t cur_key = get_nth_key< K >(i, false).key();
-                fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "{}{}", cur_key, i == this->total_entries() - 1 ? "" : ", ");
+                BtreeLinkInfo child_info;
+                get_nth_value(i, &child_info, false /* copy */);
+                fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "{}.{} {}", cur_key, child_info.link_version(), i == this->total_entries() - 1 ? "" : ", ");
             }
             fmt::format_to(std::back_inserter(str), "]");
             return str;