diff --git a/src/deque.c b/src/deque.c
index 0a38c4a..8d9e710 100644
--- a/src/deque.c
+++ b/src/deque.c
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ struct internal_deque {
     size_t start_index;
     size_t end_index;
     size_t block_count;
+    size_t alloc_block_start;
+    size_t alloc_block_end;
     char **data;
 };
 
@@ -70,7 +72,9 @@ deque deque_init(const size_t data_size)
             init->block_size * BKTHOMPS_DEQUE_INITIAL_BLOCK_COUNT / 2;
     init->end_index = init->start_index;
     init->block_count = BKTHOMPS_DEQUE_INITIAL_BLOCK_COUNT;
-    init->data = calloc(init->block_count, sizeof(char *));
+    init->alloc_block_start = init->start_index / init->block_size;
+    init->alloc_block_end = init->alloc_block_start;
+    init->data = malloc(init->block_count * sizeof(char *));
     if (!init->data) {
         free(init);
         return NULL;
@@ -81,8 +85,7 @@ deque deque_init(const size_t data_size)
         free(init);
         return NULL;
     }
-    memcpy(init->data + init->start_index / init->block_size, &block,
-           sizeof(char *));
+    init->data[init->alloc_block_start] = block;
     return init;
 }
 
@@ -134,20 +137,18 @@ bk_err deque_trim(deque me)
     }
     memcpy(updated_data, me->data + start_block_index,
            updated_block_count * sizeof(char *));
-    for (i = 0; i < start_block_index; i++) {
-        char *block;
-        memcpy(&block, me->data + i, sizeof(char *));
-        free(block);
+    for (i = me->alloc_block_start; i < start_block_index; i++) {
+        free(me->data[i]);
     }
-    for (i = end_block_index + 1; i < me->block_count; i++) {
-        char *block;
-        memcpy(&block, me->data + i, sizeof(char *));
-        free(block);
+    for (i = end_block_index + 1; i <= me->alloc_block_end; i++) {
+        free(me->data[i]);
     }
     free(me->data);
     me->start_index -= start_block_index * me->block_size;
     me->end_index -= start_block_index * me->block_size;
     me->block_count = updated_block_count;
+    me->alloc_block_start = 0;
+    me->alloc_block_end = updated_block_count - 1;
     me->data = updated_data;
     return BK_OK;
 }
@@ -235,18 +236,15 @@ bk_err deque_add_all(deque me, void *const arr, const size_t size)
         if (!temp) {
             return -BK_ENOMEM;
         }
-        memset(temp + me->block_count, 0, appended_blocks * sizeof(char *));
         me->data = temp;
         me->block_count = new_block_count;
     }
-    for (i = block_index + 1; i <= block_index + needed_blocks; i++) {
-        if (me->data[i]) {
-            continue;
-        }
+    for (i = me->alloc_block_end + 1; i <= block_index + needed_blocks; i++) {
         me->data[i] = malloc(me->block_size * me->data_size);
         if (!me->data[i]) {
             return -BK_ENOMEM;
         }
+        me->alloc_block_end++;
     }
     offset = first_block_space * me->data_size;
     memcpy(me->data[block_index] + inner_index * me->data_size, arr, offset);
@@ -307,23 +305,28 @@ bk_err deque_push_front(deque me, void *const data)
             return -BK_ENOMEM;
         }
         memmove(temp + added_blocks, temp, me->block_count * sizeof(char *));
-        memset(temp, 0, added_blocks * sizeof(char *));
         me->data = temp;
         me->block_count = new_block_count;
         me->start_index += added_blocks * me->block_size;
         me->end_index += added_blocks * me->block_size;
+        me->alloc_block_start += added_blocks;
+        me->alloc_block_end += added_blocks;
     }
     if (me->start_index % me->block_size == 0) {
-        char *block;
-        const size_t previous_block_index =
-                me->start_index / me->block_size - 1;
-        memcpy(&block, me->data + previous_block_index, sizeof(char *));
-        if (!block) {
-            block = malloc(me->block_size * me->data_size);
-            if (!block) {
-                return -BK_ENOMEM;
+        const size_t add_block_index = me->start_index / me->block_size - 1;
+        if (add_block_index < me->alloc_block_start) {
+            const size_t end_block = (me->end_index - 1) / me->block_size;
+            if (end_block < me->alloc_block_end) {
+                me->data[add_block_index] = me->data[me->alloc_block_end];
+                me->alloc_block_end--;
+            } else {
+                me->data[add_block_index] =
+                        malloc(me->block_size * me->data_size);
+                if (!me->data[add_block_index]) {
+                    return -BK_ENOMEM;
+                }
             }
-            memcpy(me->data + previous_block_index, &block, sizeof(char *));
+            me->alloc_block_start--;
         }
     }
     me->start_index--;
@@ -355,30 +358,32 @@ bk_err deque_push_back(deque me, void *const data)
 {
     if (me->end_index == me->block_count * me->block_size) {
         const size_t new_block_count = deque_get_new_block_count(me);
-        size_t added_blocks;
         char **temp;
         if (new_block_count == 0) {
             return -BK_ERANGE;
         }
-        added_blocks = new_block_count - me->block_count;
         temp = realloc(me->data, new_block_count * sizeof(char *));
         if (!temp) {
             return -BK_ENOMEM;
         }
-        memset(temp + me->block_count, 0, added_blocks * sizeof(char *));
         me->data = temp;
         me->block_count = new_block_count;
     }
     if (me->end_index % me->block_size == 0) {
-        char *block;
-        const size_t tentative_block_index = me->end_index / me->block_size;
-        memcpy(&block, me->data + tentative_block_index, sizeof(char *));
-        if (!block) {
-            block = malloc(me->block_size * me->data_size);
-            if (!block) {
-                return -BK_ENOMEM;
+        const size_t add_block_index = me->end_index / me->block_size;
+        if (add_block_index > me->alloc_block_end) {
+            const size_t start_block = me->start_index / me->block_size;
+            if (start_block > me->alloc_block_start) {
+                me->data[add_block_index] = me->data[me->alloc_block_start];
+                me->alloc_block_start++;
+            } else {
+                me->data[add_block_index] =
+                        malloc(me->block_size * me->data_size);
+                if (!me->data[add_block_index]) {
+                    return -BK_ENOMEM;
+                }
             }
-            memcpy(me->data + tentative_block_index, &block, sizeof(char *));
+            me->alloc_block_end++;
         }
     }
     {
@@ -586,8 +591,8 @@ bk_err deque_clear(deque me)
 {
     size_t i;
     char *updated_block;
-    char **updated_data = calloc(BKTHOMPS_DEQUE_INITIAL_BLOCK_COUNT,
-                                 sizeof(char *));
+    char **updated_data =
+            malloc(BKTHOMPS_DEQUE_INITIAL_BLOCK_COUNT * sizeof(char *));
     if (!updated_data) {
         return -BK_ENOMEM;
     }
@@ -596,18 +601,17 @@ bk_err deque_clear(deque me)
         free(updated_data);
         return -BK_ENOMEM;
     }
-    for (i = 0; i < me->block_count; i++) {
-        char *block;
-        memcpy(&block, me->data + i, sizeof(char *));
-        free(block);
+    for (i = me->alloc_block_start; i <= me->alloc_block_end; i++) {
+        free(me->data[i]);
     }
     free(me->data);
     me->start_index = me->block_size * BKTHOMPS_DEQUE_INITIAL_BLOCK_COUNT / 2;
     me->end_index = me->start_index;
     me->block_count = BKTHOMPS_DEQUE_INITIAL_BLOCK_COUNT;
+    me->alloc_block_start = me->start_index / me->block_size;
+    me->alloc_block_end = me->alloc_block_start;
     me->data = updated_data;
-    memcpy(me->data + me->start_index / me->block_size, &updated_block,
-           sizeof(char *));
+    me->data[me->alloc_block_start] = updated_block;
     return BK_OK;
 }
 
@@ -622,10 +626,8 @@ bk_err deque_clear(deque me)
 deque deque_destroy(deque me)
 {
     size_t i;
-    for (i = 0; i < me->block_count; i++) {
-        char *block;
-        memcpy(&block, me->data + i, sizeof(char *));
-        free(block);
+    for (i = me->alloc_block_start; i <= me->alloc_block_end; i++) {
+        free(me->data[i]);
     }
     free(me->data);
     free(me);
diff --git a/tst/test_deque.c b/tst/test_deque.c
index 202c2ad..e526ed5 100644
--- a/tst/test_deque.c
+++ b/tst/test_deque.c
@@ -268,13 +268,14 @@ static void test_large_elements(void)
 #if STUB_MALLOC
 static void test_init_out_of_memory(void)
 {
-    fail_calloc = 1;
-    assert(!deque_init(sizeof(int)));
     fail_malloc = 1;
     assert(!deque_init(sizeof(int)));
     fail_malloc = 1;
     delay_fail_malloc = 1;
     assert(!deque_init(sizeof(int)));
+    fail_malloc = 1;
+    delay_fail_malloc = 2;
+    assert(!deque_init(sizeof(int)));
 }
 #endif
 
@@ -342,7 +343,7 @@ static void test_clear_out_of_memory(void)
         deque_push_back(me, &i);
     }
     assert(deque_size(me) == 32);
-    fail_calloc = 1;
+    fail_malloc = 1;
     assert(deque_clear(me) == -ENOMEM);
     for (i = 0; i < 32; i++) {
         int get = 0xfacade;
@@ -351,6 +352,7 @@ static void test_clear_out_of_memory(void)
     }
     assert(deque_size(me) == 32);
     fail_malloc = 1;
+    delay_fail_malloc = 1;
     assert(deque_clear(me) == -ENOMEM);
     for (i = 0; i < 32; i++) {
         int get = 0xfacade;
@@ -461,7 +463,7 @@ static void test_big_object(void)
     assert(!deque_destroy(me));
 }
 
-void test_add_all(int big_arr_size)
+static void test_add_all(int big_arr_size)
 {
     int i;
     double small_array[] = {1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10};
@@ -489,7 +491,7 @@ void test_add_all(int big_arr_size)
     free(big_array);
 }
 
-void test_add_all_failure(void)
+static void test_add_all_failure(void)
 {
     const size_t big_arr_size = 2000;
     size_t i;
@@ -529,6 +531,80 @@ void test_add_all_failure(void)
     free(big_array);
 }
 
+static void test_block_reuse_forwards(void)
+{
+    size_t i;
+    size_t queue_size = 1500;
+    deque queue = deque_init(sizeof(double));
+    for (i = 0; i < queue_size; i++) {
+        double d = i;
+        assert(deque_push_back(queue, &d) == BK_OK);
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < queue_size; i++) {
+        double d = i;
+        double get;
+        assert(deque_push_back(queue, &d) == BK_OK);
+        assert(deque_pop_front(&get, queue) == BK_OK);
+        assert(get == d);
+    }
+    deque_destroy(queue);
+}
+
+static void test_block_reuse_backwards(void)
+{
+    size_t i;
+    size_t queue_size = 1500;
+    deque queue = deque_init(sizeof(double));
+    for (i = 0; i < queue_size; i++) {
+        double d = i;
+        assert(deque_push_front(queue, &d) == BK_OK);
+    }
+    for (i = 0; i < queue_size; i++) {
+        double d = i;
+        double get;
+        assert(deque_push_front(queue, &d) == BK_OK);
+        assert(deque_pop_back(&get, queue) == BK_OK);
+        assert(get == d);
+    }
+    deque_destroy(queue);
+}
+
+static void test_trim_both_sides(void)
+{
+    int i;
+    deque me = deque_init(sizeof(int));
+    for (i = 999; i >= 0; i--) {
+        assert(deque_push_front(me, &i) == BK_OK);
+        assert(deque_push_back(me, &i) == BK_OK);
+    }
+    assert(deque_size(me) == 2000);
+    assert(deque_trim(me) == BK_OK);
+    assert(deque_size(me) == 2000);
+    for (i = 0; i < 500; i++) {
+        int get = 0xfacade;
+        assert(deque_pop_front(&get, me) == BK_OK);
+        assert(get == i);
+        get = 0xfacade;
+        assert(deque_pop_back(&get, me) == BK_OK);
+        assert(get == i);
+    }
+    assert(deque_size(me) == 1000);
+    assert(deque_trim(me) == BK_OK);
+    assert(deque_size(me) == 1000);
+    for (i = 500; i < 1000; i++) {
+        int get = 0xfacade;
+        assert(deque_pop_front(&get, me) == BK_OK);
+        assert(get == i);
+        get = 0xfacade;
+        assert(deque_pop_back(&get, me) == BK_OK);
+        assert(get == i);
+    }
+    assert(deque_size(me) == 0);
+    assert(deque_trim(me) == BK_OK);
+    assert(deque_size(me) == 0);
+    deque_destroy(me);
+}
+
 void test_deque(void)
 {
     int i;
@@ -555,4 +631,7 @@ void test_deque(void)
         test_add_all(i);
     }
     test_add_all_failure();
+    test_block_reuse_forwards();
+    test_block_reuse_backwards();
+    test_trim_both_sides();
 }