diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index dd391a230..a6ab73c9d 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import (
 	"os"
 	"runtime"
 	"runtime/debug"
+	"sort"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"time"
@@ -537,21 +538,36 @@ func (db *DB) beginRWTx() (*Tx, error) {
 	t := &Tx{writable: true}
 	t.init(db)
 	db.rwtx = t
+	db.freePages()
+	return t, nil
+}
 
-	// Free any pages associated with closed read-only transactions.
-	var minid txid = 0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF
-	for _, t := range db.txs {
-		if t.meta.txid < minid {
-			minid = t.meta.txid
-		}
+// freePages releases any pages associated with closed read-only transactions.
+func (db *DB) freePages() {
+	// Free all pending pages prior to earliest open transaction.
+	sort.Sort(txsById(db.txs))
+	minid := txid(0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF)
+	if len(db.txs) > 0 {
+		minid = db.txs[0].meta.txid
 	}
 	if minid > 0 {
 		db.freelist.release(minid - 1)
 	}
-
-	return t, nil
+	// Release unused txid extents.
+	for _, t := range db.txs {
+		db.freelist.releaseRange(minid, t.meta.txid-1)
+		minid = t.meta.txid + 1
+	}
+	db.freelist.releaseRange(minid, txid(0xFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF))
+	// Any page both allocated and freed in an extent is safe to release.
 }
 
+type txsById []*Tx
+
+func (t txsById) Len() int           { return len(t) }
+func (t txsById) Swap(i, j int)      { t[i], t[j] = t[j], t[i] }
+func (t txsById) Less(i, j int) bool { return t[i].meta.txid < t[j].meta.txid }
+
 // removeTx removes a transaction from the database.
 func (db *DB) removeTx(tx *Tx) {
 	// Release the read lock on the mmap.
@@ -837,7 +853,7 @@ func (db *DB) meta() *meta {
 }
 
 // allocate returns a contiguous block of memory starting at a given page.
-func (db *DB) allocate(count int) (*page, error) {
+func (db *DB) allocate(txid txid, count int) (*page, error) {
 	// Allocate a temporary buffer for the page.
 	var buf []byte
 	if count == 1 {
@@ -849,7 +865,7 @@ func (db *DB) allocate(count int) (*page, error) {
 	p.overflow = uint32(count - 1)
 
 	// Use pages from the freelist if they are available.
-	if p.id = db.freelist.allocate(count); p.id != 0 {
+	if p.id = db.freelist.allocate(txid, count); p.id != 0 {
 		return p, nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/freelist.go b/freelist.go
index f59dc0747..8ac0d61de 100644
--- a/freelist.go
+++ b/freelist.go
@@ -6,18 +6,29 @@ import (
 	"unsafe"
 )
 
+
+// txPending holds a list of pgids and corresponding allocation txns
+// that are pending to be freed.
+type txPending struct {
+	ids              []pgid
+	alloctx          []txid // txids allocating the ids
+	lastReleaseBegin txid   // beginning txid of last matching releaseRange
+}
+
 // freelist represents a list of all pages that are available for allocation.
 // It also tracks pages that have been freed but are still in use by open transactions.
 type freelist struct {
-	ids     []pgid          // all free and available free page ids.
-	pending map[txid][]pgid // mapping of soon-to-be free page ids by tx.
-	cache   map[pgid]bool   // fast lookup of all free and pending page ids.
+	ids     []pgid              // all free and available free page ids.
+	allocs  map[pgid]txid       // mapping of txid that allocated a pgid.
+	pending map[txid]*txPending // mapping of soon-to-be free page ids by tx.
+	cache   map[pgid]bool       // fast lookup of all free and pending page ids.
 }
 
 // newFreelist returns an empty, initialized freelist.
 func newFreelist() *freelist {
 	return &freelist{
-		pending: make(map[txid][]pgid),
+		allocs:  make(map[pgid]txid),
+		pending: make(map[txid]*txPending),
 		cache:   make(map[pgid]bool),
 	}
 }
@@ -45,8 +56,8 @@ func (f *freelist) free_count() int {
 // pending_count returns count of pending pages
 func (f *freelist) pending_count() int {
 	var count int
-	for _, list := range f.pending {
-		count += len(list)
+	for _, txp := range f.pending {
+		count += len(txp.ids)
 	}
 	return count
 }
@@ -55,8 +66,8 @@ func (f *freelist) pending_count() int {
 // f.count returns the minimum length required for dst.
 func (f *freelist) copyall(dst []pgid) {
 	m := make(pgids, 0, f.pending_count())
-	for _, list := range f.pending {
-		m = append(m, list...)
+	for _, txp := range f.pending {
+		m = append(m, txp.ids...)
 	}
 	sort.Sort(m)
 	mergepgids(dst, f.ids, m)
@@ -64,7 +75,7 @@ func (f *freelist) copyall(dst []pgid) {
 
 // allocate returns the starting page id of a contiguous list of pages of a given size.
 // If a contiguous block cannot be found then 0 is returned.
-func (f *freelist) allocate(n int) pgid {
+func (f *freelist) allocate(txid txid, n int) pgid {
 	if len(f.ids) == 0 {
 		return 0
 	}
@@ -97,7 +108,7 @@ func (f *freelist) allocate(n int) pgid {
 			for i := pgid(0); i < pgid(n); i++ {
 				delete(f.cache, initial+i)
 			}
-
+			f.allocs[initial] = txid
 			return initial
 		}
 
@@ -114,28 +125,73 @@ func (f *freelist) free(txid txid, p *page) {
 	}
 
 	// Free page and all its overflow pages.
-	var ids = f.pending[txid]
+	txp := f.pending[txid]
+	if txp == nil {
+		txp = &txPending{}
+		f.pending[txid] = txp
+	}
+	allocTxid, ok := f.allocs[p.id]
+	if ok {
+		delete(f.allocs, p.id)
+	} else if (p.flags & (freelistPageFlag | metaPageFlag)) != 0 {
+		// Safe to claim txid as allocating since these types are private to txid.
+		allocTxid = txid
+	}
+
 	for id := p.id; id <= p.id+pgid(p.overflow); id++ {
 		// Verify that page is not already free.
 		if f.cache[id] {
 			panic(fmt.Sprintf("page %d already freed", id))
 		}
-
 		// Add to the freelist and cache.
-		ids = append(ids, id)
+		txp.ids = append(txp.ids, id)
+		txp.alloctx = append(txp.alloctx, allocTxid)
 		f.cache[id] = true
 	}
-	f.pending[txid] = ids
 }
 
 // release moves all page ids for a transaction id (or older) to the freelist.
 func (f *freelist) release(txid txid) {
 	m := make(pgids, 0)
-	for tid, ids := range f.pending {
+	for tid, txp := range f.pending {
 		if tid <= txid {
 			// Move transaction's pending pages to the available freelist.
 			// Don't remove from the cache since the page is still free.
-			m = append(m, ids...)
+			m = append(m, txp.ids...)
+			delete(f.pending, tid)
+		}
+	}
+	sort.Sort(m)
+	f.ids = pgids(f.ids).merge(m)
+}
+
+// releaseRange moves pending pages allocated within an extent [begin,end] to the free list.
+func (f *freelist) releaseRange(begin, end txid) {
+	if begin > end {
+		return
+	}
+	var m pgids
+	for tid, txp := range f.pending {
+		if tid < begin || tid > end {
+			continue
+		}
+		// Don't recompute freed pages if ranges haven't updated.
+		if txp.lastReleaseBegin == begin {
+			continue
+		}
+		for i := 0; i < len(txp.ids); i++ {
+			if atx := txp.alloctx[i]; atx < begin || atx > end {
+				continue
+			}
+			m = append(m, txp.ids[i])
+			txp.ids[i] = txp.ids[len(txp.ids)-1]
+			txp.ids = txp.ids[:len(txp.ids)-1]
+			txp.alloctx[i] = txp.alloctx[len(txp.alloctx)-1]
+			txp.alloctx = txp.alloctx[:len(txp.alloctx)-1]
+			i--
+		}
+		txp.lastReleaseBegin = begin
+		if len(txp.ids) == 0 {
 			delete(f.pending, tid)
 		}
 	}
@@ -146,12 +202,29 @@ func (f *freelist) release(txid txid) {
 // rollback removes the pages from a given pending tx.
 func (f *freelist) rollback(txid txid) {
 	// Remove page ids from cache.
-	for _, id := range f.pending[txid] {
-		delete(f.cache, id)
+	txp := f.pending[txid]
+	if txp == nil {
+		return
 	}
-
-	// Remove pages from pending list.
+	var m pgids
+	for i, pgid := range txp.ids {
+		delete(f.cache, pgid)
+		tx := txp.alloctx[i]
+		if tx == 0 {
+			continue
+		}
+		if tx != txid {
+			// Pending free aborted; restore page back to alloc list.
+			f.allocs[pgid] = tx
+		} else {
+			// Freed page was allocated by this txn; OK to throw away.
+			m = append(m, pgid)
+		}
+	}
+	// Remove pages from pending list and mark as free if allocated by txid.
 	delete(f.pending, txid)
+	sort.Sort(m)
+	f.ids = pgids(f.ids).merge(m)
 }
 
 // freed returns whether a given page is in the free list.
@@ -223,8 +296,8 @@ func (f *freelist) reload(p *page) {
 
 	// Build a cache of only pending pages.
 	pcache := make(map[pgid]bool)
-	for _, pendingIDs := range f.pending {
-		for _, pendingID := range pendingIDs {
+	for _, txp := range f.pending {
+		for _, pendingID := range txp.ids {
 			pcache[pendingID] = true
 		}
 	}
@@ -250,8 +323,8 @@ func (f *freelist) reindex() {
 	for _, id := range f.ids {
 		f.cache[id] = true
 	}
-	for _, pendingIDs := range f.pending {
-		for _, pendingID := range pendingIDs {
+	for _, txp := range f.pending {
+		for _, pendingID := range txp.ids {
 			f.cache[pendingID] = true
 		}
 	}
diff --git a/freelist_test.go b/freelist_test.go
index 4e9b3a8db..4259bedcb 100644
--- a/freelist_test.go
+++ b/freelist_test.go
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import (
 func TestFreelist_free(t *testing.T) {
 	f := newFreelist()
 	f.free(100, &page{id: 12})
-	if !reflect.DeepEqual([]pgid{12}, f.pending[100]) {
+	if !reflect.DeepEqual([]pgid{12}, f.pending[100].ids) {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=%v; got=%v", []pgid{12}, f.pending[100])
 	}
 }
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ func TestFreelist_free(t *testing.T) {
 func TestFreelist_free_overflow(t *testing.T) {
 	f := newFreelist()
 	f.free(100, &page{id: 12, overflow: 3})
-	if exp := []pgid{12, 13, 14, 15}; !reflect.DeepEqual(exp, f.pending[100]) {
+	if exp := []pgid{12, 13, 14, 15}; !reflect.DeepEqual(exp, f.pending[100].ids) {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=%v; got=%v", exp, f.pending[100])
 	}
 }
@@ -46,39 +46,40 @@ func TestFreelist_release(t *testing.T) {
 
 // Ensure that a freelist can find contiguous blocks of pages.
 func TestFreelist_allocate(t *testing.T) {
-	f := &freelist{ids: []pgid{3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 18}}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(3)); id != 3 {
+	f := newFreelist()
+	f.ids = []pgid{3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, 12, 13, 18}
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 3)); id != 3 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=3; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(1)); id != 6 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 1)); id != 6 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=6; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(3)); id != 0 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 3)); id != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=0; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(2)); id != 12 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 2)); id != 12 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=12; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(1)); id != 7 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 1)); id != 7 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=7; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(0)); id != 0 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 0)); id != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=0; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(0)); id != 0 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 0)); id != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=0; got=%v", id)
 	}
 	if exp := []pgid{9, 18}; !reflect.DeepEqual(exp, f.ids) {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=%v; got=%v", exp, f.ids)
 	}
 
-	if id := int(f.allocate(1)); id != 9 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 1)); id != 9 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=9; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(1)); id != 18 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 1)); id != 18 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=18; got=%v", id)
 	}
-	if id := int(f.allocate(1)); id != 0 {
+	if id := int(f.allocate(1, 1)); id != 0 {
 		t.Fatalf("exp=0; got=%v", id)
 	}
 	if exp := []pgid{}; !reflect.DeepEqual(exp, f.ids) {
@@ -113,9 +114,9 @@ func TestFreelist_read(t *testing.T) {
 func TestFreelist_write(t *testing.T) {
 	// Create a freelist and write it to a page.
 	var buf [4096]byte
-	f := &freelist{ids: []pgid{12, 39}, pending: make(map[txid][]pgid)}
-	f.pending[100] = []pgid{28, 11}
-	f.pending[101] = []pgid{3}
+	f := &freelist{ids: []pgid{12, 39}, pending: make(map[txid]*txPending)}
+	f.pending[100] = &txPending{ids: []pgid{28, 11}}
+	f.pending[101] = &txPending{ids: []pgid{3}}
 	p := (*page)(unsafe.Pointer(&buf[0]))
 	if err := f.write(p); err != nil {
 		t.Fatal(err)
@@ -142,7 +143,8 @@ func benchmark_FreelistRelease(b *testing.B, size int) {
 	pending := randomPgids(len(ids) / 400)
 	b.ResetTimer()
 	for i := 0; i < b.N; i++ {
-		f := &freelist{ids: ids, pending: map[txid][]pgid{1: pending}}
+		txp := &txPending{ids: pending}
+		f := &freelist{ids: ids, pending: map[txid]*txPending{1: txp}}
 		f.release(1)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/tx.go b/tx.go
index 97083142b..5370e5fe1 100644
--- a/tx.go
+++ b/tx.go
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ func (tx *Tx) checkBucket(b *Bucket, reachable map[pgid]*page, freed map[pgid]bo
 
 // allocate returns a contiguous block of memory starting at a given page.
 func (tx *Tx) allocate(count int) (*page, error) {
-	p, err := tx.db.allocate(count)
+	p, err := tx.db.allocate(tx.meta.txid, count)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}