diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
index 5ea9e81c9c..9878251483 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
@@ -1714,21 +1714,114 @@ playlog_cb( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 	return rs->sr_err;
 }
 
-/* enter with sl->sl_mutex locked, release before returning */
-static void
-syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
-	sync_control *srs, BerVarray ctxcsn, int numcsns, int *sids )
+/*
+ * Check whether the last nmods UUIDs in the uuids list exist in the database
+ * and (still) match the op filter, zero out the bv_len of any that still exist
+ * and return the number of UUIDs we have confirmed are gone now.
+ */
+static int
+check_uuidlist_presence(
+		Operation *op,
+		struct berval *uuids,
+		int len,
+		int nmods )
+{
+	slap_overinst *on = (slap_overinst *)op->o_bd->bd_info;
+	Operation fop = *op;
+	SlapReply frs = { REP_RESULT };
+	Filter mf, af;
+	AttributeAssertion eq = ATTRIBUTEASSERTION_INIT;
+	slap_callback cb = {0};
+	int i, mods = nmods;
+
+	fop.o_sync_mode = 0;
+	fop.o_callback = &cb;
+	fop.ors_limit = NULL;
+	fop.ors_tlimit = SLAP_NO_LIMIT;
+	fop.ors_attrs = slap_anlist_all_attributes;
+	fop.ors_attrsonly = 0;
+	fop.o_managedsait = SLAP_CONTROL_CRITICAL;
+
+	af.f_choice = LDAP_FILTER_AND;
+	af.f_next = NULL;
+	af.f_and = &mf;
+	mf.f_choice = LDAP_FILTER_EQUALITY;
+	mf.f_ava = &eq;
+	mf.f_av_desc = slap_schema.si_ad_entryUUID;
+	mf.f_next = fop.ors_filter;
+
+	fop.ors_filter = ⁡
+
+	cb.sc_response = playlog_cb;
+
+	fop.o_bd->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on->on_info;
+	for ( i=0; i<nmods; i++ ) {
+		mf.f_av_value = uuids[ len - 1 - i ];
+		cb.sc_private = NULL;
+		fop.ors_slimit = 1;
+
+		if ( BER_BVISEMPTY( &mf.f_av_value ) ) {
+			mods--;
+			continue;
+		}
+
+		rs_reinit( &frs, REP_RESULT );
+		fop.o_bd->be_search( &fop, &frs );
+		if ( cb.sc_private ) {
+			uuids[ len - 1 - i ].bv_len = 0;
+			mods--;
+		}
+	}
+	fop.o_bd->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on;
+
+	return mods;
+}
+
+static int
+syncprov_play_sessionlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sync_control *srs,
+		BerVarray ctxcsn, int numcsns, int *sids,
+		struct berval *mincsn, int minsid )
 {
 	slap_overinst		*on = (slap_overinst *)op->o_bd->bd_info;
+	syncprov_info_t *si = (syncprov_info_t *)on->on_bi.bi_private;
+	sessionlog *sl = si->si_logs;
+	int i, j, ndel, num, nmods, mmods, do_play = 0, rc = -1;
+	BerVarray uuids, csns;
+	struct berval uuid[2] = {}, csn[2] = {};
 	slog_entry *se;
-	int i, j, ndel, num, nmods, mmods;
-	char cbuf[LDAP_PVT_CSNSTR_BUFSIZE];
-	BerVarray uuids;
-	struct berval delcsn[2];
+	TAvlnode *entry;
 
+	ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &sl->sl_mutex );
+	/* Are there any log entries, and is the consumer state
+	 * present in the session log?
+	 */
 	if ( !sl->sl_num ) {
 		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &sl->sl_mutex );
-		return;
+		return rc;
+	}
+	assert( sl->sl_num > 0 );
+
+	for ( i=0; i<sl->sl_numcsns; i++ ) {
+		/* SID not present == new enough */
+		if ( minsid < sl->sl_sids[i] ) {
+			do_play = 1;
+			break;
+		}
+		/* SID present */
+		if ( minsid == sl->sl_sids[i] ) {
+			/* new enough? */
+			if ( ber_bvcmp( mincsn, &sl->sl_mincsn[i] ) >= 0 )
+				do_play = 1;
+			break;
+		}
+	}
+	/* SID not present == new enough */
+	if ( i == sl->sl_numcsns )
+		do_play = 1;
+
+	if ( !do_play ) {
+		ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &sl->sl_mutex );
+		return rc;
 	}
 
 	num = sl->sl_num;
@@ -1737,13 +1830,12 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 	sl->sl_playing++;
 	ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &sl->sl_mutex );
 
-	uuids = op->o_tmpalloc( (num+1) * sizeof( struct berval ) +
-		num * UUID_LEN, op->o_tmpmemctx );
-	uuids[0].bv_val = (char *)(uuids + num + 1);
-
-	delcsn[0].bv_len = 0;
-	delcsn[0].bv_val = cbuf;
-	BER_BVZERO(&delcsn[1]);
+	uuids = op->o_tmpalloc( (num) * sizeof( struct berval ) +
+			num * UUID_LEN, op->o_tmpmemctx );
+	uuids[0].bv_val = (char *)(uuids + num);
+	csns = op->o_tmpalloc( (num) * sizeof( struct berval ) +
+			num * LDAP_PVT_CSNSTR_BUFSIZE, op->o_tmpmemctx );
+	csns[0].bv_val = (char *)(csns + num);
 
 	/* Make a copy of the relevant UUIDs. Put the Deletes up front
 	 * and everything else at the end. Do this first so we can
@@ -1759,10 +1851,11 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 			char uuidstr[40];
 			lutil_uuidstr_from_normalized( se->se_uuid.bv_val, se->se_uuid.bv_len,
 				uuidstr, 40 );
-			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_playlog: "
+			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_play_sessionlog: "
 				"log entry tag=%lu uuid=%s cookie=%s\n",
 				op->o_log_prefix, se->se_tag, uuidstr, se->se_csn.bv_val );
 		}
+
 		ndel = 1;
 		for ( k=0; k<srs->sr_state.numcsns; k++ ) {
 			if ( se->se_sid == srs->sr_state.sids[k] ) {
@@ -1771,7 +1864,7 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 			}
 		}
 		if ( ndel <= 0 ) {
-			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_playlog: "
+			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_play_sessionlog: "
 				"cmp %d, csn %s too old, skipping\n",
 				op->o_log_prefix, ndel, se->se_csn.bv_val );
 			continue;
@@ -1784,7 +1877,7 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 			}
 		}
 		if ( ndel > 0 ) {
-			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_playlog: "
+			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_play_sessionlog: "
 				"cmp %d, csn %s too new, we're finished\n",
 				op->o_log_prefix, ndel, se->se_csn.bv_val );
 			break;
@@ -1792,9 +1885,6 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 		if ( se->se_tag == LDAP_REQ_DELETE ) {
 			j = i;
 			i++;
-			AC_MEMCPY( cbuf, se->se_csn.bv_val, se->se_csn.bv_len );
-			delcsn[0].bv_len = se->se_csn.bv_len;
-			delcsn[0].bv_val[delcsn[0].bv_len] = '\0';
 		} else {
 			if ( se->se_tag == LDAP_REQ_ADD )
 				continue;
@@ -1805,14 +1895,18 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 		AC_MEMCPY(uuids[j].bv_val, se->se_uuid.bv_val, UUID_LEN);
 		uuids[j].bv_len = UUID_LEN;
 
+		csns[j].bv_val = csns[0].bv_val + (j * LDAP_PVT_CSNSTR_BUFSIZE);
+		AC_MEMCPY(csns[j].bv_val, se->se_csn.bv_val, se->se_csn.bv_len);
+		csns[j].bv_len = se->se_csn.bv_len;
+
 		if ( LogTest( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC ) ) {
 			char uuidstr[40];
 			lutil_uuidstr_from_normalized( uuids[j].bv_val, uuids[j].bv_len,
 				uuidstr, 40 );
-			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_playlog: "
+			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_play_sessionlog: "
 				"picking a %s entry uuid=%s cookie=%s\n",
 				op->o_log_prefix, se->se_tag == LDAP_REQ_DELETE ? "deleted" : "modified",
-				uuidstr, delcsn[0].bv_len ? delcsn[0].bv_val : "(null)" );
+				uuidstr, csns[j].bv_len ? csns[j].bv_val : "(null)" );
 		}
 	}
 	ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &sl->sl_mutex );
@@ -1848,72 +1942,57 @@ syncprov_playlog( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs, sessionlog *sl,
 		}
 	}
 
+	/* Check mods now */
 	if ( mmods ) {
-		Operation fop;
-		int rc;
-		Filter mf, af;
-		AttributeAssertion eq = ATTRIBUTEASSERTION_INIT;
-		slap_callback cb = {0};
-
-		fop = *op;
-
-		fop.o_sync_mode = 0;
-		fop.o_callback = &cb;
-		fop.ors_limit = NULL;
-		fop.ors_tlimit = SLAP_NO_LIMIT;
-		fop.ors_attrs = slap_anlist_all_attributes;
-		fop.ors_attrsonly = 0;
-		fop.o_managedsait = SLAP_CONTROL_CRITICAL;
-
-		af.f_choice = LDAP_FILTER_AND;
-		af.f_next = NULL;
-		af.f_and = &mf;
-		mf.f_choice = LDAP_FILTER_EQUALITY;
-		mf.f_ava = &eq;
-		mf.f_av_desc = slap_schema.si_ad_entryUUID;
-		mf.f_next = fop.ors_filter;
-
-		fop.ors_filter = &af;
-
-		cb.sc_response = playlog_cb;
-		fop.o_bd->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on->on_info;
-
-		for ( i=ndel; i<num; i++ ) {
-		  if ( uuids[i].bv_len != 0 ) {
-			SlapReply frs = { REP_RESULT };
-
-			mf.f_av_value = uuids[i];
-			cb.sc_private = NULL;
-			fop.ors_slimit = 1;
-			rc = fop.o_bd->be_search( &fop, &frs );
-
-			/* If entry was not found, add to delete list */
-			if ( !cb.sc_private ) {
-				uuids[ndel++] = uuids[i];
-			}
-		  }
-		}
-		fop.o_bd->bd_info = (BackendInfo *)on;
+		check_uuidlist_presence( op, uuids, num, nmods );
 	}
-	if ( ndel ) {
+
+	/* ITS#8768 Send entries sorted by CSN order */
+	i = j = 0;
+	while ( i < ndel || j < nmods ) {
 		struct berval cookie;
+		int index;
 
-		if ( delcsn[0].bv_len ) {
-			slap_compose_sync_cookie( op, &cookie, delcsn, srs->sr_state.rid,
-				slap_serverID ? slap_serverID : -1, delcsn );
+		/* Skip over duplicate mods */
+		if ( j < nmods && BER_BVISEMPTY( &uuids[ num - 1 - j ] ) ) {
+			j++;
+			continue;
+		}
+		index = num - 1 - j;
 
-			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_playlog: cookie=%s\n",
-				op->o_log_prefix, cookie.bv_val );
+		if ( i >= ndel ) {
+			j++;
+		} else if ( j >= nmods ) {
+			index = i++;
+		/* Take the oldest by CSN order */
+		} else if ( ber_bvcmp( &csns[index], &csns[i] ) < 0 ) {
+			j++;
+		} else {
+			index = i++;
 		}
 
-		uuids[ndel].bv_val = NULL;
-		syncprov_sendinfo( op, rs, LDAP_TAG_SYNC_ID_SET,
-			delcsn[0].bv_len ? &cookie : NULL, 0, uuids, 1 );
-		if ( delcsn[0].bv_len ) {
-			op->o_tmpfree( cookie.bv_val, op->o_tmpmemctx );
+		uuid[0] = uuids[index];
+		csn[0] = csns[index];
+
+		slap_compose_sync_cookie( op, &cookie, srs->sr_state.ctxcsn,
+				srs->sr_state.rid, slap_serverID ? slap_serverID : -1, csn );
+		if ( LogTest( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC ) ) {
+			char uuidstr[40];
+			lutil_uuidstr_from_normalized( uuid[0].bv_val, uuid[0].bv_len,
+					uuidstr, 40 );
+			Debug( LDAP_DEBUG_SYNC, "%s syncprov_play_sessionlog: "
+					"sending a new disappearing entry uuid=%s cookie=%s\n",
+					op->o_log_prefix, uuidstr, cookie.bv_val );
 		}
+
+		/* TODO: we might batch those that share the same CSN (think present
+		 * phase), but would have to limit how many we send out at once */
+		syncprov_sendinfo( op, rs, LDAP_TAG_SYNC_ID_SET, &cookie, 0, uuid, 1 );
 	}
 	op->o_tmpfree( uuids, op->o_tmpmemctx );
+	op->o_tmpfree( csns, op->o_tmpmemctx );
+
+	return LDAP_SUCCESS;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -2855,40 +2934,11 @@ no_change:	if ( !(op->o_sync_mode & SLAP_SYNC_PERSIST) ) {
 			goto shortcut;
 		}
 
-		/* Do we have a sessionlog for this search? */
-		sl=si->si_logs;
-		if ( sl ) {
-			int do_play = 0;
-			ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &sl->sl_mutex );
-			/* Are there any log entries, and is the consumer state
-			 * present in the session log?
-			 */
-			if ( sl->sl_num > 0 ) {
-				int i;
-				for ( i=0; i<sl->sl_numcsns; i++ ) {
-					/* SID not present == new enough */
-					if ( minsid < sl->sl_sids[i] ) {
-						do_play = 1;
-						break;
-					}
-					/* SID present */
-					if ( minsid == sl->sl_sids[i] ) {
-						/* new enough? */
-						if ( ber_bvcmp( &mincsn, &sl->sl_mincsn[i] ) >= 0 )
-							do_play = 1;
-						break;
-					}
-				}
-				/* SID not present == new enough */
-				if ( i == sl->sl_numcsns )
-					do_play = 1;
-			}
-			if ( do_play ) {
-				do_present = 0;
-				/* mutex is unlocked in playlog */
-				syncprov_playlog( op, rs, sl, srs, ctxcsn, numcsns, sids );
-			} else {
-				ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &sl->sl_mutex );
+		if ( si->si_logs ) {
+			do_present = 0;
+			if ( syncprov_play_sessionlog( op, rs, srs, ctxcsn,
+					numcsns, sids, &mincsn, minsid ) ) {
+				do_present = SS_PRESENT;
 			}
 		}
 		/*