diff --git a/src/hanoi_merger.erl b/src/hanoi_merger.erl
index 93a5191..adeb593 100644
--- a/src/hanoi_merger.erl
+++ b/src/hanoi_merger.erl
@@ -53,17 +53,15 @@ merge(A,B,C, Size, IsLastLevel, Options) ->
     {node, AKVs} = hanoi_reader:first_node(BT1),
     {node, BKVs} = hanoi_reader:first_node(BT2),
 
-    {ok, Count, Out2} = scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, 0, {0, none}),
+    scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, 0, {0, none}).
 
-    %% finish stream tree
-    ok = hanoi_reader:close(BT1),
-    ok = hanoi_reader:close(BT2),
+terminate(Count, Out) ->
 
     case ?LOCAL_WRITER of
         true ->
-            {stop, normal, ok, _} = hanoi_writer:handle_call(close, self(), Out2);
+            {stop, normal, ok, _} = hanoi_writer:handle_call(close, self(), Out);
         false ->
-            ok = hanoi_writer:close(Out2)
+            ok = hanoi_writer:close(Out)
     end,
 
     {ok, Count}.
@@ -71,6 +69,16 @@ merge(A,B,C, Size, IsLastLevel, Options) ->
 step({N, From}) ->
     {N-1, From}.
 
+hibernate_scan(Keep) ->
+    error_logger:info_msg("hibernating ~p~n", [self()]),
+    erlang:garbage_collect(),
+    receive
+        {step, From, HowMany} ->
+            error_logger:info_msg("waking up ~p~n", [self()]),
+            {BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count} = erlang:binary_to_term( zlib:gunzip( Keep ) ),
+            scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count, {HowMany, From})
+    end.
+
 scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count, {0, FromPID}) ->
     case FromPID of
         none ->
@@ -82,6 +90,10 @@ scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count, {0, FromPID}) ->
     receive
         {step, From, HowMany} ->
             scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count, {HowMany, From})
+    after 10000 ->
+            Args = {BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count},
+            Keep = zlib:gzip ( erlang:term_to_binary( Args ) ),
+            hibernate_scan(Keep)
     end;
 
 scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, [], BKVs, Count, Step) ->
@@ -89,6 +101,7 @@ scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, [], BKVs, Count, Step) ->
         {node, AKVs} ->
             scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count, Step);
         end_of_data ->
+            hanoi_reader:close(BT1),
             scan_only(BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, BKVs, Count, Step)
     end;
 
@@ -97,6 +110,7 @@ scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, [], Count, Step) ->
         {node, BKVs} ->
             scan(BT1, BT2, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, BKVs, Count, Step);
         end_of_data ->
+            hanoi_reader:close(BT2),
             scan_only(BT1, Out, IsLastLevel, AKVs, Count, Step)
     end;
 
@@ -144,7 +158,8 @@ scan_only(BT, Out, IsLastLevel, [], Count, {_, FromPID}=Step) ->
                 {PID, Ref} ->
                     PID ! {Ref, step_done}
             end,
-            {ok, Count, Out}
+            hanoi_reader:close(BT),
+            terminate(Count, Out)
     end;
 
 scan_only(BT, Out, true, [{_,?TOMBSTONE}|Rest], Count, Step) ->