diff --git a/utilities/write_batch_with_index/write_batch_with_index.cc b/utilities/write_batch_with_index/write_batch_with_index.cc
index f969f6067f0..d5a2f035108 100644
--- a/utilities/write_batch_with_index/write_batch_with_index.cc
+++ b/utilities/write_batch_with_index/write_batch_with_index.cc
@@ -669,27 +669,41 @@ void WriteBatchWithIndex::MultiGetFromBatchAndDB(
     return;
   }
 
-  autovector<PinnableWideColumns, MultiGetContext::MAX_BATCH_SIZE> existing;
-  existing.reserve(num_keys);
+  struct MergeTuple {
+    MergeTuple(const Slice& _key, Status* _s, MergeContext&& _merge_context,
+               PinnableSlice* _value)
+        : key(_key),
+          s(_s),
+          merge_context(std::move(_merge_context)),
+          value(_value) {
+      assert(s);
+      assert(value);
+    }
 
-  autovector<KeyContext, MultiGetContext::MAX_BATCH_SIZE> key_contexts;
-  key_contexts.reserve(num_keys);
+    Slice key;
+    Status* s;
+    PinnableWideColumns existing;
+    MergeContext merge_context;
+    PinnableSlice* value;
+  };
 
-  using MergeTuple = std::tuple<KeyContext*, MergeContext, PinnableSlice*>;
   autovector<MergeTuple, MultiGetContext::MAX_BATCH_SIZE> merges;
-  merges.reserve(num_keys);
+
+  autovector<KeyContext, MultiGetContext::MAX_BATCH_SIZE> key_contexts;
 
   // Since the lifetime of the WriteBatch is the same as that of the transaction
   // we cannot pin it as otherwise the returned value will not be available
   // after the transaction finishes.
   for (size_t i = 0; i < num_keys; ++i) {
+    const Slice& key = keys[i];
     MergeContext merge_context;
     std::string batch_value;
-    Status* s = &statuses[i];
-    PinnableSlice* pinnable_val = &values[i];
-    pinnable_val->Reset();
+    Status* const s = &statuses[i];
     auto result = WriteBatchWithIndexInternal::GetFromBatch(
-        this, column_family, keys[i], &merge_context, &batch_value, s);
+        this, column_family, key, &merge_context, &batch_value, s);
+
+    PinnableSlice* const pinnable_val = &values[i];
+    pinnable_val->Reset();
 
     if (result == WBWIIteratorImpl::kFound) {
       *pinnable_val->GetSelf() = std::move(batch_value);
@@ -708,27 +722,35 @@ void WriteBatchWithIndex::MultiGetFromBatchAndDB(
 
     // Note: we have to retrieve all columns if we have to merge KVs from the
     // batch and the DB; otherwise, the default column is sufficient.
+    // The columns field will be populated by the loop below to prevent issues
+    // with dangling pointers.
     if (result == WBWIIteratorImpl::kMergeInProgress) {
-      existing.emplace_back();
-      key_contexts.emplace_back(column_family, keys[i], /* value */ nullptr,
-                                &existing.back(), /* timestamp */ nullptr,
-                                &statuses[i]);
-      merges.emplace_back(&key_contexts.back(), std::move(merge_context),
-                          pinnable_val);
+      merges.emplace_back(key, s, std::move(merge_context), pinnable_val);
+      key_contexts.emplace_back(column_family, key, /* value */ nullptr,
+                                /* columns */ nullptr, /* timestamp */ nullptr,
+                                s);
       continue;
     }
 
     assert(result == WBWIIteratorImpl::kNotFound);
-    key_contexts.emplace_back(column_family, keys[i], pinnable_val,
+    key_contexts.emplace_back(column_family, key, pinnable_val,
                               /* columns */ nullptr,
-                              /* timestamp */ nullptr, &statuses[i]);
+                              /* timestamp */ nullptr, s);
   }
 
   autovector<KeyContext*, MultiGetContext::MAX_BATCH_SIZE> sorted_keys;
   sorted_keys.reserve(key_contexts.size());
 
-  for (KeyContext& key : key_contexts) {
-    sorted_keys.emplace_back(&key);
+  size_t merges_idx = 0;
+  for (KeyContext& key_context : key_contexts) {
+    if (!key_context.value) {
+      assert(*key_context.key == merges[merges_idx].key);
+
+      key_context.columns = &merges[merges_idx].existing;
+      ++merges_idx;
+    }
+
+    sorted_keys.emplace_back(&key_context);
   }
 
   // Did not find key in batch OR could not resolve Merges.  Try DB.
@@ -738,14 +760,10 @@ void WriteBatchWithIndex::MultiGetFromBatchAndDB(
       ->MultiGetWithCallback(read_options, column_family, callback,
                              &sorted_keys);
 
-  for (auto iter = merges.begin(); iter != merges.end(); ++iter) {
-    auto& [key_context, merge_context, value] = *iter;
-
-    if (key_context->s->ok() ||
-        key_context->s->IsNotFound()) {  // DB lookup succeeded
-      MergeAcrossBatchAndDB(column_family, *key_context->key,
-                            *key_context->columns, merge_context, value,
-                            key_context->s);
+  for (const auto& merge : merges) {
+    if (merge.s->ok() || merge.s->IsNotFound()) {  // DB lookup succeeded
+      MergeAcrossBatchAndDB(column_family, merge.key, merge.existing,
+                            merge.merge_context, merge.value, merge.s);
     }
   }
 }