--- a/src/kv_list.c	Sun Dec 14 14:15:26 2025 +0100
+++ b/src/kv_list.c	Sun Dec 14 14:29:27 2025 +0100
@@ -381,7 +381,8 @@
     CxHashKey *key_ptr = cx_kv_list_loc_key(kv_list, node_data);
     *key_ptr = *map_entry.key;
 
-    return map_entry;
+    // we must return an entry that points to the node data!
+    return (CxMapEntry ){key_ptr, node_data};
 }
 
 static void *cx_kvl_iter_current_entry(const void *it) {