diff --git a/source/libs/tdb/src/db/tdbBtree.c b/source/libs/tdb/src/db/tdbBtree.c
index 67b11f8ef4..a1f879c729 100644
--- a/source/libs/tdb/src/db/tdbBtree.c
+++ b/source/libs/tdb/src/db/tdbBtree.c
@@ -187,7 +187,7 @@ int tdbBtCursorInsert(SBtCursor *pCur, const void *pKey, int kLen, const void *p
   }
 
   // Insert the cell to the index
-  ret = tdbPageInsertCell(pCur->pPage, idx, pCell, szCell);
+  ret = tdbPageInsertCell(pCur->pPage, idx, pCell, szCell, 0);
   if (ret < 0) {
     return -1;
   }
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
   SCell *pDivCell[2] = {0};
   int    szDivCell[2];
   int    sIdx;
-  u8     childLeaf;
+  u8     childNotLeaf;
 
   {  // Find 3 child pages at most to do balance
     int    nCells = TDB_PAGE_TOTAL_CELLS(pParent);
@@ -529,14 +529,21 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
       }
     }
     // copy the parent key out if child pages are not leaf page
-    childLeaf = TDB_BTREE_PAGE_IS_LEAF(TDB_BTREE_PAGE_GET_FLAGS(pOlds[0]));
-    if (!childLeaf) {
+    childNotLeaf = !TDB_BTREE_PAGE_IS_LEAF(TDB_BTREE_PAGE_GET_FLAGS(pOlds[0]));
+    if (childNotLeaf) {
       for (int i = 0; i < nOlds - 1; i++) {
         pCell = tdbPageGetCell(pParent, sIdx + i);
 
         szDivCell[i] = tdbBtreeCellSize(pParent, pCell);
         pDivCell[i] = malloc(szDivCell[i]);
         memcpy(pDivCell, pCell, szDivCell[i]);
+
+        ((SPgno *)pDivCell)[0] = ((SIntHdr *)pOlds[i]->pData)->pgno;
+        ((SIntHdr *)pOlds[i]->pData)->pgno = 0;
+
+        // here we insert the cell as an overflow cell to avoid
+        // the slow defragment process
+        tdbPageInsertCell(pOlds[i], TDB_PAGE_TOTAL_CELLS(pOlds[i]), pDivCell[i], szDivCell[i], 1);
       }
     }
     // drop the cells on parent page
@@ -575,7 +582,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
           // page is full, use a new page
           nNews++;
           // for an internal leaf case, this cell is used as the new divider cell to parent
-          if (!childLeaf) continue;
+          if (childNotLeaf) continue;
         }
         infoNews[nNews].cnt++;
         infoNews[nNews].size += cellBytes;
@@ -584,7 +591,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
       }
 
       // For internal pages
-      if (!childLeaf && oPage < nOlds - 1) {
+      if (childNotLeaf && oPage < nOlds - 1) {
         if (infoNews[nNews].size + szDivCell[oPage] + TDB_PAGE_OFFSET_SIZE(pPage) > TDB_PAGE_USABLE_SIZE(pPage)) {
           nNews++;
         }
@@ -607,7 +614,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
       pPage = pOlds[infoNews[iNew - 1].oPage];
       nCells = TDB_PAGE_TOTAL_CELLS(pPage);
 
-      if (childLeaf) {  // child leaf
+      if (!childNotLeaf) {  // child leaf
         for (;;) {
           pCell = tdbPageGetCell(pPage, infoNews[iNew - 1].oIdx);
           cellBytes = TDB_BYTES_CELL_TAKEN(pPage, pCell);
@@ -729,7 +736,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
     nCells = TDB_PAGE_TOTAL_CELLS(pOlds[iOld]);
     tdbBtreeZeroPage(pTPage[tPage], &iarg);
     tdbPageCopy(pOlds[iOld], pTPage[tPage]);
-    if (!childLeaf) {
+    if (childNotLeaf) {
       ((SIntHdr *)pTPage[tPage]->pData)->pgno = ((SIntHdr *)pOlds[iOld]->pData)->pgno;
     }
 
@@ -746,7 +753,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
             tIdx++;
             break;
           } else {
-            if (!childLeaf) {
+            if (childNotLeaf) {
               if (iOld < nOlds - 1) {
                 pCell = pDivCell[iOld];
                 szCell = szDivCell[iOld];
@@ -780,18 +787,18 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
           }
         }
 
-        tdbPageInsertCell(pNews[iNew], iCell, pCell, szCell);
+        tdbPageInsertCell(pNews[iNew], iCell, pCell, szCell, 0);
       }
 
       // fill right-most child pgno if internal page
-      if (!childLeaf) {
+      if (childNotLeaf) {
         if (tIdx < nCells) {
           pCell = tdbPageGetCell(pTPage[tPage], tIdx);
           szCell = tdbBtreeCellSize(pTPage[tPage], pCell);
           tIdx++;
           break;
         } else {
-          if (!childLeaf) {
+          if (!childNotLeaf) {
             if (iOld < nOlds - 1) {
               pCell = pDivCell[iOld];
               szCell = szDivCell[iOld];
@@ -836,7 +843,7 @@ static int tdbBtreeBalanceNonRoot(SBTree *pBt, SPage *pParent, int idx) {
         tdbBtreeEncodeCell(pParent, cd.pKey, cd.kLen, (void *)&TDB_PAGE_PGNO(pNews[iNew]), sizeof(SPgno), pCell,
                            &szCell);
         // TODO: the cell here may be used by pParent as an overflow cell
-        tdbPageInsertCell(pParent, sIdx++, pCell, szCell);
+        tdbPageInsertCell(pParent, sIdx++, pCell, szCell, 0);
       }
     }
 
diff --git a/source/libs/tdb/src/inc/tdbPage.h b/source/libs/tdb/src/inc/tdbPage.h
index 0ba7cf236b..a6f9fbf615 100644
--- a/source/libs/tdb/src/inc/tdbPage.h
+++ b/source/libs/tdb/src/inc/tdbPage.h
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ int  tdbPageCreate(int pageSize, SPage **ppPage, void *(*xMalloc)(void *, size_t
 int  tdbPageDestroy(SPage *pPage, void (*xFree)(void *arg, void *ptr), void *arg);
 void tdbPageZero(SPage *pPage, u8 szAmHdr, int (*xCellSize)(const SPage *, SCell *));
 void tdbPageInit(SPage *pPage, u8 szAmHdr, int (*xCellSize)(const SPage *, SCell *));
-int  tdbPageInsertCell(SPage *pPage, int idx, SCell *pCell, int szCell);
+int  tdbPageInsertCell(SPage *pPage, int idx, SCell *pCell, int szCell, u8 asOvfl);
 int  tdbPageDropCell(SPage *pPage, int idx);
 void tdbPageCopy(SPage *pFromPage, SPage *pToPage);
 
diff --git a/source/libs/tdb/src/page/tdbPage.c b/source/libs/tdb/src/page/tdbPage.c
index 14960de45d..ee1a021a1b 100644
--- a/source/libs/tdb/src/page/tdbPage.c
+++ b/source/libs/tdb/src/page/tdbPage.c
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ void tdbPageInit(SPage *pPage, u8 szAmHdr, int (*xCellSize)(const SPage *, SCell
   ASSERT(pPage->pFreeEnd - pPage->pFreeStart <= TDB_PAGE_NFREE(pPage));
 }
 
-int tdbPageInsertCell(SPage *pPage, int idx, SCell *pCell, int szCell) {
+int tdbPageInsertCell(SPage *pPage, int idx, SCell *pCell, int szCell, u8 asOvfl) {
   int    nFree;
   int    nCells;
   int    iOvfl;
@@ -135,7 +135,19 @@ int tdbPageInsertCell(SPage *pPage, int idx, SCell *pCell, int szCell) {
 
   lidx = idx - iOvfl;
 
-  if (nFree >= szCell + TDB_PAGE_OFFSET_SIZE(pPage)) {
+  if (asOvfl || nFree < szCell + TDB_PAGE_OFFSET_SIZE(pPage)) {
+    // TODO: make it extensible
+    // add the cell as an overflow cell
+    for (int i = pPage->nOverflow; i > iOvfl; i--) {
+      pPage->apOvfl[i] = pPage->apOvfl[i - 1];
+      pPage->aiOvfl[i] = pPage->aiOvfl[i - 1];
+    }
+
+    pPage->apOvfl[iOvfl] = pCell;
+    pPage->aiOvfl[iOvfl] = idx;
+    pPage->nOverflow++;
+    iOvfl++;
+  } else {
     // page must has enough space to hold the cell locally
     tdbPageAllocate(pPage, szCell, &pNewCell);
 
@@ -149,18 +161,6 @@ int tdbPageInsertCell(SPage *pPage, int idx, SCell *pCell, int szCell) {
     TDB_PAGE_NCELLS_SET(pPage, nCells + 1);
 
     ASSERT(pPage->pFreeStart == pPage->pCellIdx + TDB_PAGE_OFFSET_SIZE(pPage) * (nCells + 1));
-  } else {
-    // TODO: make it extensible
-    // add the cell as an overflow cell
-    for (int i = pPage->nOverflow; i > iOvfl; i--) {
-      pPage->apOvfl[i] = pPage->apOvfl[i - 1];
-      pPage->aiOvfl[i] = pPage->aiOvfl[i - 1];
-    }
-
-    pPage->apOvfl[iOvfl] = pCell;
-    pPage->aiOvfl[iOvfl] = idx;
-    pPage->nOverflow++;
-    iOvfl++;
   }
 
   for (; iOvfl < pPage->nOverflow; iOvfl++) {