diff --git a/logd/LogBuffer.cpp b/logd/LogBuffer.cpp
index 5cab7a8..a009433 100644
--- a/logd/LogBuffer.cpp
+++ b/logd/LogBuffer.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
  * See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
  * limitations under the License.
  */
+// for manual checking of stale entries during LogBuffer::erase()
+//#define DEBUG_CHECK_FOR_STALE_ENTRIES
 
 #include <ctype.h>
 #include <errno.h>
@@ -256,6 +258,11 @@
     log_id_for_each(i) {
         doSetLast |= setLast[i] = mLastSet[i] && (it == mLast[i]);
     }
+#ifdef DEBUG_CHECK_FOR_STALE_ENTRIES
+    LogBufferElementCollection::iterator bad = it;
+    int key = ((id == LOG_ID_EVENTS) || (id == LOG_ID_SECURITY)) ?
+            element->getTag() : element->getUid();
+#endif
     it = mLogElements.erase(it);
     if (doSetLast) {
         log_id_for_each(i) {
@@ -269,6 +276,27 @@
             }
         }
     }
+#ifdef DEBUG_CHECK_FOR_STALE_ENTRIES
+    log_id_for_each(i) {
+        for(auto b : mLastWorst[i]) {
+            if (bad == b.second) {
+                android::prdebug("stale mLastWorst[%d] key=%d mykey=%d\n",
+                                 i, b.first, key);
+            }
+        }
+        for(auto b : mLastWorstPidOfSystem[i]) {
+            if (bad == b.second) {
+                android::prdebug("stale mLastWorstPidOfSystem[%d] pid=%d\n",
+                                 i, b.first);
+            }
+        }
+        if (mLastSet[i] && (bad == mLast[i])) {
+            android::prdebug("stale mLast[%d]\n", i);
+            mLastSet[i] = false;
+            mLast[i] = mLogElements.begin();
+        }
+    }
+#endif
     if (coalesce) {
         stats.erase(element);
     } else {
diff --git a/logd/LogBufferElement.cpp b/logd/LogBufferElement.cpp
index a939002..f5c60c7 100644
--- a/logd/LogBufferElement.cpp
+++ b/logd/LogBufferElement.cpp
@@ -36,29 +36,24 @@
 LogBufferElement::LogBufferElement(log_id_t log_id, log_time realtime,
                                    uid_t uid, pid_t pid, pid_t tid,
                                    const char *msg, unsigned short len) :
-        mLogId(log_id),
         mUid(uid),
         mPid(pid),
         mTid(tid),
-        mMsgLen(len),
         mSequence(sequence.fetch_add(1, memory_order_relaxed)),
-        mRealTime(realtime) {
+        mRealTime(realtime),
+        mMsgLen(len),
+        mLogId(log_id) {
     mMsg = new char[len];
     memcpy(mMsg, msg, len);
+    mTag = (isBinary() && (mMsgLen >= sizeof(uint32_t))) ?
+        le32toh(reinterpret_cast<android_event_header_t *>(mMsg)->tag) :
+        0;
 }
 
 LogBufferElement::~LogBufferElement() {
     delete [] mMsg;
 }
 
-uint32_t LogBufferElement::getTag() const {
-    if (((mLogId != LOG_ID_EVENTS) && (mLogId != LOG_ID_SECURITY)) ||
-            !mMsg || (mMsgLen < sizeof(uint32_t))) {
-        return 0;
-    }
-    return le32toh(reinterpret_cast<android_event_header_t *>(mMsg)->tag);
-}
-
 // caller must own and free character string
 char *android::tidToName(pid_t tid) {
     char *retval = NULL;
@@ -164,7 +159,7 @@
     size_t hdrLen;
     // LOG_ID_SECURITY not strictly needed since spam filter not activated,
     // but required for accuracy.
-    if ((mLogId == LOG_ID_EVENTS) || (mLogId == LOG_ID_SECURITY)) {
+    if (isBinary()) {
         hdrLen = sizeof(android_log_event_string_t);
     } else {
         hdrLen = 1 + sizeof(tag);
@@ -178,7 +173,7 @@
     }
 
     size_t retval = hdrLen + len;
-    if ((mLogId == LOG_ID_EVENTS) || (mLogId == LOG_ID_SECURITY)) {
+    if (isBinary()) {
         android_log_event_string_t *event =
             reinterpret_cast<android_log_event_string_t *>(buffer);
 
diff --git a/logd/LogBufferElement.h b/logd/LogBufferElement.h
index 2c7fd44..fb7fbed 100644
--- a/logd/LogBufferElement.h
+++ b/logd/LogBufferElement.h
@@ -36,33 +36,40 @@
 
     friend LogBuffer;
 
-    const log_id_t mLogId;
-    const uid_t mUid;
-    const pid_t mPid;
-    const pid_t mTid;
-    char *mMsg;
-    union {
-        const unsigned short mMsgLen; // mMSg != NULL
-        unsigned short mDropped;      // mMsg == NULL
-    };
+    // sized to match reality of incoming log packets
+    uint32_t mTag; // only valid for isBinary()
+    const uint32_t mUid;
+    const uint32_t mPid;
+    const uint32_t mTid;
     const uint64_t mSequence;
     log_time mRealTime;
+    char *mMsg;
+    union {
+        const uint16_t mMsgLen; // mMSg != NULL
+        uint16_t mDropped;      // mMsg == NULL
+    };
+    const uint8_t mLogId;
+
     static atomic_int_fast64_t sequence;
 
     // assumption: mMsg == NULL
     size_t populateDroppedMessage(char *&buffer,
                                   LogBuffer *parent);
-
 public:
     LogBufferElement(log_id_t log_id, log_time realtime,
                      uid_t uid, pid_t pid, pid_t tid,
                      const char *msg, unsigned short len);
     virtual ~LogBufferElement();
 
-    log_id_t getLogId() const { return mLogId; }
+    bool isBinary(void) const {
+        return (mLogId == LOG_ID_EVENTS) || (mLogId == LOG_ID_SECURITY);
+    }
+
+    log_id_t getLogId() const { return static_cast<log_id_t>(mLogId); }
     uid_t getUid(void) const { return mUid; }
     pid_t getPid(void) const { return mPid; }
     pid_t getTid(void) const { return mTid; }
+    uint32_t getTag() const { return mTag; }
     unsigned short getDropped(void) const { return mMsg ? 0 : mDropped; }
     unsigned short setDropped(unsigned short value) {
         if (mMsg) {
@@ -76,8 +83,6 @@
     static uint64_t getCurrentSequence(void) { return sequence.load(memory_order_relaxed); }
     log_time getRealTime(void) const { return mRealTime; }
 
-    uint32_t getTag(void) const;
-
     static const uint64_t FLUSH_ERROR;
     uint64_t flushTo(SocketClient *writer, LogBuffer *parent, bool privileged);
 };