diff --git a/bucket_map/src/bucket.rs b/bucket_map/src/bucket.rs
index e4ec015c1..943c79483 100644
--- a/bucket_map/src/bucket.rs
+++ b/bucket_map/src/bucket.rs
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ pub struct Bucket<T> {
     pub reallocated: Reallocated,
 }
 
-impl<'b, T: Clone + Copy + 'b> Bucket<T> {
+impl<'b, T: Clone + Copy + 'static> Bucket<T> {
     pub fn new(
         drives: Arc<Vec<PathBuf>>,
         max_search: MaxSearch,
diff --git a/bucket_map/src/bucket_api.rs b/bucket_map/src/bucket_api.rs
index 4f33f6e71..695d6836b 100644
--- a/bucket_map/src/bucket_api.rs
+++ b/bucket_map/src/bucket_api.rs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ use {
 
 type LockedBucket<T> = RwLock<Option<Bucket<T>>>;
 
-pub struct BucketApi<T: Clone + Copy> {
+pub struct BucketApi<T: Clone + Copy + 'static> {
     drives: Arc<Vec<PathBuf>>,
     max_search: MaxSearch,
     pub stats: Arc<BucketMapStats>,
diff --git a/bucket_map/src/bucket_map.rs b/bucket_map/src/bucket_map.rs
index bad5cec5a..86ceef7e8 100644
--- a/bucket_map/src/bucket_map.rs
+++ b/bucket_map/src/bucket_map.rs
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ impl BucketMapConfig {
     }
 }
 
-pub struct BucketMap<T: Clone + Copy + Debug> {
+pub struct BucketMap<T: Clone + Copy + Debug + 'static> {
     buckets: Vec<Arc<BucketApi<T>>>,
     drives: Arc<Vec<PathBuf>>,
     max_buckets_pow2: u8,
diff --git a/bucket_map/src/bucket_storage.rs b/bucket_map/src/bucket_storage.rs
index 69e3eecd2..b69166eb8 100644
--- a/bucket_map/src/bucket_storage.rs
+++ b/bucket_map/src/bucket_storage.rs
@@ -214,13 +214,8 @@ impl BucketStorage {
         }
     }
 
-    pub fn get_empty_cell_slice<T: Sized>(&self) -> &[T] {
-        let len = 0;
-        let item_slice: &[u8] = &self.mmap[0..0];
-        unsafe {
-            let item = item_slice.as_ptr() as *const T;
-            std::slice::from_raw_parts(item, len as usize)
-        }
+    pub fn get_empty_cell_slice<T: Sized + 'static>() -> &'static [T] {
+        &[]
     }
 
     pub fn get_cell_slice<T: Sized>(&self, ix: u64, len: u64) -> &[T] {
diff --git a/bucket_map/src/index_entry.rs b/bucket_map/src/index_entry.rs
index 91e77ac8c..7917488c7 100644
--- a/bucket_map/src/index_entry.rs
+++ b/bucket_map/src/index_entry.rs
@@ -94,18 +94,17 @@ impl IndexEntry {
         self.storage_offset() << (storage.capacity_pow2 - self.storage_capacity_when_created_pow2())
     }
 
-    pub fn read_value<'a, T>(&self, bucket: &'a Bucket<T>) -> Option<(&'a [T], RefCount)> {
-        let data_bucket_ix = self.data_bucket_ix();
-        let data_bucket = &bucket.data[data_bucket_ix as usize];
+    pub fn read_value<'a, T: 'static>(&self, bucket: &'a Bucket<T>) -> Option<(&'a [T], RefCount)> {
         let slice = if self.num_slots > 0 {
+            let data_bucket_ix = self.data_bucket_ix();
+            let data_bucket = &bucket.data[data_bucket_ix as usize];
             let loc = self.data_loc(data_bucket);
             let uid = Self::key_uid(&self.key);
-            assert_eq!(Some(uid), bucket.data[data_bucket_ix as usize].uid(loc));
-            bucket.data[data_bucket_ix as usize].get_cell_slice(loc, self.num_slots)
+            assert_eq!(Some(uid), data_bucket.uid(loc));
+            data_bucket.get_cell_slice(loc, self.num_slots)
         } else {
             // num_slots is 0. This means we don't have an actual allocation.
-            // can we trust that the data_bucket is even safe?
-            bucket.data[data_bucket_ix as usize].get_empty_cell_slice()
+            BucketStorage::get_empty_cell_slice()
         };
         Some((slice, self.ref_count))
     }