diff --git a/crates/milli/src/update/new/extract/cache.rs b/crates/milli/src/update/new/extract/cache.rs
index be077d142..ae5ade17e 100644
--- a/crates/milli/src/update/new/extract/cache.rs
+++ b/crates/milli/src/update/new/extract/cache.rs
@@ -566,6 +566,116 @@ where
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Merges the caches that must be all associated to the same bucket.
+///
+/// It merges entries like the `merge_caches` function
+pub fn merge_caches_alt<F>(frozen: Vec<FrozenCache>, mut f: F) -> Result<()>
+where
+    F: for<'a> FnMut(&'a [u8], DelAddRoaringBitmap) -> Result<()>,
+{
+    let mut maps = Vec::new();
+    let mut readers = Vec::new();
+    let mut current_bucket = None;
+    for FrozenCache { bucket, cache, ref mut spilled } in frozen {
+        assert_eq!(*current_bucket.get_or_insert(bucket), bucket);
+        maps.push(cache);
+        readers.append(spilled);
+    }
+
+    // First manage the spilled entries by looking into the HashMaps,
+    // merge them and mark them as dummy.
+    let mut heap = BinaryHeap::new();
+    for (source_index, source) in readers.into_iter().enumerate() {
+        let mut cursor = source.into_cursor()?;
+        if cursor.move_on_next()?.is_some() {
+            heap.push(Entry { cursor, source_index });
+        }
+    }
+
+    loop {
+        let mut first_entry = match heap.pop() {
+            Some(entry) => entry,
+            None => break,
+        };
+
+        let (first_key, first_value) = match first_entry.cursor.current() {
+            Some((key, value)) => (key, value),
+            None => break,
+        };
+
+        let mut output = DelAddRoaringBitmap::from_bytes(first_value)?;
+        while let Some(mut entry) = heap.peek_mut() {
+            if let Some((key, _value)) = entry.cursor.current() {
+                if first_key == key {
+                    let new = DelAddRoaringBitmap::from_bytes(first_value)?;
+                    output = output.merge(new);
+                    // When we are done we the current value of this entry move make
+                    // it move forward and let the heap reorganize itself (on drop)
+                    if entry.cursor.move_on_next()?.is_none() {
+                        PeekMut::pop(entry);
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    break;
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // Once we merged all of the spilled bitmaps we must also
+        // fetch the entries from the non-spilled entries (the HashMaps).
+        for (map_index, map) in maps.iter_mut().enumerate() {
+            if first_entry.source_index != map_index {
+                if let Some(new) = map.get_mut(first_key) {
+                    output.union_and_clear_bbbul(new);
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // We send the merged entry outside.
+        (f)(first_key, output)?;
+
+        // Don't forget to put the first entry back into the heap.
+        if first_entry.cursor.move_on_next()?.is_some() {
+            heap.push(first_entry)
+        }
+    }
+
+    // Then manage the content on the HashMap entries that weren't taken (mem::take).
+    let order_count = 1000;
+    while let Some(mut map) = maps.pop() {
+        let mut iter = map.iter_mut();
+
+        loop {
+            let mut ordered_buffer: Vec<_> = iter.by_ref().take(order_count).collect();
+            ordered_buffer.sort_unstable_by_key(|(key, _)| *key);
+
+            if ordered_buffer.is_empty() {
+                break;
+            }
+
+            for (key, bbbul) in ordered_buffer.drain(..) {
+                // Make sure we don't try to work with entries already managed by the spilled
+                if bbbul.is_empty() {
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                let mut output = DelAddRoaringBitmap::empty();
+                output.union_and_clear_bbbul(bbbul);
+
+                for rhs in maps.iter_mut() {
+                    if let Some(new) = rhs.get_mut(key) {
+                        output.union_and_clear_bbbul(new);
+                    }
+                }
+
+                // We send the merged entry outside.
+                (f)(key, output)?;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 struct Entry<R> {
     cursor: ReaderCursor<R>,
     source_index: usize,