diff --git a/cache.go b/cache.go
index 61ad1c0..d8a929f 100644
--- a/cache.go
+++ b/cache.go
@@ -438,6 +438,7 @@ func (c *Cache[T]) gc() int {
 				c.onDelete(item)
 			}
 			dropped += 1
+			item.node = nil
 			item.promotions = -2
 		}
 		node = prev
diff --git a/cache_test.go b/cache_test.go
index 6209c8b..f8cc06c 100644
--- a/cache_test.go
+++ b/cache_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package ccache
 
 import (
+	"math/rand"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -313,6 +314,29 @@ func Test_CacheForEachFunc(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.DoesNotContain(t, forEachKeys(cache), "stop")
 }
 
+func Test_CachePrune(t *testing.T) {
+	maxSize := int64(500)
+	cache := New(Configure[string]().MaxSize(maxSize).ItemsToPrune(50))
+	epoch := 0
+	for i := 0; i < 10000; i++ {
+		epoch += 1
+		expired := make([]string, 0)
+		for i := 0; i < 50; i += 1 {
+			key := strconv.FormatInt(rand.Int63n(maxSize*20), 10)
+			item := cache.Get(key)
+			if item == nil || item.TTL() > 1*time.Minute {
+				expired = append(expired, key)
+			}
+		}
+		for _, key := range expired {
+			cache.Set(key, key, 5*time.Minute)
+		}
+		if epoch%500 == 0 {
+			assert.True(t, cache.GetSize() < 500)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 type SizedItem struct {
 	id int
 	s  int64
diff --git a/layeredcache.go b/layeredcache.go
index f98b291..b6798dd 100644
--- a/layeredcache.go
+++ b/layeredcache.go
@@ -355,6 +355,7 @@ func (c *LayeredCache[T]) gc() int {
 			if c.onDelete != nil {
 				c.onDelete(item)
 			}
+			item.node = nil
 			item.promotions = -2
 			dropped += 1
 		}
diff --git a/layeredcache_test.go b/layeredcache_test.go
index c993a47..adf5483 100644
--- a/layeredcache_test.go
+++ b/layeredcache_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package ccache
 
 import (
+	"math/rand"
 	"sort"
 	"strconv"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -372,6 +373,29 @@ func Test_LayeredCache_EachFunc(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.DoesNotContain(t, forEachKeysLayered[int](cache, "1"), "stop")
 }
 
+func Test_LayeredCachePrune(t *testing.T) {
+	maxSize := int64(500)
+	cache := Layered(Configure[string]().MaxSize(maxSize).ItemsToPrune(50))
+	epoch := 0
+	for i := 0; i < 10000; i++ {
+		epoch += 1
+		expired := make([]string, 0)
+		for i := 0; i < 50; i += 1 {
+			key := strconv.FormatInt(rand.Int63n(maxSize*20), 10)
+			item := cache.Get(key, key)
+			if item == nil || item.TTL() > 1*time.Minute {
+				expired = append(expired, key)
+			}
+		}
+		for _, key := range expired {
+			cache.Set(key, key, key, 5*time.Minute)
+		}
+		if epoch%500 == 0 {
+			assert.True(t, cache.GetSize() < 500)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 func newLayered[T any]() *LayeredCache[T] {
 	c := Layered[T](Configure[T]())
 	c.Clear()