diff --git a/src/btrfs_lookup.rs b/src/btrfs_lookup.rs
index 80bef60..32fc9f1 100644
--- a/src/btrfs_lookup.rs
+++ b/src/btrfs_lookup.rs
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
+use std::convert::identity;
 use std::rc::Rc;
-use std::ops::{Deref, RangeBounds};
+use std::ops::{Deref, RangeBounds, Bound};
 
-use crate::btrfs_structs::{Leaf, Key, Item, InteriorNode, Node, ParseError, ParseBin, Value, Superblock, ItemType};
+use crate::btrfs_structs::{Leaf, Key, Item, InteriorNode, Node, ParseError, ParseBin, Value, Superblock, ItemType, ZERO_KEY, DirItem};
 use crate::addrmap::{node_at_log, LogToPhys, AddressMap};
 
 /// represents a B-Tree inside a filesystem image. Can be used to look up keys,
@@ -50,32 +51,40 @@ impl Leaf {
 			.map(|x|x.clone())
 	}
 
-	pub fn find_key_or_previous(&self, key: Key) -> Option<Item> {
+	pub fn find_key_or_previous(&self, key: Key) -> Option<usize> {
 		self.items
 			.iter()
 			.take_while(|x|x.key <= key)
+			.enumerate()
 			.last()
-			.map(|x|x.clone())
+			.map(|x|x.0)
 	}
 
 }
 
 impl InteriorNode {
-	pub fn find_key_or_previous(&self, key: Key) -> Option<u64> {
+	/// Return the index of the last child which has key at most `key`. This is the
+	/// branch which contains `key` if it exists. Returns `None` if all children are greater than
+	/// `key`, which guarantees that `key` is not among the descendants of `self`.
+	pub fn find_key_or_previous(&self, key: Key) -> Option<usize> {
 		self.children
 			.iter()
 			.take_while(|x|x.key <= key)
+			.enumerate()
 			.last()
-			.map(|x|x.ptr)
+			.map(|x|x.0)
 	}
 }
 
+/// Recursively traverse a tree to find a key, given they key and logical address
+/// of the tree root. Internal function, `Tree::find_key` is the public interface.
 fn find_key_in_node<T: LogToPhys>(image: &[u8], addr: &T, root_addr_log: u64, key: Key) -> Result<Item, ParseError> {
 	let node = Node::parse(node_at_log(image, addr, root_addr_log)?)?;
 
 	match node {
 		Node::Interior(interior_node) => {
-			let next_node_log = interior_node.find_key_or_previous(key).unwrap();
+			let next_node_index = interior_node.find_key_or_previous(key).unwrap();
+			let next_node_log = interior_node.children[next_node_index].ptr;
 			find_key_in_node(image, addr, next_node_log, key)
 		},
 		Node::Leaf(leaf) => {
@@ -96,202 +105,223 @@ impl Tree<'_> {
 
 /***** iterator *****/
 
-pub struct RangeIter<'a, R: RangeBounds<Key>, F: Fn(Key) -> Key = fn(Key) -> Key> {
-	tree: &'a Tree<'a>,
+pub struct RangeIter<'a, 'b> {
+	tree: &'b Tree<'a>,
 
-	// path to the last returned item
-	nodes: Vec<InteriorNode>,
-	leaf: Option<Box<Leaf>>,
-	indices: Vec<usize>,
-
-	bounds: R,
-	skip_fn: F,
+	start: Bound<Key>,
+	end: Bound<Key>,
+	forward_skip_fn: Box<dyn Fn(Key) -> Key>,
+	backward_skip_fn: Box<dyn Fn(Key) -> Key>,
 }
 
-impl Tree<'_> {
-	pub fn iter<'a>(&'a self) -> RangeIter<'a> {
-		self.range(None, None)
-	}
-
-	pub fn range<'a>(&'a self, lower: Option<Key>, upper: Option<Key>) -> RangeIter<'a> {
-		RangeIter {
-			tree: self,
-			nodes: Vec::new(),
-			leaf: None,
-			indices: Vec::new(), // in nodes and leaf
-			lower_limit: lower,
-			upper_limit: upper,
-			skip_fn: |x|x
-		}
-	}
-
-	pub fn range_id<'a>(&'a self, id: u64) -> RangeIter<'a> {
-		if id == u64::MAX {
-			self.range(
-				Some(Key::new(id, ItemType::Invalid, 0)),
-				None
-			)
-		} else {
-			self.range(
-				Some(Key::new(id, ItemType::Invalid, 0)),
-				Some(Key::new(id+1, ItemType::Invalid, 0))
-			)
-		}
-	}
-
-	/// given a tree, a range of indices, and two "skip functions", produces a double
+impl<'a> Tree<'a> {
+	/// Given a tree, a range of indices, and two "skip functions", produces a double
 	/// ended iterator which iterates through the keys contained in the range, in ascending
 	/// or descending order.
-
-	/// the skip functions are ignored for now, but are intended as an optimization:
+    ///
+	/// The skip functions are ignored for now, but are intended as an optimization:
 	/// after a key `k` was returned by the iterator (or the reverse iterator), all keys
 	/// strictly lower than `forward_skip_fn(k)` are skipped (resp. all keys strictly above
-	/// `backward_skip_fn` are skipped.
-	pub fn range_with_skip<'a, R, F>(&'a self, range: R, forward_skip_fn: F, backward_skip_fn: F) -> RangeIter<'a, F>
+	/// `backward_skip_fn(k)` are skipped.
+    ///
+	/// If `forward_skip_fn` and `backward_skip_fn` are the identity, nothing is skipped
+	pub fn range_with_skip<'b, R, F1, F2>(&'b self, range: R, forward_skip_fn: F1, backward_skip_fn: F2) -> RangeIter<'a, 'b>
 	where
 		R: RangeBounds<Key>,
-		F: Fn(Key) -> Key {
+		F1: Fn(Key) -> Key + 'static,
+		F2: Fn(Key) -> Key + 'static {
 		RangeIter {
 			tree: self,
-			nodes: Vec::new(),
-			leaf: None,
-			indices: Vec::new(),
+			start: range.start_bound().cloned(),
+			end: range.end_bound().cloned(),
+			forward_skip_fn: Box::new(forward_skip_fn),
+			backward_skip_fn: Box::new(backward_skip_fn),
+		}
+	}
+
+	pub fn range<'b, R: RangeBounds<Key>>(&'b self, range: R) -> RangeIter<'a, 'b> {
+		RangeIter {
+			tree: self,
+			start: range.start_bound().cloned(),
+			end: range.end_bound().cloned(),
+			forward_skip_fn: Box::new(identity),
+			backward_skip_fn: Box::new(identity),
+		}
+	}
+
+
+	pub fn iter<'b>(&'b self) -> RangeIter<'a, 'b> {
+		RangeIter {
+			tree: self,
+			start: Bound::Unbounded,
+			end: Bound::Unbounded,
+			forward_skip_fn: Box::new(identity),
+			backward_skip_fn: Box::new(identity),
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-impl<F: Fn(Key) -> Key> RangeIter<'_, F> {
-	fn move_down_and_get_first_item(&mut self, mut node_addr: u64) -> Option<Item> {
-		loop {
-			let node = Node::parse(node_at_log(self.tree.image, self.tree.addr_map.deref(), node_addr).ok()?).ok()?;
-			match node {
-				Node::Interior(int_node) => {
-					node_addr = int_node.children.first()?.ptr;
-					self.nodes.push(int_node);
-					self.indices.push(0);
-				},
-				Node::Leaf(leaf_node) => {
-					let result = leaf_node.items.first()?.clone();
-					self.leaf = Some(Box::new(leaf_node));
-					self.indices.push(0);
-					return Some(result);
-				},
-			}
-		}
+#[derive(Debug,PartialEq,Eq,Clone,Copy)]
+enum FindKeyMode {LT, GT, GE, LE}
+
+fn get_first_item(tree: &Tree, addr: u64) -> Result<Item, ParseError> {
+	let node_data = node_at_log(tree.image, tree.addr_map.deref(), addr)?;
+	match Node::parse(node_data)? {
+		Node::Interior(intnode) => {
+			get_first_item(tree, intnode.children[0].ptr)
+		},
+		Node::Leaf(leafnode) => {
+			Ok(leafnode.items[0].clone())
+		},
 	}
+}
 
-	fn move_down_and_get_item_or_previous(&mut self, mut node_addr: u64, key: Key) -> Option<Item> {
-		loop {
-			let node = Node::parse(node_at_log(self.tree.image, self.tree.addr_map.deref(), node_addr).ok()?).ok()?;
+fn get_last_item(tree: &Tree, addr: u64) -> Result<Item, ParseError> {
+	let node_data = node_at_log(tree.image, tree.addr_map.deref(), addr)?;
+	match Node::parse(node_data)? {
+		Node::Interior(intnode) => {
+			get_last_item(tree, intnode.children.last().unwrap().ptr)
+		},
+		Node::Leaf(leafnode) => {
+			Ok(leafnode.items.last().unwrap().clone())
+		},
+	}
+}
 
-			match node {
-				Node::Interior(int_node) => {
-					let (i, new_node_ptr) = int_node
-						.children
-						.iter()
-						.enumerate()
-						.take_while(|(_,bp)|bp.key <= key)
-						.last()?;
+/// Try to find the item with key `key` if it exists in the tree, and return
+/// the "closest" match. The exact meaning of "closest" is given by the `mode` argument:
+/// If `mode` is `LT`/`GT`/`GE`/`LE`, return the item with the greatest / least / greatest / least
+/// key less than / greater than / greater or equal to / less or equal to `key`.
+fn find_closest_key(tree: &Tree, key: Key, mode: FindKeyMode) -> Result<Option<Item>, ParseError> {
 
-					node_addr = new_node_ptr.ptr;
-					self.nodes.push(int_node);
-					self.indices.push(i);
-				},
-				Node::Leaf(leaf_node) => {
-					let (i, result) = leaf_node
-						.items
-						.iter()
-						.enumerate()
-						.take_while(|(_,item)|item.key <= key)
-						.last()?;
+	// in some cases, this task can't be accomplished by a single traversal
+	// but we might have to go back up the tree; this state allows to quickly go back to the right node
+	let mut prev: Option<u64> = None;
+	let mut next: Option<u64> = None;
 
-					let result_cloned = result.clone();
-					self.leaf = Some(Box::new(leaf_node));
-					self.indices.push(i);
-					return Some(result_cloned);
-				},
-			}
+	let mut node_data = node_at_log(tree.image, tree.addr_map.deref(), tree.root_addr_log)?;
+
+	loop {
+		match Node::parse(node_data)? {
+			Node::Interior(intnode) => {
+				match intnode.find_key_or_previous(key) {
+					Some(idx) => {
+						if let Some(kp) = (idx > 0).then(|| intnode.children.get(idx-1)).flatten() {
+							prev = Some(kp.ptr);
+						}
+						if let Some(kp) = intnode.children.get(idx+1) {
+							next = Some(kp.ptr);
+						}
+
+						node_data = node_at_log(tree.image, tree.addr_map.deref(), intnode.children[idx].ptr)?;
+					},
+					None => {
+						// this can only happen if every key in the current node is `> key`
+						// which really should only happen if we're in the root node, as otherwise
+						// we wouldn't have descended into this branch; so assume every key in the
+						// tree is above `> key`.
+						if mode == FindKeyMode::LT || mode == FindKeyMode::LE {
+							return Ok(None);
+						} else {
+							// return the first item in tree; we are an interior node so we really should have
+							// at least one child
+							let addr = intnode.children[0].ptr;
+							return Ok(Some(get_first_item(tree, addr)?));
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			},
+			Node::Leaf(leafnode) => {
+				match leafnode.find_key_or_previous(key) {
+					Some(idx) => {
+						// the standard case, we found a key `k` with the guarantee that `k <= key`
+						let Item {key: k, value: v} = leafnode.items[idx].clone();
+
+						if mode == FindKeyMode::LE || mode == FindKeyMode::LT && k < key || mode == FindKeyMode::GE && k == key {
+							return Ok(Some(Item {key: k, value: v}))
+						} else if mode == FindKeyMode::LT && k == key {
+							// prev
+							if idx > 0 {
+								return Ok(Some(leafnode.items[idx-1].clone()));
+							} else {
+								// use prev
+								if let Some(addr) = prev {
+									return Ok(Some(get_last_item(tree, addr)?));
+								} else {
+									return Ok(None);
+								}
+							}
+						} else {
+							// next
+							if let Some(item) = leafnode.items.get(idx+1) {
+								return Ok(Some(item.clone()));
+							} else {
+								// use next
+								if let Some(addr) = next {
+									return Ok(Some(get_first_item(tree, addr)?));
+								} else {
+									return Ok(None);
+								}
+							}
+						}
+					},
+					None => {
+						// same as above, but this can only happen if the root node is a leaf
+						if mode == FindKeyMode::LT || mode == FindKeyMode::LE {
+							return Ok(None);
+						} else {
+							// return the first item in tree if it exists
+							return Ok(leafnode.items.get(0).map(|x|x.clone()));
+						}
+					},
+				}
+			},
 		}
 	}
 }
 
-impl<F: Fn(Key) -> Key> Iterator for RangeIter<'_, F> {
+fn range_valid<T: Ord>(start: Bound<T>, end: Bound<T>) -> bool {
+	match (start, end) {
+		(Bound::Included(x), Bound::Included(y)) => x <= y,
+		(Bound::Excluded(x), Bound::Included(y)) => x < y,
+		(Bound::Included(x), Bound::Excluded(y)) => x < y,
+		(Bound::Excluded(x), Bound::Excluded(y)) => x < y, // could technically be empty if "y = x+1", but we can't check
+		(_, _) => true, // one of them is unbounded
+	}
+}
+
+impl<'a, 'b> Iterator for RangeIter<'a, 'b> {
 	type Item = Item;
 
-	// for now we just silently stop when we encounter an error, maybe that isn't the best solution
 	fn next(&mut self) -> Option<Item> {
-		if self.leaf.is_none() && self.nodes.len() == 0 {
-			// first item
-			// finding the first item is a bit tricky
-			// if there is a lower limit, the B+ tree only allows us to either find the item
-			// or the previous one if there is no exact match; in the latter case, go one further
-
-			let result = if let Some(lim) = self.lower_limit {
-				let first_res = self.move_down_and_get_item_or_previous(self.tree.root_addr_log, lim);
-				if let Some(item) = first_res {
-					if item.key == lim {
-						// found exactly the limit, that's the easy case
-						Some(item)
-					} else {
-						// found a previous item; so we want the next one
-						self.next()
-					}
-				} else {
-					// did not find an item, so everything must come after lower limit
-					// just get the first
-					self.move_down_and_get_first_item(self.tree.root_addr_log)
-				}
-			} else {
-				// there is no lower limit, so also just get the first
-				self.move_down_and_get_first_item(self.tree.root_addr_log)
-			};
-
-			result.filter(|item|self.upper_limit.is_none() || item.key < self.upper_limit.unwrap())
-		} else if self.leaf.is_none() {
-			// already through the iterator
+		if !range_valid(self.start.as_ref(), self.end.as_ref()) {
 			return None;
-		} else {
-			let height = self.indices.len(); // must be at least 1
-			let leaf = self.leaf.as_ref().unwrap();
-
-			self.indices[height-1] += 1;
-			if let Some(item) = leaf.items.get(self.indices[height-1]) {
-				// there's a next item in the same leaf
-				if self.upper_limit.is_none() || item.key < self.upper_limit.unwrap() {
-					return Some(item.clone());
-				} else {
-					return None;
-				}
-			} else if height == 1 {
-				// the tree has height 1 and we're through the (only) leaf, there's nothing left
-				return None;
-			} else {
-				// try to advance in one of the higher nodes
-				self.leaf = None;
-				self.indices.pop();
-				let mut level = height - 2;
-
-				// go up until we can move forward in a node
-				let node_addr = loop {
-					let node = &self.nodes[level];
-
-					self.indices[level] += 1;
-					if let Some(blockptr) = node.children.get(self.indices[level]) {
-						break blockptr.ptr;
-					} else {
-						if level == 0 {
-							return None;
-						}
-						self.indices.pop();
-						self.nodes.pop();
-						level -= 1;
-					}
-				};
-
-				// first first item under this node
-				return self.move_down_and_get_first_item(node_addr)
-					.filter(|item|self.upper_limit.is_none() || item.key < self.upper_limit.unwrap())
-			}
 		}
+
+		let (start_key, mode) : (Key, FindKeyMode) = match &self.start {
+			&Bound::Included(x) => (x, FindKeyMode::GE),
+			&Bound::Excluded(x) => (x, FindKeyMode::GT),
+			&Bound::Unbounded => (ZERO_KEY, FindKeyMode::GE),
+		};
+
+		// FIX: proper error handling
+		let result = find_closest_key(self.tree, start_key, mode)
+			.expect("file system should be consistent (or this is a bug)");
+
+		if let Some(item) = &result {
+			self.start = Bound::Excluded(item.key);
+		}
+
+		let end_filter = |item : &Item| {
+			match &self.end {
+				&Bound::Included(x) => item.key <= x,
+				&Bound::Excluded(x) => item.key < x,
+				&Bound::Unbounded => true,
+			}
+		};
+
+		result
+			.filter(end_filter)
+			.map(|item|item.clone())
 	}
 }
diff --git a/src/btrfs_structs.rs b/src/btrfs_structs.rs
index 9bcc3d6..d2f4c17 100644
--- a/src/btrfs_structs.rs
+++ b/src/btrfs_structs.rs
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ impl Key {
 	}
 }
 
+pub const ZERO_KEY: Key = Key {key_id: 0, key_type: ItemType::Invalid, key_offset: 0};
+
 #[allow(unused)]
 #[derive(Debug,Clone)]
 pub enum Value {