diff --git a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.cc b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.cc
index f1291a10cc63b5dbdf7b155087ea5e025fa77e16..31ae9d0d8fca788e1903d4a62cc200d2cf7603ac 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.cc
@@ -42,6 +42,20 @@
 #include "src/core/lib/transport/static_metadata.h"
 #include "src/core/lib/transport/timeout_encoding.h"
 
+namespace {
+/* (Maybe-cuckoo) hpack encoder hash table implementation.
+
+   This hashtable implementation is a subset of a proper cuckoo hash; while we
+   have fallback cells that a value can be hashed to if the first cell is full,
+   we do not attempt to iteratively rearrange entries into backup cells to get
+   things to fit. Instead, if both a cell and the backup cell for a value are
+   occupied, the older existing entry is evicted.
+
+   Note that we can disable backup-cell picking by setting
+   GRPC_HPACK_ENCODER_USE_CUCKOO_HASH to 0. In that case, we simply evict an
+   existing entry rather than try to use a backup. Hence, "maybe-cuckoo."
+   TODO(arjunroy): Add unit tests for hashtable implementation. */
+#define GRPC_HPACK_ENCODER_USE_CUCKOO_HASH 1
 #define HASH_FRAGMENT_MASK (GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES - 1)
 #define HASH_FRAGMENT_1(x) ((x)&HASH_FRAGMENT_MASK)
 #define HASH_FRAGMENT_2(x) \
@@ -51,21 +65,200 @@
 #define HASH_FRAGMENT_4(x) \
   (((x) >> (GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES_BITS * 3)) & HASH_FRAGMENT_MASK)
 
+/* don't consider adding anything bigger than this to the hpack table */
+constexpr size_t kMaxDecoderSpaceUsage = 512;
+constexpr size_t kDataFrameHeaderSize = 9;
+constexpr uint8_t kMaxFilterValue = 255;
+
 /* if the probability of this item being seen again is < 1/x then don't add
    it to the table */
 #define ONE_ON_ADD_PROBABILITY (GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES >> 1)
-/* don't consider adding anything bigger than this to the hpack table */
-#define MAX_DECODER_SPACE_USAGE 512
-
-#define DATA_FRAME_HEADER_SIZE 9
+/* The hpack index we encode over the wire. Meaningful to the hpack encoder and
+   parser on the remote end as well as HTTP2. *Not* the same as
+   HpackEncoderSlotHash, which is only meaningful to the hpack encoder
+   implementation (HpackEncoderSlotHash is used for the hashtable implementation
+   when mapping from metadata to HpackEncoderIndex. */
+typedef uint32_t HpackEncoderIndex;
+/* Internal-table bookkeeping (*not* the hpack index). */
+typedef uint32_t HpackEncoderSlotHash;
+
+struct SliceRefComparator {
+  typedef grpc_slice_refcount* Type;
+  static grpc_slice_refcount* Null() { return nullptr; }
+  static bool IsNull(const grpc_slice_refcount* sref) {
+    return sref == nullptr;
+  }
+  static bool Equals(const grpc_slice_refcount* s1,
+                     const grpc_slice_refcount* s2) {
+    return s1 == s2;
+  }
+  static void Ref(grpc_slice_refcount* sref) {
+    GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(sref != nullptr);
+    sref->Ref();
+  }
+  static void Unref(grpc_slice_refcount* sref) {
+    GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(sref != nullptr);
+    sref->Unref();
+  }
+};
 
-static grpc_slice_refcount terminal_slice_refcount(
-    grpc_slice_refcount::Type::STATIC);
-static const grpc_slice terminal_slice = {
-    &terminal_slice_refcount, /* refcount */
-    {{0, nullptr}}            /* data.refcounted */
+struct MetadataComparator {
+  typedef grpc_mdelem Type;
+  static const grpc_mdelem Null() { return {0}; }
+  static bool IsNull(const grpc_mdelem md) { return md.payload == 0; }
+  static bool Equals(const grpc_mdelem md1, const grpc_mdelem md2) {
+    return md1.payload == md2.payload;
+  }
+  static void Ref(grpc_mdelem md) {
+    GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(md.payload != 0);
+    GRPC_MDELEM_REF(md);
+  }
+  static void Unref(grpc_mdelem md) {
+    GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(md.payload != 0);
+    GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(md);
+  }
 };
 
+/* Index table management */
+template <typename Hashtable>
+static HpackEncoderIndex HpackIndex(const Hashtable* hashtable,
+                                    HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index) {
+  return hashtable[hash_index].index;
+}
+
+template <typename ValueType, typename Hashtable>
+static const ValueType& GetEntry(const Hashtable* hashtable,
+                                 HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index) {
+  return hashtable[hash_index].value;
+}
+
+template <typename Cmp, typename Hashtable>
+static bool TableEmptyAt(const Hashtable* hashtable,
+                         HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index) {
+  return Cmp::Equals(hashtable[hash_index].value, Cmp::Null());
+}
+
+template <typename Cmp, typename Hashtable, typename ValueType>
+static bool Matches(const Hashtable* hashtable, const ValueType& value,
+                    HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index) {
+  return Cmp::Equals(value, hashtable[hash_index].value);
+}
+
+template <typename Hashtable>
+static void UpdateIndex(Hashtable* hashtable, HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index,
+                        HpackEncoderIndex hpack_index) {
+  hashtable[hash_index].index = hpack_index;
+}
+
+template <typename Hashtable, typename ValueType>
+static void SetIndex(Hashtable* hashtable, HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index,
+                     const ValueType& value, HpackEncoderIndex hpack_index) {
+  hashtable[hash_index].value = value;
+  UpdateIndex(hashtable, hash_index, hpack_index);
+}
+
+template <typename Cmp, typename Hashtable, typename ValueType>
+static bool GetMatchingIndex(Hashtable* hashtable, const ValueType& value,
+                             uint32_t value_hash, HpackEncoderIndex* index) {
+  const HpackEncoderSlotHash cuckoo_first = HASH_FRAGMENT_2(value_hash);
+  if (Matches<Cmp>(hashtable, value, cuckoo_first)) {
+    *index = HpackIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_first);
+    return true;
+  }
+#if GRPC_HPACK_ENCODER_USE_CUCKOO_HASH
+  const HpackEncoderSlotHash cuckoo_second = HASH_FRAGMENT_3(value_hash);
+
+  if (Matches<Cmp>(hashtable, value, cuckoo_second)) {
+    *index = HpackIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_second);
+    return true;
+  }
+#endif
+  return false;
+}
+
+template <typename Cmp, typename Hashtable, typename ValueType>
+static ValueType ReplaceOlderIndex(Hashtable* hashtable, const ValueType& value,
+                                   HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index_a,
+                                   HpackEncoderSlotHash hash_index_b,
+                                   HpackEncoderIndex new_index) {
+  const HpackEncoderIndex hpack_idx_a = hashtable[hash_index_a].index;
+  const HpackEncoderIndex hpack_idx_b = hashtable[hash_index_b].index;
+  const HpackEncoderSlotHash id =
+      hpack_idx_a < hpack_idx_b ? hash_index_a : hash_index_b;
+  ValueType old = GetEntry<typename Cmp::Type>(hashtable, id);
+  SetIndex(hashtable, id, value, new_index);
+  return old;
+}
+
+template <typename Cmp, typename Hashtable, typename ValueType>
+static void UpdateAddOrEvict(Hashtable hashtable, const ValueType& value,
+                             uint32_t value_hash, HpackEncoderIndex new_index) {
+  const HpackEncoderSlotHash cuckoo_first = HASH_FRAGMENT_2(value_hash);
+  if (Matches<Cmp>(hashtable, value, cuckoo_first)) {
+    UpdateIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_first, new_index);
+    return;
+  }
+  if (TableEmptyAt<Cmp>(hashtable, cuckoo_first)) {
+    Cmp::Ref(value);
+    SetIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_first, value, new_index);
+    return;
+  }
+#if GRPC_HPACK_ENCODER_USE_CUCKOO_HASH
+  const HpackEncoderSlotHash cuckoo_second = HASH_FRAGMENT_3(value_hash);
+  if (Matches<Cmp>(hashtable, value, cuckoo_second)) {
+    UpdateIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_second, new_index);
+    return;
+  }
+  Cmp::Ref(value);
+  if (TableEmptyAt<Cmp>(hashtable, cuckoo_second)) {
+    SetIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_second, value, new_index);
+    return;
+  }
+  Cmp::Unref(ReplaceOlderIndex<Cmp>(hashtable, value, cuckoo_first,
+                                    cuckoo_second, new_index));
+#else
+  ValueType old = GetEntry<typename Cmp::Type>(hashtable, cuckoo_first);
+  SetIndex(hashtable, cuckoo_first, value, new_index);
+  Cmp::Unref(old);
+#endif
+}
+
+/* halve all counts because an element reached max */
+static void HalveFilter(uint8_t idx, uint32_t* sum, uint8_t* elems) {
+  *sum = 0;
+  for (int i = 0; i < GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES; i++) {
+    elems[i] /= 2;
+    (*sum) += elems[i];
+  }
+}
+
+/* increment a filter count, halve all counts if one element reaches max */
+static void IncrementFilter(uint8_t idx, uint32_t* sum, uint8_t* elems) {
+  elems[idx]++;
+  if (GPR_LIKELY(elems[idx] < kMaxFilterValue)) {
+    (*sum)++;
+  } else {
+    HalveFilter(idx, sum, elems);
+  }
+}
+
+static uint32_t UpdateHashtablePopularity(
+    grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* hpack_compressor, uint32_t elem_hash) {
+  const uint32_t popularity_hash = HASH_FRAGMENT_1(elem_hash);
+  IncrementFilter(popularity_hash, &hpack_compressor->filter_elems_sum,
+                  hpack_compressor->filter_elems);
+  return popularity_hash;
+}
+
+static bool CanAddToHashtable(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* hpack_compressor,
+                              uint32_t popularity_hash) {
+  const bool can_add =
+      hpack_compressor->filter_elems[popularity_hash] >=
+      hpack_compressor->filter_elems_sum / ONE_ON_ADD_PROBABILITY;
+  return can_add;
+}
+} /* namespace */
+
 typedef struct {
   int is_first_frame;
   /* number of bytes in 'output' when we started the frame - used to calculate
@@ -73,8 +266,10 @@ typedef struct {
   size_t output_length_at_start_of_frame;
   /* index (in output) of the header for the current frame */
   size_t header_idx;
+#ifndef NDEBUG
   /* have we seen a regular (non-colon-prefixed) header yet? */
   uint8_t seen_regular_header;
+#endif
   /* output stream id */
   uint32_t stream_id;
   grpc_slice_buffer* output;
@@ -84,7 +279,7 @@ typedef struct {
   bool use_true_binary_metadata;
 } framer_state;
 
-/* fills p (which is expected to be DATA_FRAME_HEADER_SIZE bytes long)
+/* fills p (which is expected to be kDataFrameHeaderSize bytes long)
  * with a data frame header */
 static void fill_header(uint8_t* p, uint8_t type, uint32_t id, size_t len,
                         uint8_t flags) {
@@ -131,7 +326,7 @@ static void finish_frame(framer_state* st, int is_header_boundary,
       static_cast<uint8_t>(
           (is_last_in_stream ? GRPC_CHTTP2_DATA_FLAG_END_STREAM : 0) |
           (is_header_boundary ? GRPC_CHTTP2_DATA_FLAG_END_HEADERS : 0)));
-  st->stats->framing_bytes += DATA_FRAME_HEADER_SIZE;
+  st->stats->framing_bytes += kDataFrameHeaderSize;
   st->is_first_frame = 0;
 }
 
@@ -140,7 +335,7 @@ static void finish_frame(framer_state* st, int is_header_boundary,
 static void begin_frame(framer_state* st) {
   grpc_slice reserved;
   reserved.refcount = nullptr;
-  reserved.data.inlined.length = DATA_FRAME_HEADER_SIZE;
+  reserved.data.inlined.length = kDataFrameHeaderSize;
   st->header_idx = grpc_slice_buffer_add_indexed(st->output, reserved);
   st->output_length_at_start_of_frame = st->output->length;
 }
@@ -156,21 +351,6 @@ static void ensure_space(framer_state* st, size_t need_bytes) {
   begin_frame(st);
 }
 
-/* increment a filter count, halve all counts if one element reaches max */
-static void inc_filter(uint8_t idx, uint32_t* sum, uint8_t* elems) {
-  elems[idx]++;
-  if (elems[idx] < 255) {
-    (*sum)++;
-  } else {
-    int i;
-    *sum = 0;
-    for (i = 0; i < GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES; i++) {
-      elems[i] /= 2;
-      (*sum) += elems[i];
-    }
-  }
-}
-
 static void add_header_data(framer_state* st, grpc_slice slice) {
   size_t len = GRPC_SLICE_LENGTH(slice);
   size_t remaining;
@@ -228,7 +408,6 @@ static uint32_t prepare_space_for_new_elem(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
   while (c->table_size + elem_size > c->max_table_size) {
     evict_entry(c);
   }
-  // TODO(arjunroy): Are we conflating size in bytes vs. membership?
   GPR_ASSERT(c->table_elems < c->max_table_size);
   c->table_elem_size[new_index % c->cap_table_elems] =
       static_cast<uint16_t>(elem_size);
@@ -240,97 +419,37 @@ static uint32_t prepare_space_for_new_elem(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
 
 // Add a key to the dynamic table. Both key and value will be added to table at
 // the decoder.
-static void add_key_with_index(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
-                               grpc_mdelem elem, uint32_t new_index,
-                               uint32_t key_hash) {
-  if (new_index == 0) {
-    return;
-  }
-
-  /* Store the key into {entries,indices}_keys */
-  if (grpc_slice_static_interned_equal(
-          c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)], GRPC_MDKEY(elem))) {
-    c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (grpc_slice_static_interned_equal(
-                 c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)],
-                 GRPC_MDKEY(elem))) {
-    c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)].refcount ==
-             &terminal_slice_refcount) {
-    c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)] =
-        grpc_slice_ref_internal(GRPC_MDKEY(elem));
-    c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)].refcount ==
-             &terminal_slice_refcount) {
-    c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)] =
-        grpc_slice_ref_internal(GRPC_MDKEY(elem));
-    c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)] <
-             c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)]) {
-    grpc_slice_unref_internal(c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)]);
-    c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)] =
-        grpc_slice_ref_internal(GRPC_MDKEY(elem));
-    c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else {
-    grpc_slice_unref_internal(c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)]);
-    c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)] =
-        grpc_slice_ref_internal(GRPC_MDKEY(elem));
-    c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)] = new_index;
-  }
+static void AddKeyWithIndex(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
+                            grpc_slice_refcount* key_ref, uint32_t new_index,
+                            uint32_t key_hash) {
+  UpdateAddOrEvict<SliceRefComparator>(c->key_table.entries, key_ref, key_hash,
+                                       new_index);
 }
 
 /* add an element to the decoder table */
-static void add_elem_with_index(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
-                                grpc_mdelem elem, uint32_t new_index,
-                                uint32_t elem_hash, uint32_t key_hash) {
-  if (new_index == 0) {
-    return;
-  }
+static void AddElemWithIndex(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
+                             uint32_t new_index, uint32_t elem_hash,
+                             uint32_t key_hash) {
   GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(GRPC_MDELEM_IS_INTERNED(elem));
-
-  /* Store this element into {entries,indices}_elem */
-  if (grpc_mdelem_both_interned_eq(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)],
-                                   elem)) {
-    /* already there: update with new index */
-    c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (grpc_mdelem_both_interned_eq(
-                 c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)], elem)) {
-    /* already there (cuckoo): update with new index */
-    c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (GRPC_MDISNULL(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)])) {
-    /* not there, but a free element: add */
-    c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] = GRPC_MDELEM_REF(elem);
-    c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (GRPC_MDISNULL(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)])) {
-    /* not there (cuckoo), but a free element: add */
-    c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)] = GRPC_MDELEM_REF(elem);
-    c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else if (c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] <
-             c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)]) {
-    /* not there: replace oldest */
-    GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)]);
-    c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] = GRPC_MDELEM_REF(elem);
-    c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] = new_index;
-  } else {
-    /* not there: replace oldest */
-    GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)]);
-    c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)] = GRPC_MDELEM_REF(elem);
-    c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)] = new_index;
-  }
-
-  add_key_with_index(c, elem, new_index, key_hash);
+  UpdateAddOrEvict<MetadataComparator>(c->elem_table.entries, elem, elem_hash,
+                                       new_index);
+  AddKeyWithIndex(c, GRPC_MDKEY(elem).refcount, new_index, key_hash);
 }
 
 static void add_elem(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
                      size_t elem_size, uint32_t elem_hash, uint32_t key_hash) {
   uint32_t new_index = prepare_space_for_new_elem(c, elem_size);
-  add_elem_with_index(c, elem, new_index, elem_hash, key_hash);
+  if (new_index != 0) {
+    AddElemWithIndex(c, elem, new_index, elem_hash, key_hash);
+  }
 }
 
 static void add_key(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
                     size_t elem_size, uint32_t key_hash) {
   uint32_t new_index = prepare_space_for_new_elem(c, elem_size);
-  add_key_with_index(c, elem, new_index, key_hash);
+  if (new_index != 0) {
+    AddKeyWithIndex(c, GRPC_MDKEY(elem).refcount, new_index, key_hash);
+  }
 }
 
 static void emit_indexed(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, uint32_t elem_index,
@@ -516,30 +635,19 @@ static EmitIndexedStatus maybe_emit_indexed(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
                 ->hash()
           : reinterpret_cast<grpc_core::StaticMetadata*>(GRPC_MDELEM_DATA(elem))
                 ->hash();
-
-  inc_filter(HASH_FRAGMENT_1(elem_hash), &c->filter_elems_sum, c->filter_elems);
-
+  /* Update filter to see if we can perhaps add this elem. */
+  const uint32_t popularity_hash = UpdateHashtablePopularity(c, elem_hash);
   /* is this elem currently in the decoders table? */
-  if (grpc_mdelem_both_interned_eq(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)],
-                                   elem) &&
-      c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)] > c->tail_remote_index) {
-    /* HIT: complete element (first cuckoo hash) */
-    emit_indexed(c, dynidx(c, c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(elem_hash)]),
-                 st);
-    return EmitIndexedStatus(elem_hash, true, false);
-  }
-  if (grpc_mdelem_both_interned_eq(c->entries_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)],
-                                   elem) &&
-      c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)] > c->tail_remote_index) {
-    /* HIT: complete element (second cuckoo hash) */
-    emit_indexed(c, dynidx(c, c->indices_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(elem_hash)]),
-                 st);
+  HpackEncoderIndex indices_key;
+  if (GetMatchingIndex<MetadataComparator>(c->elem_table.entries, elem,
+                                           elem_hash, &indices_key) &&
+      indices_key > c->tail_remote_index) {
+    emit_indexed(c, dynidx(c, indices_key), st);
     return EmitIndexedStatus(elem_hash, true, false);
   }
-
-  const bool can_add = c->filter_elems[HASH_FRAGMENT_1(elem_hash)] >=
-                       c->filter_elems_sum / ONE_ON_ADD_PROBABILITY;
-  return EmitIndexedStatus(elem_hash, false, can_add);
+  /* Didn't hit either cuckoo index, so no emit. */
+  return EmitIndexedStatus(elem_hash, false,
+                           CanAddToHashtable(c, popularity_hash));
 }
 
 static void emit_maybe_add(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
@@ -557,14 +665,15 @@ static void emit_maybe_add(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
 /* encode an mdelem */
 static void hpack_enc(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
                       framer_state* st) {
+  const grpc_slice& elem_key = GRPC_MDKEY(elem);
   /* User-provided key len validated in grpc_validate_header_key_is_legal(). */
-  GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(GRPC_SLICE_LENGTH(GRPC_MDKEY(elem)) > 0);
+  GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(GRPC_SLICE_LENGTH(elem_key) > 0);
   /* Header ordering: all reserved headers (prefixed with ':') must precede
    * regular headers. This can be a debug assert, since:
    * 1) User cannot give us ':' headers (grpc_validate_header_key_is_legal()).
    * 2) grpc filters/core should be checked during debug builds. */
 #ifndef NDEBUG
-  if (GRPC_SLICE_START_PTR(GRPC_MDKEY(elem))[0] != ':') { /* regular header */
+  if (GRPC_SLICE_START_PTR(elem_key)[0] != ':') { /* regular header */
     st->seen_regular_header = 1;
   } else {
     GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(
@@ -575,11 +684,8 @@ static void hpack_enc(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
   if (GRPC_TRACE_FLAG_ENABLED(grpc_http_trace)) {
     hpack_enc_log(elem);
   }
-
   const bool elem_interned = GRPC_MDELEM_IS_INTERNED(elem);
-  const bool key_interned =
-      elem_interned || grpc_slice_is_interned(GRPC_MDKEY(elem));
-
+  const bool key_interned = elem_interned || grpc_slice_is_interned(elem_key);
   /* Key is not interned, emit literals. */
   if (!key_interned) {
     emit_lithdr_v<EmitLitHdrVType::NO_IDX_V>(c, elem, st);
@@ -591,38 +697,24 @@ static void hpack_enc(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c, grpc_mdelem elem,
   if (ret.emitted) {
     return;
   }
-
   /* should this elem be in the table? */
   const size_t decoder_space_usage =
       grpc_chttp2_get_size_in_hpack_table(elem, st->use_true_binary_metadata);
   const bool decoder_space_available =
-      decoder_space_usage < MAX_DECODER_SPACE_USAGE;
+      decoder_space_usage < kMaxDecoderSpaceUsage;
   const bool should_add_elem =
       elem_interned && decoder_space_available && ret.can_add;
   const uint32_t elem_hash = ret.elem_hash;
-
   /* no hits for the elem... maybe there's a key? */
-  const uint32_t key_hash = GRPC_MDKEY(elem).refcount->Hash(GRPC_MDKEY(elem));
-  uint32_t indices_key = c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)];
-  if (grpc_slice_static_interned_equal(
-          c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_2(key_hash)], GRPC_MDKEY(elem)) &&
+  const uint32_t key_hash = elem_key.refcount->Hash(elem_key);
+  HpackEncoderIndex indices_key;
+  if (GetMatchingIndex<SliceRefComparator>(
+          c->key_table.entries, elem_key.refcount, key_hash, &indices_key) &&
       indices_key > c->tail_remote_index) {
-    /* HIT: key (first cuckoo hash) */
     emit_maybe_add(c, elem, st, indices_key, should_add_elem,
                    decoder_space_usage, elem_hash, key_hash);
     return;
   }
-
-  indices_key = c->indices_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)];
-  if (grpc_slice_static_interned_equal(
-          c->entries_keys[HASH_FRAGMENT_3(key_hash)], GRPC_MDKEY(elem)) &&
-      indices_key > c->tail_remote_index) {
-    /* HIT: key (second cuckoo hash) */
-    emit_maybe_add(c, elem, st, indices_key, should_add_elem,
-                   decoder_space_usage, elem_hash, key_hash);
-    return;
-  }
-
   /* no elem, key in the table... fall back to literal emission */
   const bool should_add_key = !elem_interned && decoder_space_available;
   if (should_add_elem || should_add_key) {
@@ -660,22 +752,18 @@ void grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor_init(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c) {
   c->cap_table_elems = elems_for_bytes(c->max_table_size);
   c->max_table_elems = c->cap_table_elems;
   c->max_usable_size = GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_INITIAL_TABLE_SIZE;
-  c->table_elem_size = static_cast<uint16_t*>(
-      gpr_malloc(sizeof(*c->table_elem_size) * c->cap_table_elems));
-  memset(c->table_elem_size, 0,
-         sizeof(*c->table_elem_size) * c->cap_table_elems);
-  for (size_t i = 0; i < GPR_ARRAY_SIZE(c->entries_keys); i++) {
-    c->entries_keys[i] = terminal_slice;
-  }
+  const size_t alloc_size = sizeof(*c->table_elem_size) * c->cap_table_elems;
+  c->table_elem_size = static_cast<uint16_t*>(gpr_malloc(alloc_size));
+  memset(c->table_elem_size, 0, alloc_size);
 }
 
 void grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor_destroy(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c) {
-  int i;
-  for (i = 0; i < GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES; i++) {
-    if (c->entries_keys[i].refcount != &terminal_slice_refcount) {
-      grpc_slice_unref_internal(c->entries_keys[i]);
+  for (int i = 0; i < GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES; i++) {
+    auto* const key = GetEntry<grpc_slice_refcount*>(c->key_table.entries, i);
+    if (key != nullptr) {
+      key->Unref();
     }
-    GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(c->entries_elems[i]);
+    GRPC_MDELEM_UNREF(GetEntry<grpc_mdelem>(c->elem_table.entries, i));
   }
   gpr_free(c->table_elem_size);
 }
@@ -744,7 +832,9 @@ void grpc_chttp2_encode_header(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c,
      validates that stream_id is not 0. So, this can be a debug assert. */
   GPR_DEBUG_ASSERT(options->stream_id != 0);
   framer_state st;
+#ifndef NDEBUG
   st.seen_regular_header = 0;
+#endif
   st.stream_id = options->stream_id;
   st.output = outbuf;
   st.is_first_frame = 1;
diff --git a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.h b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.h
index e31a7399d782a175042eff38717a04d628a5e44f..dc371fa8fb2511c43b6b3130f5d9b5dcc98be812 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.h
+++ b/src/core/ext/transport/chttp2/transport/hpack_encoder.h
@@ -38,14 +38,10 @@
 
 extern grpc_core::TraceFlag grpc_http_trace;
 
-typedef struct {
-  uint32_t filter_elems_sum;
+struct grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor {
   uint32_t max_table_size;
   uint32_t max_table_elems;
   uint32_t cap_table_elems;
-  /** if non-zero, advertise to the decoder that we'll start using a table
-      of this size */
-  uint8_t advertise_table_size_change;
   /** maximum number of bytes we'll use for the decode table (to guard against
       peers ooming us by setting decode table size high) */
   uint32_t max_usable_size;
@@ -53,23 +49,39 @@ typedef struct {
   uint32_t tail_remote_index;
   uint32_t table_size;
   uint32_t table_elems;
+  uint16_t* table_elem_size;
+  /** if non-zero, advertise to the decoder that we'll start using a table
+      of this size */
+  uint8_t advertise_table_size_change;
 
   /* filter tables for elems: this tables provides an approximate
      popularity count for particular hashes, and are used to determine whether
      a new literal should be added to the compression table or not.
      They track a single integer that counts how often a particular value has
      been seen. When that count reaches max (255), all values are halved. */
+  uint32_t filter_elems_sum;
   uint8_t filter_elems[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
 
   /* entry tables for keys & elems: these tables track values that have been
      seen and *may* be in the decompressor table */
-  grpc_slice entries_keys[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
-  grpc_mdelem entries_elems[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
-  uint32_t indices_keys[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
-  uint32_t indices_elems[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
-
-  uint16_t* table_elem_size;
-} grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor;
+  struct {
+    struct {
+      grpc_mdelem value;
+      uint32_t index;
+    } entries[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
+  } elem_table; /* Metadata table management */
+  struct {
+    struct {
+      /* Only store the slice refcount - we do not need the byte buffer or
+         length of the slice since we only need to store a mapping between the
+         identity of the slice and the corresponding HPACK index. Since the
+         slice *must* be static or interned, the refcount is sufficient to
+         establish identity. */
+      grpc_slice_refcount* value;
+      uint32_t index;
+    } entries[GRPC_CHTTP2_HPACKC_NUM_VALUES];
+  } key_table; /* Key table management */
+};
 
 void grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor_init(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c);
 void grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor_destroy(grpc_chttp2_hpack_compressor* c);