diff --git a/consistent.go b/consistent.go
index 7bd648f..212af49 100644
--- a/consistent.go
+++ b/consistent.go
@@ -244,6 +244,9 @@ func DefaultReplicaKey(name string, idx int) []byte {
 }
 
 func (c *Consistent) add(member Member) {
+	if _, exists := c.members[member.String()]; exists {
+		return
+	}
 	for i := 0; i < c.config.ReplicationFactor; i++ {
 		key := c.config.ReplicaKey(member.String(), i)
 		h := c.hasher.Sum64(key)
@@ -300,6 +303,7 @@ func (c *Consistent) Remove(name string) {
 	if len(c.members) == 0 {
 		// consistent hash ring is empty now. Reset the partition table.
 		c.partitions = make(map[int]Member)
+		c.loads = make(map[string]float64)
 		return
 	}
 	c.distributePartitions()
diff --git a/consistent_test.go b/consistent_test.go
index cffc04f..35886cd 100644
--- a/consistent_test.go
+++ b/consistent_test.go
@@ -565,3 +565,31 @@ func TestConsistentConcurrentAccess(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("Expected seed.olric, Got: %s", members[0].String())
 	}
 }
+
+func TestRemoveDuplicateInitialMember(t *testing.T) {
+	c := New([]Member{testMember("a"), testMember("a"), testMember("b")}, newConfig())
+	c.Remove("a")
+	if len(c.GetMembers()) != 1 {
+		t.Fatal("expected one remaining member")
+	}
+	for part := 0; part < newConfig().PartitionCount; part++ {
+		if owner := c.GetPartitionOwner(part); owner == nil || owner.String() != "b" {
+			t.Fatalf("partition %d owner = %v, want b", part, owner)
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestRemoveLastMemberClearsLoadDistribution(t *testing.T) {
+	c := New([]Member{testMember("a")}, newConfig())
+	c.Remove("a")
+	if loads := c.LoadDistribution(); len(loads) != 0 {
+		t.Fatalf("removed member still has load: %v", loads)
+	}
+	if c.AverageLoad() != 0 {
+		t.Fatal("empty ring has nonzero average load")
+	}
+	c.Add(testMember("b"))
+	if loads := c.LoadDistribution(); len(loads) != 1 || loads["b"] != float64(newConfig().PartitionCount) {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected load after repopulating ring: %v", loads)
+	}
+}