diff --git a/datasketch/hnsw.py b/datasketch/hnsw.py
index 04ce2382..e57a78c6 100644
--- a/datasketch/hnsw.py
+++ b/datasketch/hnsw.py
@@ -614,7 +614,8 @@ def _repair_connections(
                     entry_point,
                     entry_point_dist,
                     layer,
-                    allow_soft_deleted=False,
+                    # We allow soft-deleted points to be returned and used as entry point.
+                    allow_soft_deleted=True,
                     key_to_hard_delete=key_to_delete,
                 )
                 entry_points = [(-entry_point_dist, entry_point)]
@@ -626,7 +627,9 @@ def _repair_connections(
                     entry_points,
                     layer,
                     ef + 1,  # We add 1 to ef to account for the point itself.
-                    allow_soft_deleted=False,
+                    # We allow soft-deleted points to be returned and used as entry point
+                    # and neighbor candidates.
+                    allow_soft_deleted=True,
                     key_to_hard_delete=key_to_delete,
                 )
                 # Filter out the updated node itself.
diff --git a/test/test_hnsw.py b/test/test_hnsw.py
index 64fb9e90..1f4e80f0 100644
--- a/test/test_hnsw.py
+++ b/test/test_hnsw.py
@@ -166,7 +166,6 @@ def test_soft_remove_and_pop_and_clean(self):
                     "Potential graph connectivity issue."
                 )
                 # NOTE: we are not getting the expected number of results.
-                # This may be because the graph is not connected anymore.
                 # Try hard remove all previous soft removed points.
                 hnsw.clean()
                 results = hnsw.query(data[i], 10)