diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
index 7b0091074..38033b6e0 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl.cc
@@ -1674,9 +1674,16 @@ void DBImpl::BackgroundCallPurge() {
 }
 
 namespace {
-struct IterState {
-  IterState(DBImpl* _db, InstrumentedMutex* _mu, SuperVersion* _super_version,
-            bool _background_purge)
+
+// A `SuperVersionHandle` holds a non-null `SuperVersion*` pointing at a
+// `SuperVersion` referenced once for this object. It also contains the state
+// needed to clean up the `SuperVersion` reference from outside of `DBImpl`
+// using `CleanupSuperVersionHandle()`.
+struct SuperVersionHandle {
+  // `_super_version` must be non-nullptr and `Ref()`'d once as long as the
+  // `SuperVersionHandle` may use it.
+  SuperVersionHandle(DBImpl* _db, InstrumentedMutex* _mu,
+                     SuperVersion* _super_version, bool _background_purge)
       : db(_db),
         mu(_mu),
         super_version(_super_version),
@@ -1688,35 +1695,49 @@ struct IterState {
   bool background_purge;
 };
 
-static void CleanupIteratorState(void* arg1, void* /*arg2*/) {
-  IterState* state = reinterpret_cast<IterState*>(arg1);
+static void CleanupSuperVersionHandle(void* arg1, void* /*arg2*/) {
+  SuperVersionHandle* sv_handle = reinterpret_cast<SuperVersionHandle*>(arg1);
 
-  if (state->super_version->Unref()) {
+  if (sv_handle->super_version->Unref()) {
     // Job id == 0 means that this is not our background process, but rather
     // user thread
     JobContext job_context(0);
 
-    state->mu->Lock();
-    state->super_version->Cleanup();
-    state->db->FindObsoleteFiles(&job_context, false, true);
-    if (state->background_purge) {
-      state->db->ScheduleBgLogWriterClose(&job_context);
-      state->db->AddSuperVersionsToFreeQueue(state->super_version);
-      state->db->SchedulePurge();
+    sv_handle->mu->Lock();
+    sv_handle->super_version->Cleanup();
+    sv_handle->db->FindObsoleteFiles(&job_context, false, true);
+    if (sv_handle->background_purge) {
+      sv_handle->db->ScheduleBgLogWriterClose(&job_context);
+      sv_handle->db->AddSuperVersionsToFreeQueue(sv_handle->super_version);
+      sv_handle->db->SchedulePurge();
     }
-    state->mu->Unlock();
+    sv_handle->mu->Unlock();
 
-    if (!state->background_purge) {
-      delete state->super_version;
+    if (!sv_handle->background_purge) {
+      delete sv_handle->super_version;
     }
     if (job_context.HaveSomethingToDelete()) {
-      state->db->PurgeObsoleteFiles(job_context, state->background_purge);
+      sv_handle->db->PurgeObsoleteFiles(job_context,
+                                        sv_handle->background_purge);
     }
     job_context.Clean();
   }
 
+  delete sv_handle;
+}
+
+struct GetMergeOperandsState {
+  MergeContext merge_context;
+  PinnedIteratorsManager pinned_iters_mgr;
+  SuperVersionHandle* sv_handle;
+};
+
+static void CleanupGetMergeOperandsState(void* arg1, void* /*arg2*/) {
+  GetMergeOperandsState* state = static_cast<GetMergeOperandsState*>(arg1);
+  CleanupSuperVersionHandle(state->sv_handle /* arg1 */, nullptr /* arg2 */);
   delete state;
 }
+
 }  // namespace
 
 InternalIterator* DBImpl::NewInternalIterator(const ReadOptions& read_options,
@@ -1761,11 +1782,11 @@ InternalIterator* DBImpl::NewInternalIterator(const ReadOptions& read_options,
                                            allow_unprepared_value);
     }
     internal_iter = merge_iter_builder.Finish();
-    IterState* cleanup =
-        new IterState(this, &mutex_, super_version,
-                      read_options.background_purge_on_iterator_cleanup ||
-                      immutable_db_options_.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io);
-    internal_iter->RegisterCleanup(CleanupIteratorState, cleanup, nullptr);
+    SuperVersionHandle* cleanup = new SuperVersionHandle(
+        this, &mutex_, super_version,
+        read_options.background_purge_on_iterator_cleanup ||
+            immutable_db_options_.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io);
+    internal_iter->RegisterCleanup(CleanupSuperVersionHandle, cleanup, nullptr);
 
     return internal_iter;
   } else {
@@ -1801,6 +1822,34 @@ Status DBImpl::Get(const ReadOptions& read_options,
   return s;
 }
 
+bool DBImpl::ShouldReferenceSuperVersion(const MergeContext& merge_context) {
+  // If both thresholds are reached, a function returning merge operands as
+  // `PinnableSlice`s should reference the `SuperVersion` to avoid large and/or
+  // numerous `memcpy()`s.
+  //
+  // The below constants enable the optimization conservatively. They are
+  // verified to not regress `GetMergeOperands()` latency in the following
+  // scenarios.
+  //
+  // - CPU: two socket Intel(R) Xeon(R) Gold 6138 CPU @ 2.00GHz
+  // - `GetMergeOperands()` threads: 1 - 32
+  // - Entry size: 32 bytes - 4KB
+  // - Merges per key: 1 - 16K
+  // - LSM component: memtable
+  //
+  // TODO(ajkr): expand measurement to SST files.
+  static const size_t kNumBytesForSvRef = 32768;
+  static const size_t kLog2AvgBytesForSvRef = 8;  // 256 bytes
+
+  size_t num_bytes = 0;
+  for (const Slice& sl : merge_context.GetOperands()) {
+    num_bytes += sl.size();
+  }
+  return num_bytes >= kNumBytesForSvRef &&
+         (num_bytes >> kLog2AvgBytesForSvRef) >=
+             merge_context.GetOperands().size();
+}
+
 Status DBImpl::GetImpl(const ReadOptions& read_options, const Slice& key,
                        GetImplOptions& get_impl_options) {
   assert(get_impl_options.value != nullptr ||
@@ -1848,6 +1897,14 @@ Status DBImpl::GetImpl(const ReadOptions& read_options, const Slice& key,
     }
   }
 
+  if (get_impl_options.get_merge_operands_options != nullptr) {
+    for (int i = 0; i < get_impl_options.get_merge_operands_options
+                            ->expected_max_number_of_operands;
+         ++i) {
+      get_impl_options.merge_operands[i].Reset();
+    }
+  }
+
   // Acquire SuperVersion
   SuperVersion* sv = GetAndRefSuperVersion(cfd);
 
@@ -1995,19 +2052,68 @@ Status DBImpl::GetImpl(const ReadOptions& read_options, const Slice& key,
           s = Status::Incomplete(
               Status::SubCode::KMergeOperandsInsufficientCapacity);
         } else {
-          for (const Slice& sl : merge_context.GetOperands()) {
-            size += sl.size();
-            get_impl_options.merge_operands->PinSelf(sl);
-            get_impl_options.merge_operands++;
+          // Each operand depends on one of the following resources: `sv`,
+          // `pinned_iters_mgr`, or `merge_context`. It would be crazy expensive
+          // to reference `sv` for each operand relying on it because `sv` is
+          // (un)ref'd in all threads using the DB. Furthermore, we do not track
+          // on which resource each operand depends.
+          //
+          // To solve this, we bundle the resources in a `GetMergeOperandsState`
+          // and manage them with a `SharedCleanablePtr` shared among the
+          // `PinnableSlice`s we return. This bundle includes one `sv` reference
+          // and ownership of the `merge_context` and `pinned_iters_mgr`
+          // objects.
+          bool ref_sv = ShouldReferenceSuperVersion(merge_context);
+          if (ref_sv) {
+            assert(!merge_context.GetOperands().empty());
+            SharedCleanablePtr shared_cleanable;
+            GetMergeOperandsState* state = nullptr;
+            state = new GetMergeOperandsState();
+            state->merge_context = std::move(merge_context);
+            state->pinned_iters_mgr = std::move(pinned_iters_mgr);
+
+            sv->Ref();
+
+            state->sv_handle = new SuperVersionHandle(
+                this, &mutex_, sv,
+                immutable_db_options_.avoid_unnecessary_blocking_io);
+
+            shared_cleanable.Allocate();
+            shared_cleanable->RegisterCleanup(CleanupGetMergeOperandsState,
+                                              state /* arg1 */,
+                                              nullptr /* arg2 */);
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < state->merge_context.GetOperands().size();
+                 ++i) {
+              const Slice& sl = state->merge_context.GetOperands()[i];
+              size += sl.size();
+
+              get_impl_options.merge_operands->PinSlice(
+                  sl, nullptr /* cleanable */);
+              if (i == state->merge_context.GetOperands().size() - 1) {
+                shared_cleanable.MoveAsCleanupTo(
+                    get_impl_options.merge_operands);
+              } else {
+                shared_cleanable.RegisterCopyWith(
+                    get_impl_options.merge_operands);
+              }
+              get_impl_options.merge_operands++;
+            }
+          } else {
+            for (const Slice& sl : merge_context.GetOperands()) {
+              size += sl.size();
+              get_impl_options.merge_operands->PinSelf(sl);
+              get_impl_options.merge_operands++;
+            }
           }
         }
       }
       RecordTick(stats_, BYTES_READ, size);
       PERF_COUNTER_ADD(get_read_bytes, size);
     }
-    RecordInHistogram(stats_, BYTES_PER_READ, size);
 
     ReturnAndCleanupSuperVersion(cfd, sv);
+
+    RecordInHistogram(stats_, BYTES_PER_READ, size);
   }
   return s;
 }
diff --git a/db/db_impl/db_impl.h b/db/db_impl/db_impl.h
index 2a9a6b9c2..3f718b598 100644
--- a/db/db_impl/db_impl.h
+++ b/db/db_impl/db_impl.h
@@ -2260,6 +2260,8 @@ class DBImpl : public DB {
   Status IncreaseFullHistoryTsLowImpl(ColumnFamilyData* cfd,
                                       std::string ts_low);
 
+  bool ShouldReferenceSuperVersion(const MergeContext& merge_context);
+
   // Lock over the persistent DB state.  Non-nullptr iff successfully acquired.
   FileLock* db_lock_;
 
diff --git a/db/db_merge_operand_test.cc b/db/db_merge_operand_test.cc
index bca35b258..1ae5f3287 100644
--- a/db/db_merge_operand_test.cc
+++ b/db/db_merge_operand_test.cc
@@ -397,6 +397,48 @@ TEST_F(DBMergeOperandTest, BlobDBGetMergeOperandsBasic) {
   ASSERT_EQ(values[3], "ed");
 }
 
+TEST_F(DBMergeOperandTest, GetMergeOperandsLargeResultOptimization) {
+  // These constants are chosen to trigger the large result optimization
+  // (pinning a bundle of `DBImpl` resources).
+  const int kNumOperands = 1024;
+  const int kOperandLen = 1024;
+
+  Options options;
+  options.create_if_missing = true;
+  options.merge_operator = MergeOperators::CreateStringAppendOperator();
+  DestroyAndReopen(options);
+
+  Random rnd(301);
+  std::vector<std::string> expected_merge_operands;
+  expected_merge_operands.reserve(kNumOperands);
+  for (int i = 0; i < kNumOperands; ++i) {
+    expected_merge_operands.emplace_back(rnd.RandomString(kOperandLen));
+    ASSERT_OK(Merge("key", expected_merge_operands.back()));
+  }
+
+  std::vector<PinnableSlice> merge_operands(kNumOperands);
+  GetMergeOperandsOptions merge_operands_info;
+  merge_operands_info.expected_max_number_of_operands = kNumOperands;
+  int num_merge_operands = 0;
+  ASSERT_OK(db_->GetMergeOperands(ReadOptions(), db_->DefaultColumnFamily(),
+                                  "key", merge_operands.data(),
+                                  &merge_operands_info, &num_merge_operands));
+  ASSERT_EQ(num_merge_operands, kNumOperands);
+
+  // Ensures the large result optimization was used.
+  for (int i = 0; i < kNumOperands; ++i) {
+    ASSERT_TRUE(merge_operands[i].IsPinned());
+  }
+
+  // Add a Flush() to change the `SuperVersion` to challenge the resource
+  // pinning.
+  ASSERT_OK(Flush());
+
+  for (int i = 0; i < kNumOperands; ++i) {
+    ASSERT_EQ(expected_merge_operands[i], merge_operands[i]);
+  }
+}
+
 }  // namespace ROCKSDB_NAMESPACE
 
 int main(int argc, char** argv) {
diff --git a/db/pinned_iterators_manager.h b/db/pinned_iterators_manager.h
index 1336f5420..0fcf231da 100644
--- a/db/pinned_iterators_manager.h
+++ b/db/pinned_iterators_manager.h
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ class PinnedIteratorsManager : public Cleanable {
     }
   }
 
+  // Move constructor and move assignment is allowed.
+  PinnedIteratorsManager(PinnedIteratorsManager&& other) noexcept = default;
+  PinnedIteratorsManager& operator=(PinnedIteratorsManager&& other) noexcept =
+      default;
+
   // Enable Iterators pinning
   void StartPinning() {
     assert(pinning_enabled == false);
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/db.h b/include/rocksdb/db.h
index 8e72140d0..2c94a7c58 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/db.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/db.h
@@ -581,6 +581,10 @@ class DB {
   // `merge_operands`- Points to an array of at-least
   //             merge_operands_options.expected_max_number_of_operands and the
   //             caller is responsible for allocating it.
+  //
+  // The caller should delete or `Reset()` the `merge_operands` entries when
+  // they are no longer needed. All `merge_operands` entries must be destroyed
+  // or `Reset()` before this DB is closed or destroyed.
   virtual Status GetMergeOperands(
       const ReadOptions& options, ColumnFamilyHandle* column_family,
       const Slice& key, PinnableSlice* merge_operands,
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/slice.h b/include/rocksdb/slice.h
index 3722fc4e6..0d7eb5949 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/slice.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/slice.h
@@ -162,7 +162,9 @@ class PinnableSlice : public Slice, public Cleanable {
     pinned_ = true;
     data_ = s.data();
     size_ = s.size();
-    cleanable->DelegateCleanupsTo(this);
+    if (cleanable != nullptr) {
+      cleanable->DelegateCleanupsTo(this);
+    }
     assert(pinned_);
   }
 
diff --git a/microbench/db_basic_bench.cc b/microbench/db_basic_bench.cc
index a7aa64774..6c70ad21d 100644
--- a/microbench/db_basic_bench.cc
+++ b/microbench/db_basic_bench.cc
@@ -841,6 +841,9 @@ static void DBGetMergeOperandsInMemtable(benchmark::State& state) {
     if (num_value_operands != static_cast<int>(kNumEntriesPerKey)) {
       state.SkipWithError("Unexpected number of merge operands found for key");
     }
+    for (auto& value_operand : value_operands) {
+      value_operand.Reset();
+    }
   }
 
   if (state.thread_index() == 0) {
@@ -938,6 +941,9 @@ static void DBGetMergeOperandsInSstFile(benchmark::State& state) {
     if (num_value_operands != static_cast<int>(kNumEntriesPerKey)) {
       state.SkipWithError("Unexpected number of merge operands found for key");
     }
+    for (auto& value_operand : value_operands) {
+      value_operand.Reset();
+    }
   }
 
   if (state.thread_index() == 0) {
diff --git a/tools/db_bench_tool.cc b/tools/db_bench_tool.cc
index 68488cb40..8ee149705 100644
--- a/tools/db_bench_tool.cc
+++ b/tools/db_bench_tool.cc
@@ -6008,6 +6008,7 @@ class Benchmark {
         bytes += key.size() + pinnable_val.size() + user_timestamp_size_;
         for (size_t i = 0; i < pinnable_vals.size(); ++i) {
           bytes += pinnable_vals[i].size();
+          pinnable_vals[i].Reset();
         }
       } else if (!s.IsNotFound()) {
         fprintf(stderr, "Get returned an error: %s\n", s.ToString().c_str());