diff --git a/src/pycpio/cpio/archive.py b/src/pycpio/cpio/archive.py
index dff92c7..9cb3380 100644
--- a/src/pycpio/cpio/archive.py
+++ b/src/pycpio/cpio/archive.py
@@ -55,23 +55,31 @@ def _update_inodes(self, entry):
         if it's a hardlink, remove the data in the copy.
         """
         if entry.header.ino in self.inodes:
+            self.logger.log(5, "[%s] Inode already exists: %s" % (entry.header.name, entry.header.ino))
+            # For regular files, check if the existing entry has the same data, if so, clear it before making a hardlink
             if isinstance(entry, CPIO_File) and self[self.inodes[entry.header.ino][0]].data == entry.data:
                 self.logger.info("[%s] New hardlink detected, removing data." % entry.header.name)
                 # Remove the data from the current entry
                 entry.data = b""
+            # If it's a file, but has no data, it's already a hardlink
             elif isinstance(entry, CPIO_File) and entry.data == b"":
                 self.logger.debug("[%s] Hardlink detected." % entry.header.name)
             else:
                 from .common import get_new_inode
 
-                if entry.header.ino == 0 and not self.reproducible:
+                if entry.header.ino == 0 and not self.reproducible:  # Warn for another inode of 0 for non-reproducible archives
                     self.logger.warning("[%s] Inode already exists: %s" % (entry.header.name, entry.header.ino))
+
+                old_inode = entry.header.ino
                 entry.header.ino = get_new_inode(self.inodes)
                 if self.reproducible:
                     self.logger.debug("[%s] Inode recalculated: %s" % (entry.header.name, entry.header.ino))
                 else:
                     self.logger.info("[%s] New inode: %s" % (entry.header.name, entry.header.ino))
+                # Create a new inode entry, clear the old one if it's empty
                 self.inodes[entry.header.ino] = []
+                if len(self.inodes[old_inode]) == 0:
+                    del self.inodes[old_inode]
         else:
             self.inodes[entry.header.ino] = []
         self.inodes[entry.header.ino].append(entry.header.name)