diff --git a/src/util/hash_table.c b/src/util/hash_table.c
index 5ae9c4a9e88..54bd50c3cd4 100644
--- a/src/util/hash_table.c
+++ b/src/util/hash_table.c
@@ -250,18 +250,19 @@ key_u32_equals(const void *a, const void *b)
    return (uint32_t)(uintptr_t)a == (uint32_t)(uintptr_t)b;
 }
 
-/* key == 0 and key == deleted_key are not allowed */
-/* It's preferred to use _mesa_hash_table_init_u32_keys instead of this to skip ralloc. */
 struct hash_table *
 _mesa_hash_table_create_u32_keys(void *mem_ctx)
 {
-   return _mesa_hash_table_create(mem_ctx, key_u32_hash, key_u32_equals);
+   struct hash_table *ht = _mesa_hash_table_create(mem_ctx, key_u32_hash, key_u32_equals);
+   _mesa_hash_table_set_deleted_key(ht, (void *)(uintptr_t)UINT32_MAX);
+   return ht;
 }
 
 void
 _mesa_hash_table_init_u32_keys(struct hash_table *ht, void *mem_ctx)
 {
    _mesa_hash_table_init(ht, mem_ctx, key_u32_hash, key_u32_equals);
+   _mesa_hash_table_set_deleted_key(ht, (void *)(uintptr_t)UINT32_MAX);
 }
 
 /* Copy the hash table from src to dst. */
diff --git a/src/util/hash_table.h b/src/util/hash_table.h
index bb9bb84a4d0..c3163d90e76 100644
--- a/src/util/hash_table.h
+++ b/src/util/hash_table.h
@@ -86,6 +86,8 @@ void
 _mesa_hash_table_fini(struct hash_table *ht,
                       void (*delete_function)(struct hash_entry *entry));
 
+/* key == 0 and key == UINT32_MAX are not allowed */
+/* It's preferred to use _mesa_hash_table_init_u32_keys instead of this to skip ralloc. */
 struct hash_table *
 _mesa_hash_table_create_u32_keys(void *mem_ctx);