diff --git a/src/benchmark.cpp b/src/benchmark.cpp
index 2978f346..95125404 100644
--- a/src/benchmark.cpp
+++ b/src/benchmark.cpp
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ void benchmark(const Position& current, istream& is) {
 
   for (size_t i = 0; i < fens.size(); ++i)
   {
-      StateListPtr states(new std::vector<StateInfo>(1));
+      StateListPtr states(new std::deque<StateInfo>(1));
       pos.set(fens[i], Options["UCI_Chess960"], &states->back(), Threads.main());
 
       cerr << "\nPosition: " << i + 1 << '/' << fens.size() << endl;
diff --git a/src/position.h b/src/position.h
index d44ed009..c3ba5ac8 100644
--- a/src/position.h
+++ b/src/position.h
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@
 
 #include <cassert>
 #include <cstddef>  // For offsetof()
+#include <deque>
 #include <memory>   // For std::unique_ptr
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
@@ -77,7 +78,8 @@ struct StateInfo {
   StateInfo* previous;
 };
 
-typedef std::unique_ptr<std::vector<StateInfo>> StateListPtr;
+// In a std::deque references to elements are unaffected upon resizing
+typedef std::unique_ptr<std::deque<StateInfo>> StateListPtr;
 
 
 /// Position class stores information regarding the board representation as
diff --git a/src/thread.cpp b/src/thread.cpp
index dc4ec05e..4dc7d9e9 100644
--- a/src/thread.cpp
+++ b/src/thread.cpp
@@ -190,6 +190,8 @@ void ThreadPool::start_thinking(const Position& pos, StateListPtr& states,
   if (states.get())
       setupStates = std::move(states); // Ownership transfer, states is now empty
 
+  StateInfo tmp = setupStates->back();
+
   for (Thread* th : Threads)
   {
       th->maxPly = 0;
@@ -198,5 +200,7 @@ void ThreadPool::start_thinking(const Position& pos, StateListPtr& states,
       th->rootPos.set(pos.fen(), pos.is_chess960(), &setupStates->back(), th);
   }
 
+  setupStates->back() = tmp; // Restore st->previous, cleared by Position::set()
+
   main()->start_searching();
 }
diff --git a/src/uci.cpp b/src/uci.cpp
index cfd253b1..a9811a9a 100644
--- a/src/uci.cpp
+++ b/src/uci.cpp
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ namespace {
   // A list to keep track of the position states along the setup moves (from the
   // start position to the position just before the search starts). Needed by
   // 'draw by repetition' detection.
-  StateListPtr States(new std::vector<StateInfo>(1));
+  StateListPtr States(new std::deque<StateInfo>(1));
 
 
   // position() is called when engine receives the "position" UCI command.
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ namespace {
     else
         return;
 
-    States = StateListPtr(new std::vector<StateInfo>(1));
+    States = StateListPtr(new std::deque<StateInfo>(1));
     pos.set(fen, Options["UCI_Chess960"], &States->back(), Threads.main());
 
     // Parse move list (if any)