diff --git a/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/detail/nbr_intersection.cuh b/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/detail/nbr_intersection.cuh
index 0d058efe5f6..a2797c32fae 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/detail/nbr_intersection.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/detail/nbr_intersection.cuh
@@ -852,7 +852,7 @@ nbr_intersection(raft::handle_t const& handle,
         std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(unique_majors.size()) / load_factor),
                  static_cast<size_t>(unique_majors.size()) + 1),
         cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-        cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+        cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
         stream_adapter,
         handle.get_stream());
       auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(unique_majors.begin(),
diff --git a/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e.cuh b/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e.cuh
index 03dd160509a..19966783719 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/cugraph/prims/per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e.cuh
@@ -234,6 +234,11 @@ void per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e(
   VertexIterator map_unique_key_first,
   VertexIterator map_unique_key_last,
   ValueIterator map_value_first,
+#if 1  // FIXME: this is unnecessary if we use a binary tree instead of cuco::static_map in
+       // collect_values_for_unique_keys, need to compare the two approaches
+  typename thrust::iterator_traits<VertexIterator>::value_type invalid_key,
+  typename thrust::iterator_traits<ValueIterator>::value_type invalid_value,
+#endif
   KeyAggregatedEdgeOp key_aggregated_e_op,
   T init,
   ReduceOp reduce_op,
@@ -313,8 +318,8 @@ void per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e(
           static_cast<double>(thrust::distance(map_unique_key_first, map_unique_key_last)) /
           load_factor),
         static_cast<size_t>(thrust::distance(map_unique_key_first, map_unique_key_last)) + 1),
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{0},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_key},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{invalid_value},
       stream_adapter,
       handle.get_stream());
 
@@ -586,8 +591,8 @@ void per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e(
     auto multi_gpu_kv_map_ptr = std::make_unique<
       cuco::static_map<vertex_t, value_t, cuda::thread_scope_device, decltype(stream_adapter)>>(
       size_t{0},
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{0},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_key},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{invalid_value},
       stream_adapter,
       handle.get_stream());  // relevant only when GraphViewType::is_multi_gpu is true
     if constexpr (GraphViewType::is_multi_gpu) {
@@ -624,8 +629,8 @@ void per_v_transform_reduce_dst_key_aggregated_outgoing_e(
         // cuco::static_map requires at least one empty slot
         std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(unique_minor_keys.size()) / load_factor),
                  static_cast<size_t>(unique_minor_keys.size()) + 1),
-        cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-        cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{0},
+        cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_key},
+        cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{invalid_value},
         stream_adapter,
         handle.get_stream());
 
diff --git a/cpp/include/cugraph/utilities/collect_comm.cuh b/cpp/include/cugraph/utilities/collect_comm.cuh
index fc448aa36b0..a72d44b6aee 100644
--- a/cpp/include/cugraph/utilities/collect_comm.cuh
+++ b/cpp/include/cugraph/utilities/collect_comm.cuh
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@ collect_values_for_keys(raft::comms::comms_t const& comm,
                         VertexIterator1 collect_key_first,
                         VertexIterator1 collect_key_last,
                         KeyToGPUIdOp key_to_gpu_id_op,
+#if 1  // FIXME: this is unnecessary if we use a binary tree instead of cuco::static_map, need to
+       // compare the two approaches
+                        typename thrust::iterator_traits<VertexIterator0>::value_type invalid_key,
+                        typename thrust::iterator_traits<ValueIterator>::value_type invalid_value,
+#endif
                         rmm::cuda_stream_view stream_view)
 {
   using vertex_t = typename thrust::iterator_traits<VertexIterator0>::value_type;
@@ -84,8 +89,8 @@ collect_values_for_keys(raft::comms::comms_t const& comm,
     std::max(static_cast<size_t>(
                static_cast<double>(thrust::distance(map_key_first, map_key_last)) / load_factor),
              static_cast<size_t>(thrust::distance(map_key_first, map_key_last)) + 1),
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{0},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_key},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{invalid_value},
     stream_adapter,
     stream_view);
   {
@@ -147,8 +152,8 @@ collect_values_for_keys(raft::comms::comms_t const& comm,
     // cuco::static_map requires at least one empty slot
     std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(unique_keys.size()) / load_factor),
              unique_keys.size() + 1),
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{0},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_key},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{invalid_value},
     stream_adapter,
     stream_view);
   {
@@ -224,6 +229,11 @@ collect_values_for_unique_keys(
   rmm::device_uvector<typename thrust::iterator_traits<VertexIterator>::value_type>&&
     collect_unique_keys,
   KeyToGPUIdOp key_to_gpu_id_op,
+#if 1  // FIXME: this is unnecessary if we use a binary tree instead of cuco::static_map, need to
+       // compare the two approaches
+  typename thrust::iterator_traits<VertexIterator>::value_type invalid_key,
+  typename thrust::iterator_traits<ValueIterator>::value_type invalid_value,
+#endif
   rmm::cuda_stream_view stream_view)
 {
   using vertex_t = typename thrust::iterator_traits<VertexIterator>::value_type;
@@ -244,8 +254,8 @@ collect_values_for_unique_keys(
     std::max(static_cast<size_t>(
                static_cast<double>(thrust::distance(map_key_first, map_key_last)) / load_factor),
              static_cast<size_t>(thrust::distance(map_key_first, map_key_last)) + 1),
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{0},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_key},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<value_t>{invalid_value},
     stream_adapter,
     stream_view);
   {
diff --git a/cpp/src/community/louvain.cuh b/cpp/src/community/louvain.cuh
index e0c9a42888e..e52a3703f18 100644
--- a/cpp/src/community/louvain.cuh
+++ b/cpp/src/community/louvain.cuh
@@ -446,14 +446,17 @@ class Louvain {
       cugraph::detail::compute_gpu_id_from_ext_vertex_t<vertex_t> vertex_to_gpu_id_op{
         handle_.get_comms().get_size()};
 
-      vertex_cluster_weights_v = cugraph::collect_values_for_keys(handle_.get_comms(),
-                                                                  cluster_keys_v_.begin(),
-                                                                  cluster_keys_v_.end(),
-                                                                  cluster_weights_v_.data(),
-                                                                  next_clusters_v_.begin(),
-                                                                  next_clusters_v_.end(),
-                                                                  vertex_to_gpu_id_op,
-                                                                  handle_.get_stream());
+      vertex_cluster_weights_v =
+        cugraph::collect_values_for_keys(handle_.get_comms(),
+                                         cluster_keys_v_.begin(),
+                                         cluster_keys_v_.end(),
+                                         cluster_weights_v_.data(),
+                                         next_clusters_v_.begin(),
+                                         next_clusters_v_.end(),
+                                         vertex_to_gpu_id_op,
+                                         invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value,
+                                         std::numeric_limits<weight_t>::max(),
+                                         handle_.get_stream());
 
       src_cluster_weights =
         edge_partition_src_property_t<graph_view_t, weight_t>(handle_, current_graph_view_);
@@ -533,6 +536,8 @@ class Louvain {
       cluster_keys_v_.begin(),
       cluster_keys_v_.end(),
       cluster_weights_v_.begin(),
+      invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value,
+      std::numeric_limits<weight_t>::max(),
       detail::key_aggregated_edge_op_t<vertex_t, weight_t>{total_edge_weight, resolution},
       thrust::make_tuple(vertex_t{-1}, weight_t{0}),
       detail::reduce_op_t<vertex_t, weight_t>{},
diff --git a/cpp/src/structure/relabel_impl.cuh b/cpp/src/structure/relabel_impl.cuh
index e7206a42b7b..cb5e7066dba 100644
--- a/cpp/src/structure/relabel_impl.cuh
+++ b/cpp/src/structure/relabel_impl.cuh
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ void relabel(raft::handle_t const& handle,
                                static_cast<double>(rx_label_pair_old_labels.size()) / load_factor),
                              rx_label_pair_old_labels.size() + 1),
                     cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                     stream_adapter,
                     handle.get_stream()};
 
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@ void relabel(raft::handle_t const& handle,
           std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(unique_old_labels.size()) / load_factor),
                    unique_old_labels.size() + 1),
           cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-          cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+          cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
           stream_adapter,
           handle.get_stream()};
 
@@ -212,7 +212,7 @@ void relabel(raft::handle_t const& handle,
         std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(num_label_pairs) / load_factor),
                  static_cast<size_t>(num_label_pairs) + 1),
         cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-        cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+        cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
         stream_adapter,
         handle.get_stream());
 
diff --git a/cpp/src/structure/renumber_edgelist_impl.cuh b/cpp/src/structure/renumber_edgelist_impl.cuh
index 69043813069..26b18f584f0 100644
--- a/cpp/src/structure/renumber_edgelist_impl.cuh
+++ b/cpp/src/structure/renumber_edgelist_impl.cuh
@@ -760,7 +760,7 @@ renumber_edgelist(
                      load_factor),
                    static_cast<size_t>(partition.local_edge_partition_major_range_size(i)) + 1),
           cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-          cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+          cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
           stream_adapter,
           handle.get_stream()};
       auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(thrust::make_tuple(
@@ -800,9 +800,6 @@ renumber_edgelist(
                    i,
                    handle.get_stream());
 
-      RAFT_CUDA_TRY(cudaStreamSynchronize(
-        handle.get_stream()));  // cuco::static_map currently does not take stream
-
       auto poly_alloc =
         rmm::mr::polymorphic_allocator<char>(rmm::mr::get_current_device_resource());
       auto stream_adapter = rmm::mr::make_stream_allocator_adaptor(poly_alloc, handle.get_stream());
@@ -811,7 +808,7 @@ renumber_edgelist(
                      std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(segment_size) / load_factor),
                               static_cast<size_t>(segment_size) + 1),
                      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                     cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                     cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                      stream_adapter,
                      handle.get_stream()};
       auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(thrust::make_tuple(
@@ -857,7 +854,7 @@ renumber_edgelist(
                               static_cast<double>(renumber_map_minor_labels.size()) / load_factor),
                             renumber_map_minor_labels.size() + 1),
                    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                   cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                   cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                    stream_adapter,
                    handle.get_stream()};
     auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(thrust::make_tuple(
@@ -930,7 +927,7 @@ renumber_edgelist(raft::handle_t const& handle,
       std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(renumber_map_labels.size()) / load_factor),
                renumber_map_labels.size() + 1),
       cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
       stream_adapter,
       handle.get_stream()};
   auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(
diff --git a/cpp/src/structure/renumber_utils_impl.cuh b/cpp/src/structure/renumber_utils_impl.cuh
index 2e8c162be89..8204584b2a0 100644
--- a/cpp/src/structure/renumber_utils_impl.cuh
+++ b/cpp/src/structure/renumber_utils_impl.cuh
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ void unrenumber_local_int_edges(
                                 static_cast<double>(edge_partition_major_range_size) / load_factor),
                               static_cast<size_t>(edge_partition_major_range_size) + 1),
                      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                     cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                     cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                      stream_adapter,
                      handle.get_stream()};
       auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(
@@ -266,7 +266,7 @@ void unrenumber_local_int_edges(
                      std::max(static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(segment_size) / load_factor),
                               static_cast<size_t>(segment_size) + 1),
                      cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                     cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                     cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                      stream_adapter,
                      handle.get_stream()};
       auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ void unrenumber_local_int_edges(
                               static_cast<double>(renumber_map_minor_labels.size()) / load_factor),
                             renumber_map_minor_labels.size() + 1),
                    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                   cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                   cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                    stream_adapter,
                    handle.get_stream()};
     auto pair_first = thrust::make_zip_iterator(
@@ -373,7 +373,7 @@ void renumber_ext_vertices(raft::handle_t const& handle,
     cuco::static_map<vertex_t, vertex_t, cuda::thread_scope_device, decltype(stream_adapter)>>(
     size_t{0},
     cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
     stream_adapter,
     handle.get_stream());
   if (multi_gpu) {
@@ -410,6 +410,8 @@ void renumber_ext_vertices(raft::handle_t const& handle,
         thrust::make_counting_iterator(local_int_vertex_first),
         std::move(sorted_unique_ext_vertices),
         detail::compute_gpu_id_from_ext_vertex_t<vertex_t>{comm_size},
+        invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value,
+        invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value,
         handle.get_stream());
 
     renumber_map_ptr.reset();
@@ -421,7 +423,7 @@ void renumber_ext_vertices(raft::handle_t const& handle,
         static_cast<size_t>(static_cast<double>(sorted_unique_ext_vertices.size()) / load_factor),
         sorted_unique_ext_vertices.size() + 1),
       cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
       stream_adapter,
       handle.get_stream());
 
@@ -442,7 +444,7 @@ void renumber_ext_vertices(raft::handle_t const& handle,
                  static_cast<double>(local_int_vertex_last - local_int_vertex_first) / load_factor),
                static_cast<size_t>(local_int_vertex_last - local_int_vertex_first) + 1),
       cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+      cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
       stream_adapter,
       handle.get_stream());
 
@@ -508,7 +510,7 @@ void renumber_local_ext_vertices(raft::handle_t const& handle,
                static_cast<double>(local_int_vertex_last - local_int_vertex_first) / load_factor),
              static_cast<size_t>(local_int_vertex_last - local_int_vertex_first) + 1),
     cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+    cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
     stream_adapter,
     handle.get_stream());
 
@@ -677,7 +679,7 @@ void unrenumber_int_vertices(raft::handle_t const& handle,
                               static_cast<double>(sorted_unique_int_vertices.size()) / load_factor),
                             sorted_unique_int_vertices.size() + 1),
                    cuco::sentinel::empty_key<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
-                   cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{0},
+                   cuco::sentinel::empty_value<vertex_t>{invalid_vertex_id<vertex_t>::value},
                    stream_adapter,
                    handle.get_stream()};