diff --git a/cpp/src/TypedIndex.h b/cpp/src/TypedIndex.h
index c0f5debc..63066a40 100644
--- a/cpp/src/TypedIndex.h
+++ b/cpp/src/TypedIndex.h
@@ -53,29 +53,6 @@ template <> const std::string storageDataTypeName<int8_t>() { return "Float8"; }
 template <> const std::string storageDataTypeName<float>() { return "Float32"; }
 template <> const std::string storageDataTypeName<E4M3>() { return "E4M3"; }
 
-template <typename dist_t, typename data_t>
-dist_t ensureNotNegative(dist_t distance, hnswlib::labeltype label) {
-  if constexpr (std::is_same_v<data_t, E4M3>) {
-    // Allow for a very slight negative distance if using E4M3
-    if (distance < 0 && distance >= -0.14) {
-      return 0;
-    }
-  }
-
-  if (distance < 0) {
-    if (distance >= -0.00001) {
-      return 0;
-    }
-
-    throw std::runtime_error(
-        "Potential candidate (with label '" + std::to_string(label) +
-        "') had negative distance " + std::to_string(distance) +
-        ". This may indicate a corrupted index file.");
-  }
-
-  return distance;
-}
-
 /**
  * A C++ wrapper class for a typed HNSW index.
  *
@@ -402,7 +379,7 @@ class TypedIndex : public Index {
         floatToDataType<data_t, scalefactor>(&inputArray[startIndex],
                                              &convertedArray[startIndex],
                                              actualDimensions);
-        size_t id = ids.size() ? ids.at(row) : (currentLabel + row);
+        size_t id = ids.size() ? ids.at(row) : (currentLabel.fetch_add(1));
         try {
           algorithmImpl->addPoint(convertedArray.data() + startIndex, id);
         } catch (IndexFullError &e) {
@@ -438,7 +415,7 @@ class TypedIndex : public Index {
         normalizeVector<dist_t, data_t, scalefactor>(
             &inputArray[startIndex], &normalizedArray[startIndex],
             actualDimensions);
-        size_t id = ids.size() ? ids.at(row) : (currentLabel + row);
+        size_t id = ids.size() ? ids.at(row) : (currentLabel.fetch_add(1));
 
         try {
           algorithmImpl->addPoint(normalizedArray.data() + startIndex, id);
@@ -629,8 +606,7 @@ class TypedIndex : public Index {
           dist_t distance = result_tuple.first;
           hnswlib::labeltype label = result_tuple.second;
 
-          distancePointer[row * k + i] =
-              ensureNotNegative<dist_t, data_t>(distance, label);
+          distancePointer[row * k + i] = distance;
           labelPointer[row * k + i] = label;
           result.pop();
         }
@@ -704,8 +680,7 @@ class TypedIndex : public Index {
       for (int i = k - 1; i >= 0; i--) {
         auto &result_tuple = result.top();
 
-        distancePointer[i] = ensureNotNegative<dist_t, data_t>(
-            result_tuple.first, result_tuple.second);
+        distancePointer[i] = result_tuple.first;
         labelPointer[i] = result_tuple.second;
         result.pop();
       }