diff --git a/examples/haploid_wright_fisher.rs b/examples/haploid_wright_fisher.rs
index 1d10b7fa8..27053a20d 100644
--- a/examples/haploid_wright_fisher.rs
+++ b/examples/haploid_wright_fisher.rs
@@ -8,12 +8,30 @@ use proptest::prelude::*;
 use rand::distributions::Distribution;
 use rand::SeedableRng;
 
+fn rotate_edges(bookmark: &tskit::types::Bookmark, tables: &mut tskit::TableCollection) {
+    let num_edges = tables.edges().num_rows().as_usize();
+    let left =
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut((*tables.as_mut_ptr()).edges.left, num_edges) };
+    let right =
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut((*tables.as_mut_ptr()).edges.right, num_edges) };
+    let parent =
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut((*tables.as_mut_ptr()).edges.parent, num_edges) };
+    let child =
+        unsafe { std::slice::from_raw_parts_mut((*tables.as_mut_ptr()).edges.child, num_edges) };
+    let mid = bookmark.edges().as_usize();
+    left.rotate_left(mid);
+    right.rotate_left(mid);
+    parent.rotate_left(mid);
+    child.rotate_left(mid);
+}
+
 // ANCHOR: haploid_wright_fisher
 fn simulate(
     seed: u64,
     popsize: usize,
     num_generations: i32,
     simplify_interval: i32,
+    update_bookmark: bool,
 ) -> Result<tskit::TreeSequence> {
     if popsize == 0 {
         return Err(anyhow::Error::msg("popsize must be > 0"));
@@ -46,6 +64,7 @@ fn simulate(
     let parent_picker = rand::distributions::Uniform::new(0, popsize);
     let breakpoint_generator = rand::distributions::Uniform::new(0.0, 1.0);
     let mut rng = rand::rngs::StdRng::seed_from_u64(seed);
+    let mut bookmark = tskit::types::Bookmark::new();
 
     for birth_time in (0..num_generations).rev() {
         for c in children.iter_mut() {
@@ -64,7 +83,10 @@ fn simulate(
         }
 
         if birth_time % simplify_interval == 0 {
-            tables.full_sort(tskit::TableSortOptions::default())?;
+            tables.sort(&bookmark, tskit::TableSortOptions::default())?;
+            if update_bookmark {
+                rotate_edges(&bookmark, &mut tables);
+            }
             if let Some(idmap) =
                 tables.simplify(children, tskit::SimplificationOptions::default(), true)?
             {
@@ -73,6 +95,9 @@ fn simulate(
                     *o = idmap[usize::try_from(*o)?];
                 }
             }
+            if update_bookmark {
+                bookmark.set_edges(tables.edges().num_rows());
+            }
         }
         std::mem::swap(&mut parents, &mut children);
     }
@@ -91,6 +116,8 @@ struct SimParams {
     num_generations: i32,
     simplify_interval: i32,
     treefile: Option<String>,
+    #[clap(short, long, help = "Use bookmark to avoid sorting entire edge table.")]
+    bookmark: bool,
 }
 
 fn main() -> Result<()> {
@@ -100,6 +127,7 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
         params.popsize,
         params.num_generations,
         params.simplify_interval,
+        params.bookmark,
     )?;
 
     if let Some(treefile) = &params.treefile {
@@ -114,8 +142,9 @@ proptest! {
 #[test]
     fn test_simulate_proptest(seed in any::<u64>(),
                               num_generations in 50..100i32,
-                              simplify_interval in 1..100i32) {
-        let ts = simulate(seed, 100, num_generations, simplify_interval).unwrap();
+                              simplify_interval in 1..100i32,
+                              bookmark in proptest::bool::ANY) {
+        let ts = simulate(seed, 100, num_generations, simplify_interval, bookmark).unwrap();
 
         // stress test the branch length fn b/c it is not a trivial
         // wrapper around the C API.