diff --git a/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml b/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml
index 2ed3411..5937496 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/benchmark.yml
@@ -1,9 +1,6 @@
 name: Benchmarks
 
 on:
-  push:
-    branches:
-      - master
   pull_request:
     branches:
       - master
@@ -21,49 +18,39 @@ jobs:
       - name: Set up Python 3.14
         uses: actions/setup-python@v5
         with:
-          python-version: '3.14'
+          python-version: "3.14"
 
       - name: Install dependencies
         run: uv sync
 
-      # Restore benchmark baseline (read-only for PRs)
-      - name: Restore benchmark baseline
-        uses: actions/cache/restore@v4
-        with:
-          path: .benchmarks
-          key: benchmark-baseline-3.14-${{ runner.os }}
-
-      # On master: save baseline results
-      - name: Run benchmarks and save baseline
-        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/master'
-        continue-on-error: true
+      # On PRs: run benchmarks twice (PR code vs master code) and compare
+      - name: Run benchmarks
         run: |
-          uv run --no-sync pytest benchmarks/benchmark.py \
-            --benchmark-only \
-            --benchmark-autosave \
-            --benchmark-sort=name
+          # Checkout master version of patchdiff directory
+          git fetch origin master
+          git checkout origin/master -- patchdiff/
 
-      # On master: cache the new baseline results
-      - name: Save benchmark baseline
-        if: github.ref == 'refs/heads/master'
-        uses: actions/cache/save@v4
-        with:
-          path: .benchmarks
-          key: benchmark-baseline-3.14-${{ runner.os }}
+          # Run benchmarks with master code as baseline
+          uv run --no-sync pytest benchmarks/benchmark.py \
+              --benchmark-only \
+              --benchmark-save=master \
+              --benchmark-sort=mean || true
 
-      # On PRs: compare against baseline and fail if degraded
-      - name: Run benchmarks and compare
-        if: github.event_name == 'pull_request'
-        run: |
-          if [ -z "$(uv run --no-sync pytest-benchmark list)" ]; then
-            echo "No baseline found, not comparing"
-            uv run --no-sync pytest -v benchmarks/benchmark.py
-            exit
-          fi
+          # Restore PR code
+          git checkout HEAD -- patchdiff/
 
+          # Run benchmarks on PR code and compare
           uv run --no-sync pytest benchmarks/benchmark.py \
               --benchmark-only \
               --benchmark-compare \
               --benchmark-compare-fail=mean:5% \
-              --benchmark-sort=name
+              --benchmark-save=branch \
+              --benchmark-sort=mean
 
+      - name: Upload benchmarks
+        if: always()
+        uses: actions/upload-artifact@v4
+        with:
+          name: Benchmarks
+          path: .benchmarks/
+          include-hidden-files: true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index c9dfbba..3025943 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -5,3 +5,4 @@ __pycache__
 dist
 uv.lock
 .benchmarks/
+.venv
diff --git a/benchmarks/benchmark.py b/benchmarks/benchmark.py
index 2cca2e3..700c031 100644
--- a/benchmarks/benchmark.py
+++ b/benchmarks/benchmark.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@
 import pytest
 
 from patchdiff import apply, diff
+from patchdiff.pointer import Pointer
 
 # Set seed for reproducibility
 random.seed(42)
@@ -139,6 +140,27 @@ def test_dict_diff_nested(benchmark):
     benchmark(diff, a, b)
 
 
+# ========================================
+# Set Diff Benchmarks
+# ========================================
+
+
+@pytest.mark.benchmark(group="set-diff")
+def test_set_diff_1000_elements(benchmark):
+    """Benchmark: Sets with 1000 elements, 10% difference."""
+    a = set(generate_random_list(1000, 2000))
+    b = a.copy()
+    # Remove 5%
+    a_list = list(a)
+    for i in range(50):
+        a.remove(a_list[i])
+    # Add 5%
+    for i in range(50):
+        b.add(2000 + i)
+
+    benchmark(diff, a, b)
+
+
 # ========================================
 # Mixed Structure Benchmarks
 # ========================================
@@ -164,3 +186,47 @@ def test_apply_list_1000_elements(benchmark):
     ops, _ = diff(a, b)
 
     benchmark(apply, a, ops)
+
+
+# ========================================
+# Pointer Evaluate Benchmarks
+# ========================================
+
+
+@pytest.mark.benchmark(group="pointer-evaluate")
+def test_pointer_evaluate_deep_dict(benchmark):
+    """Benchmark: Evaluate pointer on deeply nested structure."""
+    depth = 100
+    obj = 42
+    for i in range(depth - 1, -1, -1):
+        obj = {f"key_{i}": obj}
+    ptr = Pointer([f"key_{i}" for i in range(depth)])
+
+    benchmark(ptr.evaluate, obj)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.benchmark(group="pointer-evaluate")
+def test_pointer_evaluate_deep_list(benchmark):
+    """Benchmark: Evaluate pointer on deep lists."""
+    # Build nested lists 100 levels deep; innermost value is 42.
+    depth = 100
+    nested = 42
+    for _ in range(depth):
+        nested = [nested]
+    obj = nested
+    ptr = Pointer([0] * depth)
+
+    benchmark(ptr.evaluate, obj)
+
+
+# ========================================
+# Pointer Append Benchmarks
+# ========================================
+
+
+@pytest.mark.benchmark(group="pointer-append")
+def test_pointer_append(benchmark):
+    """Benchmark: Append token to pointer."""
+    ptr = Pointer.from_str("/a/b/c/d/e/f/g/h/i/j")
+
+    benchmark(ptr.append, "k")
diff --git a/patchdiff/apply.py b/patchdiff/apply.py
index 7d5d3cd..edc8b0a 100644
--- a/patchdiff/apply.py
+++ b/patchdiff/apply.py
@@ -6,6 +6,8 @@
 
 def iapply(obj: Diffable, patches: List[Dict]) -> Diffable:
     """Apply a set of patches to an object, in-place"""
+    if not patches:
+        return obj
     for patch in patches:
         ptr = patch["path"]
         op = patch["op"]
diff --git a/patchdiff/diff.py b/patchdiff/diff.py
index 10185db..e74cba8 100644
--- a/patchdiff/diff.py
+++ b/patchdiff/diff.py
@@ -136,36 +136,43 @@ def diff_lists(input: List, output: List, ptr: Pointer) -> Tuple[List, List]:
 
 def diff_dicts(input: Dict, output: Dict, ptr: Pointer) -> Tuple[List, List]:
     ops, rops = [], []
-    input_keys = set(input.keys())
-    output_keys = set(output.keys())
-    for key in input_keys - output_keys:
-        ops.append({"op": "remove", "path": ptr.append(key)})
-        rops.insert(0, {"op": "add", "path": ptr.append(key), "value": input[key]})
-    for key in output_keys - input_keys:
-        ops.append(
-            {
-                "op": "add",
-                "path": ptr.append(key),
-                "value": output[key],
-            }
-        )
-        rops.insert(0, {"op": "remove", "path": ptr.append(key)})
-    for key in input_keys & output_keys:
-        key_ops, key_rops = diff(input[key], output[key], ptr.append(key))
-        ops.extend(key_ops)
-        key_rops.extend(rops)
-        rops = key_rops
+    input_keys = set(input.keys()) if input else set()
+    output_keys = set(output.keys()) if output else set()
+    if input_only := input_keys - output_keys:
+        for key in input_only:
+            key_ptr = ptr.append(key)
+            ops.append({"op": "remove", "path": key_ptr})
+            rops.insert(0, {"op": "add", "path": key_ptr, "value": input[key]})
+    if output_only := output_keys - input_keys:
+        for key in output_only:
+            key_ptr = ptr.append(key)
+            ops.append(
+                {
+                    "op": "add",
+                    "path": key_ptr,
+                    "value": output[key],
+                }
+            )
+            rops.insert(0, {"op": "remove", "path": key_ptr})
+    if common := input_keys & output_keys:
+        for key in common:
+            key_ops, key_rops = diff(input[key], output[key], ptr.append(key))
+            ops.extend(key_ops)
+            key_rops.extend(rops)
+            rops = key_rops
     return ops, rops
 
 
 def diff_sets(input: Set, output: Set, ptr: Pointer) -> Tuple[List, List]:
     ops, rops = [], []
-    for value in input - output:
-        ops.append({"op": "remove", "path": ptr.append(value)})
-        rops.insert(0, {"op": "add", "path": ptr.append("-"), "value": value})
-    for value in output - input:
-        ops.append({"op": "add", "path": ptr.append("-"), "value": value})
-        rops.insert(0, {"op": "remove", "path": ptr.append(value)})
+    if input_only := input - output:
+        for value in input_only:
+            ops.append({"op": "remove", "path": ptr.append(value)})
+            rops.insert(0, {"op": "add", "path": ptr.append("-"), "value": value})
+    if output_only := output - input:
+        for value in output_only:
+            ops.append({"op": "add", "path": ptr.append("-"), "value": value})
+            rops.insert(0, {"op": "remove", "path": ptr.append(value)})
     return ops, rops
 
 
diff --git a/patchdiff/pointer.py b/patchdiff/pointer.py
index b1a1b31..9948525 100644
--- a/patchdiff/pointer.py
+++ b/patchdiff/pointer.py
@@ -20,6 +20,8 @@ def escape(token: str) -> str:
 
 
 class Pointer:
+    __slots__ = ("tokens",)
+
     def __init__(self, tokens: Iterable[Hashable] | None = None) -> None:
         if tokens is None:
             tokens = []
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ def __hash__(self) -> int:
         return hash(self.tokens)
 
     def __eq__(self, other: "Pointer") -> bool:
-        if not isinstance(other, self.__class__):
+        if other.__class__ != self.__class__:
             return False
         return self.tokens == other.tokens
 
@@ -48,17 +50,14 @@ def evaluate(self, obj: Diffable) -> Tuple[Diffable, Hashable, Any]:
         key = ""
         parent = None
         cursor = obj
-        for key in self.tokens:
-            parent = cursor
-            if hasattr(parent, "add"):  # set
-                break
-            if hasattr(parent, "append"):  # list
-                if key == "-":
-                    break
+        if tokens := self.tokens:
             try:
-                cursor = parent[key]
-            except KeyError:
-                break
+                for key in tokens:
+                    parent = cursor
+                    cursor = parent[key]
+            except (KeyError, TypeError):
+                # KeyError for dicts, TypeError for sets and lists
+                pass
         return parent, key, cursor
 
     def append(self, token: Hashable) -> "Pointer":