diff --git a/changelog.d/7068-refactor-special-map.changed b/changelog.d/7068-refactor-special-map.changed
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..78948ead746
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/7068-refactor-special-map.changed
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Refactor special_map to simplify logic and reduce memory allocations
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_05/tests/mod.rs b/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_05/tests/mod.rs
index 05fae0997ba..e697129e55e 100644
--- a/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_05/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_05/tests/mod.rs
@@ -925,6 +925,9 @@ fn test_lists() {
         "(map hash160 (+ u1 u2))",
         "(len 1)",
         "(map + (list 1 2 3 4 5) (list true true true true true))",
+        "(map + (list) (list 1))",
+        "(map pow (list) (list 1))",
+        "(define-private (add (x int) (y int)) (+ x y)) (map add (list) (list 1))",
     ];
     let bad_expected = [
         StaticCheckErrorKind::TypeError(Box::new(BoolType), Box::new(IntType)),
@@ -944,8 +947,25 @@ fn test_lists() {
         StaticCheckErrorKind::ExpectedSequence(Box::new(UIntType)),
         StaticCheckErrorKind::ExpectedSequence(Box::new(IntType)),
         StaticCheckErrorKind::TypeError(Box::new(IntType), Box::new(BoolType)),
+        StaticCheckErrorKind::UnionTypeError(
+            vec![IntType, UIntType],
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::NoType),
+        ),
+        StaticCheckErrorKind::UnionTypeError(
+            vec![IntType, UIntType],
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::NoType),
+        ),
+        StaticCheckErrorKind::TypeError(
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::IntType),
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::NoType),
+        ),
     ];
 
+    assert_eq!(
+        good.len(),
+        expected.len(),
+        "Good tests should match related expected count"
+    );
     for (good_test, expected) in good.iter().zip(expected.iter()) {
         assert_eq!(
             expected,
@@ -953,6 +973,11 @@ fn test_lists() {
         );
     }
 
+    assert_eq!(
+        bad.len(),
+        bad_expected.len(),
+        "Bad tests should match related expected count"
+    );
     for (bad_test, expected) in bad.iter().zip(bad_expected.iter()) {
         assert_eq!(*expected, *type_check_helper(bad_test).unwrap_err().err);
     }
diff --git a/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_1/tests/mod.rs b/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_1/tests/mod.rs
index de7bd5d2b22..b383ccd4d78 100644
--- a/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_1/tests/mod.rs
+++ b/clarity/src/vm/analysis/type_checker/v2_1/tests/mod.rs
@@ -1520,6 +1520,9 @@ fn test_lists() {
         "(map hash160 (+ u1 u2))",
         "(len 1)",
         "(map + (list 1 2 3 4 5) (list true true true true true))",
+        "(map + (list) (list 1))",
+        "(map pow (list) (list 1))",
+        "(define-private (add (x int) (y int)) (+ x y)) (map add (list) (list 1))",
     ];
     let bad_expected = [
         StaticCheckErrorKind::TypeError(Box::new(BoolType), Box::new(IntType)),
@@ -1539,8 +1542,25 @@ fn test_lists() {
         StaticCheckErrorKind::ExpectedSequence(Box::new(UIntType)),
         StaticCheckErrorKind::ExpectedSequence(Box::new(IntType)),
         StaticCheckErrorKind::TypeError(Box::new(IntType), Box::new(BoolType)),
+        StaticCheckErrorKind::UnionTypeError(
+            vec![IntType, UIntType],
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::NoType),
+        ),
+        StaticCheckErrorKind::UnionTypeError(
+            vec![IntType, UIntType],
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::NoType),
+        ),
+        StaticCheckErrorKind::TypeError(
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::IntType),
+            Box::new(TypeSignature::NoType),
+        ),
     ];
 
+    assert_eq!(
+        good.len(),
+        expected.len(),
+        "Good tests should match related expected count"
+    );
     for (good_test, expected) in good.iter().zip(expected.iter()) {
         assert_eq!(
             expected,
@@ -1548,6 +1568,11 @@ fn test_lists() {
         );
     }
 
+    assert_eq!(
+        bad.len(),
+        bad_expected.len(),
+        "Bad tests should match related expected count"
+    );
     for (bad_test, expected) in bad.iter().zip(bad_expected.iter()) {
         assert_eq!(*expected, *type_check_helper(bad_test).unwrap_err().err);
     }
diff --git a/clarity/src/vm/functions/sequences.rs b/clarity/src/vm/functions/sequences.rs
index 5d327a8781a..1a8054de2ed 100644
--- a/clarity/src/vm/functions/sequences.rs
+++ b/clarity/src/vm/functions/sequences.rs
@@ -204,10 +204,8 @@ pub fn special_map(
         ))?;
     let function = lookup_function(function_name, exec_state, invoke_ctx)?;
 
-    // Let's consider a function f (f a b c ...)
-    // We will first re-arrange our sequences [a0, a1, ...] [b0, b1, ...] [c0, c1, ...] ...
-    // To get something like: [a0, b0, c0, ...] [a1, b1, c1, ...]
-    let mut mapped_func_args: Vec<Vec<Value>> = vec![];
+    // Evaluate each sequence argument into an iterator and record its length.
+    let mut args_iterators = Vec::with_capacity(args.len() - 1);
     let mut min_args_len = usize::MAX;
     for map_arg in args[1..].iter() {
         let sequence =
@@ -219,38 +217,31 @@ pub fn special_map(
             ))
             .into());
         };
-        let seq_len = seq.len();
-        min_args_len = min_args_len.min(seq_len);
-        for (apply_index, element_result) in seq.into_iter().enumerate() {
-            let value = element_result.map_err(|_| {
-                VmInternalError::Expect(
-                    "ERROR: Invalid sequence data successfully constructed".into(),
-                )
-            })?;
-            if apply_index > min_args_len {
-                break;
-            }
-            if apply_index >= mapped_func_args.len() {
-                mapped_func_args.push(vec![value]);
-            } else {
-                mapped_func_args[apply_index].push(value);
-            }
-        }
+        let args_iter = seq.into_iter();
+        min_args_len = min_args_len.min(args_iter.len());
+        args_iterators.push(args_iter);
     }
 
-    // We can now apply the map
-    let mut mapped_results = vec![];
-    let mut previous_len = None;
-    for arguments in mapped_func_args.into_iter() {
-        // Stop iterating when we are done with the shortest sequence
-        if let Some(previous_len) = previous_len {
-            if previous_len != arguments.len() {
-                break;
-            }
-        } else {
-            previous_len = Some(arguments.len());
+    // Apply the function element-wise, stopping at the shortest sequence.
+    let mut mapped_results = Vec::with_capacity(min_args_len);
+    for _ in 0..min_args_len {
+        let mut call_args = Vec::with_capacity(args_iterators.len());
+        for iter in args_iterators.iter_mut() {
+            let value = iter
+                .next()
+                .ok_or_else(|| {
+                    RuntimeCheckErrorKind::Unreachable(
+                        "iterator can't be shorter than min len".into(),
+                    )
+                })?
+                .map_err(|_| {
+                    VmInternalError::Expect(
+                        "ERROR: Invalid sequence data successfully constructed".into(),
+                    )
+                })?;
+            call_args.push(value);
         }
-        let res = apply_evaluated(&function, arguments, exec_state, invoke_ctx, context)?;
+        let res = apply_evaluated(&function, call_args, exec_state, invoke_ctx, context)?;
         mapped_results.push(res);
     }
 
diff --git a/clarity/src/vm/tests/sequences.rs b/clarity/src/vm/tests/sequences.rs
index 9008437a82b..5e08cac2c0e 100644
--- a/clarity/src/vm/tests/sequences.rs
+++ b/clarity/src/vm/tests/sequences.rs
@@ -389,9 +389,34 @@ fn test_simple_map_list() {
 
 #[test]
 fn test_variadic_map_list() {
+    // User functions
+    // - 1 sequence: 1 empty, result empty.
     let test = "(define-private (area (w int) (h int)) (* w h))
-         (map area (list 5 10 1 2) (list 5 2 30 3))";
+        (map area (list))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: 2 empties, result empty.
+    let test = "(define-private (area (w int) (h int)) (* w h))
+        (map area (list) (list))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: 1 empty and 1 not, result empty.
+    let test = "(define-private (area (w int) (h int)) (* w h))
+        (map area (list) (list 10 20))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 3 sequences: 1 empty in between, result empty.
+    let test = "(define-private (area (w int) (h int)) (* w h))
+        (map area (list 1 2 3) (list) (list 10 20))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 
+    // - 2 sequences: same length 4, result contains 4 elements.
+    let test = "(define-private (area (w int) (h int)) (* w h))
+        (map area (list 5 10 1 2) (list 5 2 30 3))";
     let expected = Value::list_from(vec![
         Value::Int(25),
         Value::Int(20),
@@ -401,9 +426,9 @@ fn test_variadic_map_list() {
     .unwrap();
     assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 
+    // - 2 sequences: same length 4 with different int types, result contains 4 elements.
     let test = "(define-private (u+ (a uint) (b int)) (+ a (to-uint b)))
-    (map u+ (list u5 u10 u1 u2) (list 5 2 30 3))";
-
+        (map u+ (list u5 u10 u1 u2) (list 5 2 30 3))";
     let expected = Value::list_from(vec![
         Value::UInt(10),
         Value::UInt(12),
@@ -413,20 +438,66 @@ fn test_variadic_map_list() {
     .unwrap();
     assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 
-    let test = "(map + (list 5 10) (list 5 2 30 3))";
+    // Native functions
+    // - 1 sequence: 1 empty, result empty.
+    let test = "(map + (list))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 
+    // - 2 sequences: 2 empties, result empty.
+    let test = "(map + (list) (list))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: 1 empty and 1 not, result empty.
+    let test = "(map + (list) (list 10 20))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 3 sequences: 1 empty in between, result empty.
+    let test = "(map + (list 1 2 3) (list) (list 10 20))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: last is longer, result contains 2 elements.
+    let test = "(map + (list 5 10) (list 5 2 30 3))";
     let expected = Value::list_from(vec![Value::Int(10), Value::Int(12)]).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 
-    let test = "(map pow (list 2 2 2 2) (list 1 2 3 4 5 6 7))";
+    // - 3 sequences: last is the longest, result contains 2 elements.
+    let test = "(map + (list 1 2) (list 10 20 30) (list 100 200 300 400))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![Value::Int(111), Value::Int(222)]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 
-    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![
-        Value::Int(2),
-        Value::Int(4),
-        Value::Int(8),
-        Value::Int(16),
-    ])
-    .unwrap();
+    // - 3 sequences: last is the shortest, result contains 1 element.
+    let test = "(map + (list 1 2) (list 10 20 30) (list 100))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![Value::Int(111)]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // Special Functions
+    // - 1 sequence: 1 empty, result empty.
+    let test = "(map > (list))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: 2 empties, result empty.
+    let test = "(map > (list) (list))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: 1 empty and 1 not, result empty.
+    let test = "(map > (list) (list 10 20))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 3 sequences: 1 empty in between, result empty.
+    let test = "(map > (list 1 2 3) (list) (list 10 20))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![]).unwrap();
+    assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
+
+    // - 2 sequences: last is longer, result contains 2 elements.
+    let test = "(map > (list 1 10) (list 2 3 4 5))";
+    let expected = Value::list_from(vec![Value::Bool(false), Value::Bool(true)]).unwrap();
     assert_eq!(expected, execute(test).unwrap().unwrap());
 }