A system, method, and computer program product for efficient synchronization of data structures. A method includes maintaining a source data structure and a corresponding accountability table in the source data processing system, where at least a portion of the data structure is to be synchronized with a target data structure in a target data processing system. The method includes receiving a synchronization command, and in response to receiving the synchronization command, identifying a first plurality of synchronization objects in the source data structure, using the accountability table, that also exist in the target data structure and have been modified in the target data structure. The method includes identifying a second plurality of synchronization objects in the source data structure that have been newly-created or deleted and that either reference or are referenced by an object in the accountability table.