Methods, apparatus, and systems may operate to perform a pre-programming operation on a plurality of multiple level memory cells of a memory device. An example of applying such a pre-programming operation involves applying a series of voltage pulses to the plurality of multiple level memory cells, verifying a charge stored in the plurality of multiple level memory cells, and erasing the plurality of multiple level memory cells of the memory block based on a result from verifying the charge stored in the plurality of multiple level memory cells.