diff --git a/seaweed-volume/src/server/grpc_server.rs b/seaweed-volume/src/server/grpc_server.rs
index 2f20e58bb..02e0e808e 100644
--- a/seaweed-volume/src/server/grpc_server.rs
+++ b/seaweed-volume/src/server/grpc_server.rs
@@ -1080,21 +1080,15 @@ impl VolumeServer for VolumeGrpcService {
         let req = request.into_inner();
         let vid = VolumeId(req.volume_id);
 
-        // If volume already exists locally, delete it first
-        {
+        // A pre-existing local replica is NOT deleted up front. Deleting before
+        // the source is confirmed reachable destroys a healthy copy on a
+        // transient source outage (and, on retry, can lose the volume
+        // entirely). The delete is deferred until read_volume_file_status below
+        // proves the source holds the volume; readability alone is the gate.
+        let had_existing_volume = {
             let store = self.state.store.read().unwrap();
-            if store.find_volume(vid).is_some() {
-                drop(store);
-                let mut store = self.state.store.write().unwrap();
-                // keep remote data: the inbound copy carries a .vif that may
-                // point at the same cloud-tier object the existing volume
-                // references.
-                store.delete_volume(vid, false, true).map_err(|e| {
-                    Status::internal(format!("failed to delete existing volume {}: {}", vid, e))
-                })?;
-                self.state.volume_state_notify.notify_one();
-            }
-        }
+            store.find_volume(vid).is_some()
+        };
 
         // Parse source_data_node address: "ip:port.grpcPort" or "ip:port" (grpc = port + 10000)
         let source = &req.source_data_node;
@@ -1135,6 +1129,19 @@ impl VolumeServer for VolumeGrpcService {
             .map_err(|e| Status::internal(format!("read volume file status failed, {}", e)))?
             .into_inner();
 
+        // Source is reachable and holds the volume: only now is it safe to drop
+        // an existing local replica before overwriting its files.
+        if had_existing_volume {
+            let mut store = self.state.store.write().unwrap();
+            // keep remote data: the inbound copy carries a .vif that may point
+            // at the same cloud-tier object the existing volume references.
+            store.delete_volume(vid, false, true).map_err(|e| {
+                Status::internal(format!("failed to delete existing volume {}: {}", vid, e))
+            })?;
+            drop(store);
+            self.state.volume_state_notify.notify_one();
+        }
+
         let requested_disk_type = if !req.disk_type.is_empty() {
             DiskType::from_string(&req.disk_type)
         } else {
@@ -1166,9 +1173,12 @@ impl VolumeServer for VolumeGrpcService {
         let idx_base_name =
             crate::storage::volume::volume_file_name(&idx_base, &vol_info.collection, vid);
 
-        // Write a .note file to indicate copy in progress
+        // Write a .note file to indicate copy in progress. A leftover note
+        // fails the volume load on restart, so a write failure must abort.
         let note_path = format!("{}.note", data_base_name);
-        let _ = std::fs::write(&note_path, format!("copying from {}", source));
+        std::fs::write(&note_path, format!("copying from {}", source)).map_err(|e| {
+            Status::internal(format!("write .note for volume {}: {}", vid, e))
+        })?;
 
         let has_remote_dat = vol_info
             .volume_info
@@ -1299,8 +1309,16 @@ impl VolumeServer for VolumeGrpcService {
                     let _ = set_file_mtime(&vif_path, vif_modified_ts_ns);
                 }
 
-                // Remove the .note file
-                let _ = std::fs::remove_file(&note_path);
+                // Remove the .note file. A leftover note fails the load on the
+                // next restart, so a removal failure must fail the copy.
+                if let Err(e) = std::fs::remove_file(&note_path) {
+                    if e.kind() != std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound {
+                        return Err(Status::internal(format!(
+                            "remove .note for volume {}: {}",
+                            vid, e
+                        )));
+                    }
+                }
 
                 // Verify file sizes
                 if !has_remote_dat {
diff --git a/seaweed-volume/src/storage/disk_location.rs b/seaweed-volume/src/storage/disk_location.rs
index d3c4a0179..ca5ea407c 100644
--- a/seaweed-volume/src/storage/disk_location.rs
+++ b/seaweed-volume/src/storage/disk_location.rs
@@ -125,19 +125,6 @@ impl DiskLocation {
             let volume_name = volume_file_name(&self.directory, &collection, vid);
             let idx_name = volume_file_name(&self.idx_directory, &collection, vid);
 
-            // Check for incomplete volume (.note file means a VolumeCopy was interrupted)
-            let note_path = format!("{}.note", volume_name);
-            if std::path::Path::new(&note_path).exists() {
-                let note = fs::read_to_string(&note_path).unwrap_or_default();
-                warn!(
-                    volume_id = vid.0,
-                    "volume was not completed: {}, removing files", note
-                );
-                remove_volume_files(&volume_name, false);
-                remove_volume_files(&idx_name, false);
-                continue;
-            }
-
             // Sweep a leftover empty `.dat` stub (a phantom from the pre-fix
             // loader) before it loads as a phantom volume or blocks startup.
             if remove_empty_ec_dat_stub(&volume_name, &idx_name, vid) {
@@ -181,6 +168,30 @@ impl DiskLocation {
                 let _ = fs::remove_file(&cpx_path);
             }
 
+            // Check for an incomplete volume (.note means a VolumeCopy was
+            // interrupted). This runs BELOW the empty-stub sweep and EC
+            // validation: when an .ecx for this vid coexists on the disk, the
+            // regular and EC volumes share <base>.vif, so removing the
+            // incomplete regular copy must keep the .vif (keep_vif=true) or it
+            // would strip the EC volume's info file.
+            let note_path = format!("{}.note", volume_name);
+            if std::path::Path::new(&note_path).exists() {
+                let note = fs::read_to_string(&note_path).unwrap_or_default();
+                warn!(
+                    volume_id = vid.0,
+                    "volume was not completed: {}, removing files", note
+                );
+                // Re-check .ecx now (not the pre-validation ecx_exists): the
+                // invalid-EC cleanup above may have removed it, in which case
+                // the .vif is no longer shared and must not be preserved.
+                let keep_vif = std::path::Path::new(&ecx_path).exists()
+                    || (self.idx_directory != self.directory
+                        && std::path::Path::new(&format!("{}.ecx", volume_name)).exists());
+                remove_volume_files(&volume_name, keep_vif);
+                remove_volume_files(&idx_name, keep_vif);
+                continue;
+            }
+
             // Skip if already loaded (e.g., from a previous call)
             if self.volumes.contains_key(&vid) {
                 continue;
diff --git a/seaweed-volume/src/storage/store.rs b/seaweed-volume/src/storage/store.rs
index bb815be4c..0ad57e2bf 100644
--- a/seaweed-volume/src/storage/store.rs
+++ b/seaweed-volume/src/storage/store.rs
@@ -369,6 +369,16 @@ impl Store {
             let vif_path = format!("{}.vif", base);
             if std::path::Path::new(&dat_path).exists() || std::path::Path::new(&vif_path).exists()
             {
+                // A persisting .note means the copy that produced these files
+                // never completed; mounting it would expose a truncated volume.
+                // Fail the mount so the caller (VolumeCopy) treats it as an error.
+                let note_path = format!("{}.note", base);
+                if std::path::Path::new(&note_path).exists() {
+                    return Err(VolumeError::Io(io::Error::new(
+                        io::ErrorKind::Other,
+                        format!("volume {} copy incomplete: .note still present", vid),
+                    )));
+                }
                 return loc.create_volume(
                     vid,
                     collection,
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy.go b/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy.go
index 89202d56d..0d372982f 100644
--- a/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy.go
+++ b/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy.go
@@ -31,20 +31,13 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) VolumeCopy(req *volume_server_pb.VolumeCopyRequest, stre
 		return err
 	}
 
-	v := vs.store.GetVolume(needle.VolumeId(req.VolumeId))
-	if v != nil {
-
-		glog.V(0).Infof("volume %d already exists. deleted before copying...", req.VolumeId)
-
-		// keep remote data: the inbound copy carries a .vif that may point at
-		// the same cloud-tier object the existing volume references.
-		err := vs.store.DeleteVolume(needle.VolumeId(req.VolumeId), false, true)
-		if err != nil {
-			return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete existing volume %d: %v", req.VolumeId, err)
-		}
-
-		glog.V(0).Infof("deleted existing volume %d before copying.", req.VolumeId)
-	}
+	// A pre-existing local replica is NOT deleted up front. Deleting before the
+	// source is confirmed reachable destroys a healthy copy on a transient
+	// source outage (and, on retry, can lose the volume entirely). The delete is
+	// deferred until ReadVolumeFileStatus below proves the source holds the
+	// volume; readability alone is the gate (size/count comparisons invert after
+	// divergent vacuum/compaction and would block valid re-replication).
+	hasExistingVolume := vs.store.GetVolume(needle.VolumeId(req.VolumeId)) != nil
 
 	// the master will not start compaction for read-only volumes, so it is safe to just copy files directly
 	// copy .dat and .idx files
@@ -65,6 +58,18 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) VolumeCopy(req *volume_server_pb.VolumeCopyRequest, stre
 			return fmt.Errorf("read volume file status failed, %w", err)
 		}
 
+		// Source is reachable and holds the volume: only now is it safe to drop
+		// an existing local replica before overwriting its files.
+		if hasExistingVolume {
+			glog.V(0).Infof("volume %d already exists. deleting before copying from %s...", req.VolumeId, req.SourceDataNode)
+			// keep remote data: the inbound copy carries a .vif that may point at
+			// the same cloud-tier object the existing volume references.
+			if delErr := vs.store.DeleteVolume(needle.VolumeId(req.VolumeId), false, true); delErr != nil {
+				return fmt.Errorf("failed to delete existing volume %d: %v", req.VolumeId, delErr)
+			}
+			glog.V(0).Infof("deleted existing volume %d before copying.", req.VolumeId)
+		}
+
 		diskType := volFileInfoResp.DiskType
 		if req.DiskType != "" {
 			diskType = req.DiskType
@@ -81,7 +86,12 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) VolumeCopy(req *volume_server_pb.VolumeCopyRequest, stre
 		indexBaseFileName = storage.VolumeFileName(location.IdxDirectory, volFileInfoResp.Collection, int(req.VolumeId))
 		hasRemoteDatFile = volFileInfoResp.VolumeInfo != nil && len(volFileInfoResp.VolumeInfo.Files) > 0
 
-		util.WriteFile(dataBaseFileName+".note", []byte(fmt.Sprintf("copying from %s", req.SourceDataNode)), 0755)
+		// The .note marks the copy as in-progress; a leftover note fails the
+		// volume load on restart, so a write failure must abort the copy.
+		if noteErr := util.WriteFile(dataBaseFileName+".note", []byte(fmt.Sprintf("copying from %s", req.SourceDataNode)), 0755); noteErr != nil {
+			err = noteErr
+			return fmt.Errorf("write .note for volume %d: %w", req.VolumeId, noteErr)
+		}
 
 		defer func() {
 			if err != nil {
@@ -163,7 +173,12 @@ func (vs *VolumeServer) VolumeCopy(req *volume_server_pb.VolumeCopyRequest, stre
 			os.Chtimes(dataBaseFileName+".vif", time.Unix(0, modifiedTsNs), time.Unix(0, modifiedTsNs))
 		}
 
-		os.Remove(dataBaseFileName + ".note")
+		// A leftover .note fails the load on the next restart, so a removal
+		// failure must fail the copy rather than be silently swallowed.
+		if noteErr := os.Remove(dataBaseFileName + ".note"); noteErr != nil && !os.IsNotExist(noteErr) {
+			err = noteErr
+			return fmt.Errorf("remove .note for volume %d: %w", req.VolumeId, noteErr)
+		}
 
 		return nil
 	})
diff --git a/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy_verify_test.go b/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy_verify_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ef10832ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/weed/server/volume_grpc_copy_verify_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,75 @@
+package weed_server
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/metadata"
+
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/volume_server_pb"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/stats"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/types"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/util"
+)
+
+// fakeVolumeCopyStream is a no-op VolumeServer_VolumeCopyServer; VolumeCopy
+// errors out before sending anything in this test.
+type fakeVolumeCopyStream struct {
+	grpc.ServerStream
+}
+
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) Send(*volume_server_pb.VolumeCopyResponse) error { return nil }
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) Context() context.Context                        { return context.Background() }
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) SetHeader(metadata.MD) error                     { return nil }
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) SendHeader(metadata.MD) error                    { return nil }
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) SetTrailer(metadata.MD)                          {}
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) SendMsg(any) error                               { return nil }
+func (s *fakeVolumeCopyStream) RecvMsg(any) error                               { return nil }
+
+// TestVolumeCopy_KeepsExistingReplicaWhenSourceUnreachable verifies the
+// verify-before-destroy invariant: a pre-existing healthy local replica must
+// NOT be deleted when the source cannot be reached. The pre-fix code deleted
+// the destination up front (and, on retry, could lose the volume entirely);
+// the fix defers the delete until the source ReadVolumeFileStatus succeeds.
+func TestVolumeCopy_KeepsExistingReplicaWhenSourceUnreachable(t *testing.T) {
+	dir := t.TempDir()
+	store := storage.NewStore(
+		grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()),
+		"127.0.0.1", 0, 0, "", "test-store",
+		[]string{dir}, []int32{10}, []util.MinFreeSpace{{}},
+		dir, storage.NeedleMapInMemory,
+		[]types.DiskType{types.HardDriveType}, [][]string{nil},
+		0, stats.DiskIOProbeConfig{},
+	)
+
+	const vid = needle.VolumeId(42)
+	if err := store.AddVolume(vid, "", storage.NeedleMapInMemory, "000", "", 0, needle.GetCurrentVersion(), 0, types.HardDriveType, 0); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("AddVolume: %v", err)
+	}
+	if store.GetVolume(vid) == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("setup: volume %d should exist", vid)
+	}
+
+	vs := &VolumeServer{
+		store:          store,
+		grpcDialOption: grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()),
+	}
+
+	// 127.0.0.1:1 is unreachable, so ReadVolumeFileStatus on the source fails.
+	req := &volume_server_pb.VolumeCopyRequest{
+		VolumeId:       uint32(vid),
+		SourceDataNode: "127.0.0.1:1",
+	}
+	err := vs.VolumeCopy(req, &fakeVolumeCopyStream{})
+	if err == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("VolumeCopy should fail when the source is unreachable")
+	}
+
+	if store.GetVolume(vid) == nil {
+		t.Fatalf("existing replica %d was destroyed before the source was verified", vid)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
index af5b806a3..10e22588b 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/volume_server_pb"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/server/constants"
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle_map"
-	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/volume_replica"
 	"google.golang.org/grpc"
 )
 
@@ -44,6 +43,12 @@ type volumeCheckDisk struct {
 	syncDeletions      bool
 	fixReadOnly        bool
 	nonRepairThreshold float64
+	// resurrectMissingNeedles controls whether a needle present on the source
+	// but entirely absent on the target is pushed back. Default false: an
+	// absent needle is indistinguishable from a vacuumed delete, so the safe
+	// default never raises deleted data. No caller sets this true today; it is
+	// the seam for a future tombstone-aware repair path.
+	resurrectMissingNeedles bool
 
 	ewg *ErrorWaitGroup
 }
@@ -511,9 +516,8 @@ func (vcd *volumeCheckDisk) doVolumeCheckDisk(minuend, subtrahend *needle_map.Me
 	// hash join, can be more efficient
 	var missingNeedles []needle_map.NeedleValue
 	var partiallyDeletedNeedles []needle_map.NeedleValue
+	var skippedAbsentNeedles int
 	var counter int
-	doCutoffOfLastNeedle := true
-	cutoffFromAtNs := uint64(vcd.now.UnixNano())
 
 	minuend.DescendingVisit(func(minuendValue needle_map.NeedleValue) error {
 		counter++
@@ -521,27 +525,34 @@ func (vcd *volumeCheckDisk) doVolumeCheckDisk(minuend, subtrahend *needle_map.Me
 			if minuendValue.Size.IsDeleted() {
 				return nil
 			}
-			if doCutoffOfLastNeedle {
-				if needleMeta, err := volume_replica.ReadNeedleMeta(vcd.grpcDialOption(), pb.NewServerAddressFromDataNode(source.location.dataNode), source.info.Id, minuendValue); err == nil {
-					// needles older than the cutoff time are not missing yet
-					if needleMeta.AppendAtNs > cutoffFromAtNs {
-						return nil
-					}
-					doCutoffOfLastNeedle = false
-				}
+			// A key present-and-live on the source but entirely absent on the
+			// target is ambiguous: either a genuine missing write, or a needle
+			// that was deleted on the target and then vacuumed away (its index
+			// entry, including any tombstone, is gone after vacuum). An
+			// individual needle's AppendAtNs has no monotonic relation to a
+			// vacuum watermark, so it cannot distinguish the two. Without
+			// positive proof the absence is a missing write (rather than a
+			// vacuumed delete), the safe default is to NOT resurrect: a real
+			// missing write may go unrepaired until a tombstone-aware path
+			// exists, but we never raise back data the operator deleted.
+			if !vcd.resurrectMissingNeedles {
+				skippedAbsentNeedles++
+				return nil
 			}
 			missingNeedles = append(missingNeedles, minuendValue)
 		} else {
 			if minuendValue.Size.IsDeleted() && !subtrahendValue.Size.IsDeleted() {
 				partiallyDeletedNeedles = append(partiallyDeletedNeedles, minuendValue)
 			}
-			if doCutoffOfLastNeedle {
-				doCutoffOfLastNeedle = false
-			}
 		}
 		return nil
 	})
 
+	if skippedAbsentNeedles > 0 {
+		vcd.write("volume %d %s: not resurrecting %d needle(s) absent on %s (cannot prove they are missing writes vs vacuumed deletes)",
+			source.info.Id, source.location.dataNode.Id, skippedAbsentNeedles, target.location.dataNode.Id)
+	}
+
 	vcd.write("volume %d %s has %d entries, %s missed %d and partially deleted %d entries",
 		source.info.Id, source.location.dataNode.Id, counter, target.location.dataNode.Id, len(missingNeedles), len(partiallyDeletedNeedles))
 
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk_test.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk_test.go
index ec958fbc4..8a31e5cdf 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk_test.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_check_disk_test.go
@@ -6,8 +6,66 @@ import (
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/pb/master_pb"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/needle_map"
+	"github.com/seaweedfs/seaweedfs/weed/storage/types"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc"
+	"google.golang.org/grpc/credentials/insecure"
 )
 
+// TestDoVolumeCheckDiskDoesNotResurrectAbsentNeedle verifies that a needle
+// present-and-live on the source but entirely absent on the target is NOT
+// pushed back by default. Such an absence is indistinguishable from a needle
+// that was deleted on the target and then vacuumed away, so resurrecting it
+// would raise back data the operator deleted.
+func TestDoVolumeCheckDiskDoesNotResurrectAbsentNeedle(t *testing.T) {
+	sourceDB, targetDB := needle_map.NewMemDb(), needle_map.NewMemDb()
+	defer sourceDB.Close()
+	defer targetDB.Close()
+
+	// Source has a live needle; target lacks it (e.g. deleted+vacuumed there).
+	if err := sourceDB.Set(types.NeedleId(1001), types.ToOffset(8), types.Size(123)); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("seed source: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	var buf bytes.Buffer
+	vcd := &volumeCheckDisk{
+		commandEnv: &CommandEnv{
+			option: &ShellOptions{
+				GrpcDialOption: grpc.WithTransportCredentials(insecure.NewCredentials()),
+			},
+		},
+		writer:             &buf,
+		now:                time.Now(),
+		applyChanges:       false, // simulation: should not even read the source blob
+		nonRepairThreshold: 1,
+		// resurrectMissingNeedles left false: the safe default.
+	}
+
+	// Source points at an unreachable address: with the fix no blob read is
+	// attempted, so this is never contacted. The pre-fix code queues the
+	// absent needle and tries to read it from here, surfacing as an error.
+	source := &VolumeReplica{
+		location: &location{"dc1", "r1", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "127.0.0.1:1"}},
+		info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Id: 7},
+	}
+	target := &VolumeReplica{
+		location: &location{"dc1", "r2", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "127.0.0.1:2"}},
+		info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Id: 7},
+	}
+
+	// With the safe default, the absent needle is skipped before any network
+	// read, so this returns cleanly with no changes. On the pre-fix code the
+	// needle is queued and a source blob read is attempted, which has no server
+	// to reach and surfaces as an error (or a resurrection) instead.
+	hasChanges, err := vcd.doVolumeCheckDisk(sourceDB, targetDB, source, target)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("doVolumeCheckDisk returned error: %v", err)
+	}
+	if hasChanges {
+		t.Fatalf("absent-on-target needle was resurrected; expected no changes")
+	}
+}
+
 type testCommandVolumeCheckDisk struct {
 	commandVolumeCheckDisk
 }
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go
index e4af93d28..73497e530 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication.go
@@ -219,7 +219,12 @@ func collectVolumeReplicaLocations(topologyInfo *master_pb.TopologyInfo) (map[ui
 
 type SelectOneVolumeFunc func(replicas []*VolumeReplica, replicaPlacement *super_block.ReplicaPlacement) *VolumeReplica
 
-func checkOneVolume(a *VolumeReplica, b *VolumeReplica, writer io.Writer, commandEnv *CommandEnv) (err error) {
+// checkOneVolume compares the index of replica a against b. With
+// applyChanges=false it is a read-only divergence check; the over-replication
+// trim must use that mode so it does not push the soon-to-be-deleted replica's
+// needles into the survivor (which would resurrect data and is the opposite of
+// a safe trim).
+func checkOneVolume(a *VolumeReplica, b *VolumeReplica, writer io.Writer, commandEnv *CommandEnv, applyChanges bool) (err error) {
 	aDB, bDB := needle_map.NewMemDb(), needle_map.NewMemDb()
 	defer func() {
 		aDB.Close()
@@ -232,7 +237,7 @@ func checkOneVolume(a *VolumeReplica, b *VolumeReplica, writer io.Writer, comman
 		now:        time.Now(),
 
 		verbose:            false,
-		applyChanges:       true,
+		applyChanges:       applyChanges,
 		syncDeletions:      false,
 		nonRepairThreshold: float64(1),
 	}
@@ -261,6 +266,10 @@ func (c *commandVolumeFixReplication) deleteOneVolume(commandEnv *CommandEnv, wr
 		replicaPlacement, _ := super_block.NewReplicaPlacementFromByte(byte(replicas[0].info.ReplicaPlacement))
 
 		replica := selectOneVolumeFn(replicas, replicaPlacement)
+		if replica == nil {
+			fmt.Fprintf(writer, "skip trimming volume %d: no safe replica to delete (would leave only read-only survivors)\n", vid)
+			continue
+		}
 
 		// check collection name pattern
 		if *c.collectionPattern != "" {
@@ -302,7 +311,9 @@ func (c *commandVolumeFixReplication) deleteOneVolume(commandEnv *CommandEnv, wr
 				if replicaB.location.dataNode == replica.location.dataNode {
 					continue
 				}
-				if checkErr = checkOneVolume(replica, replicaB, writer, commandEnv); checkErr != nil {
+				// Read-only divergence check only: never write the doomed
+				// replica's needles into a survivor while trimming.
+				if checkErr = checkOneVolume(replica, replicaB, writer, commandEnv, false); checkErr != nil {
 					fmt.Fprintf(writer, "sync volume %d on %s and %s: %v\n", replica.info.Id, replica.location.dataNode.Id, replicaB.location.dataNode.Id, checkErr)
 					break
 				}
@@ -625,8 +636,20 @@ func countReplicas(replicas []*VolumeReplica) (diffDc, diffRack, diffNode map[st
 	return
 }
 
-func pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas []*VolumeReplica, replicaPlacement *super_block.ReplicaPlacement) *VolumeReplica {
-	slices.SortFunc(replicas, func(a, b *VolumeReplica) int {
+// pickOneReplicaToDelete selects the replica to trim when over-replicated.
+// It only ever removes the smallest of multiple healthy writable replicas: a
+// ReadOnly/integrity-flagged replica is never chosen for deletion, and the
+// trim is refused (returns nil) when removing a writable replica would leave
+// only ReadOnly survivors. VolumeStatus file_count>0 alone cannot prove the
+// survivors' .dat is readable, so we do not over-claim survivor health.
+// pickSmallestReplica returns the smallest replica (ties broken by oldest then
+// lowest compact revision), or nil for an empty set.
+func pickSmallestReplica(replicas []*VolumeReplica) *VolumeReplica {
+	if len(replicas) == 0 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	sorted := slices.Clone(replicas)
+	slices.SortFunc(sorted, func(a, b *VolumeReplica) int {
 		if a.info.Size != b.info.Size {
 			return int(a.info.Size - b.info.Size)
 		}
@@ -638,9 +661,39 @@ func pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas []*VolumeReplica, replicaPlacement *super_b
 		}
 		return 0
 	})
+	return sorted[0]
+}
 
-	return replicas[0]
-
+func pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas []*VolumeReplica, replicaPlacement *super_block.ReplicaPlacement) *VolumeReplica {
+	// Over-replication trim: only ever remove a writable replica, and only
+	// when another writable one survives, so a healthy copy is never deleted
+	// down to a read-only (e.g. full or integrity-flagged) survivor.
+	var writable []*VolumeReplica
+	for _, r := range replicas {
+		if !r.info.ReadOnly {
+			writable = append(writable, r)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(writable) < 2 {
+		return nil
+	}
+	// Prefer a writable replica whose removal still satisfies placement, so the
+	// trim does not strip the only replica in a required failure domain. Fall
+	// back to the smallest writable if none keeps placement (a later misplaced
+	// cycle then re-balances).
+	var placementSafe []*VolumeReplica
+	for i, r := range replicas {
+		if r.info.ReadOnly {
+			continue
+		}
+		if !isMisplaced(otherThan(replicas, i), replicaPlacement) {
+			placementSafe = append(placementSafe, r)
+		}
+	}
+	if len(placementSafe) > 0 {
+		return pickSmallestReplica(placementSafe)
+	}
+	return pickSmallestReplica(writable)
 }
 
 // check and fix misplaced volumes
@@ -669,6 +722,10 @@ func otherThan(replicas []*VolumeReplica, index int) (others []*VolumeReplica) {
 
 func pickOneMisplacedVolume(replicas []*VolumeReplica, replicaPlacement *super_block.ReplicaPlacement) (toDelete *VolumeReplica) {
 
+	// Relocation, not over-replication: pick the smallest replica to delete
+	// and recreate at a correct placement. Unlike the trim this must still act
+	// on read-only replicas (e.g. a full but misplaced volume), so it does not
+	// use pickOneReplicaToDelete's writable-survivor guard.
 	var deletionCandidates []*VolumeReplica
 	for i := 0; i < len(replicas); i++ {
 		others := otherThan(replicas, i)
@@ -676,10 +733,10 @@ func pickOneMisplacedVolume(replicas []*VolumeReplica, replicaPlacement *super_b
 			deletionCandidates = append(deletionCandidates, replicas[i])
 		}
 	}
-	if len(deletionCandidates) > 0 {
-		return pickOneReplicaToDelete(deletionCandidates, replicaPlacement)
+	if toDelete = pickSmallestReplica(deletionCandidates); toDelete != nil {
+		return toDelete
 	}
 
-	return pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas, replicaPlacement)
+	return pickSmallestReplica(replicas)
 
 }
diff --git a/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication_test.go b/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication_test.go
index 5f2318c32..46d3c008b 100644
--- a/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication_test.go
+++ b/weed/shell/command_volume_fix_replication_test.go
@@ -439,6 +439,127 @@ func TestPickingMisplacedVolumeToDelete(t *testing.T) {
 
 }
 
+func TestPickOneReplicaToDeleteSkipsReadOnlySurvivor(t *testing.T) {
+	replicaPlacement, _ := super_block.NewReplicaPlacementFromString("001")
+
+	// One writable replica and one read-only replica. The trim must never
+	// delete the only writable replica while the survivor is read-only:
+	// VolumeStatus alone cannot prove the read-only .dat is readable, so the
+	// trim is refused.
+	t.Run("refuses to delete the only writable replica while a read-only survivor remains", func(t *testing.T) {
+		replicas := []*VolumeReplica{
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r1", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn-writable"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 90, ReadOnly: false},
+			},
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r2", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn-readonly"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 100, ReadOnly: true},
+			},
+		}
+		if got := pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas, replicaPlacement); got != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected no replica to delete, got %s", got.location.dataNode.Id)
+		}
+	})
+
+	// All survivors read-only: never trim.
+	t.Run("refuses when all replicas are read-only", func(t *testing.T) {
+		replicas := []*VolumeReplica{
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r1", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn1"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 100, ReadOnly: true},
+			},
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r2", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn2"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 100, ReadOnly: true},
+			},
+		}
+		if got := pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas, replicaPlacement); got != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected no replica to delete, got %s", got.location.dataNode.Id)
+		}
+	})
+
+	// Two healthy writable replicas plus a read-only one: trim the smallest
+	// writable, never the read-only one.
+	t.Run("trims the smallest writable replica and never the read-only one", func(t *testing.T) {
+		replicas := []*VolumeReplica{
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r1", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn-big"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 100, ReadOnly: false},
+			},
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r2", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn-small"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 90, ReadOnly: false},
+			},
+			{
+				location: &location{"dc1", "r3", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn-readonly"}},
+				info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 80, ReadOnly: true},
+			},
+		}
+		got := pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas, replicaPlacement)
+		if got == nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected a writable replica to delete, got nil")
+		}
+		if got.location.dataNode.Id != "dn-small" {
+			t.Fatalf("expected to delete smallest writable dn-small, got %s", got.location.dataNode.Id)
+		}
+	})
+}
+
+// The over-replication writable-survivor guard must NOT leak into the misplaced
+// relocation path: a misplaced volume whose replicas are all read-only (e.g. a
+// full volume) must still be relocated, picking the smallest replica to delete
+// and recreate at a correct placement.
+func TestPickOneMisplacedVolumeRelocatesReadOnlyReplicas(t *testing.T) {
+	replicaPlacement, _ := super_block.NewReplicaPlacementFromString("001")
+	replicas := []*VolumeReplica{
+		{
+			location: &location{"dc1", "r1", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn1"}},
+			info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 100, ReadOnly: true},
+		},
+		{
+			location: &location{"dc1", "r2", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dn2"}},
+			info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 99, ReadOnly: true},
+		},
+	}
+	got := pickOneMisplacedVolume(replicas, replicaPlacement)
+	if got == nil {
+		t.Fatal("misplaced read-only volume must still be relocated, got nil")
+	}
+	if got.location.dataNode.Id != "dn2" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected to relocate smallest replica dn2, got %s", got.location.dataNode.Id)
+	}
+}
+
+// The over-replication trim must not strip the only replica in a required
+// failure domain: with "100" and replicas in dc1 + two in dc2, deleting the
+// smallest (dc1) leaves both survivors in dc2 and violates placement, so the
+// trim must instead delete a dc2 writable replica.
+func TestPickOneReplicaToDeletePreservesPlacement(t *testing.T) {
+	replicaPlacement, _ := super_block.NewReplicaPlacementFromString("100")
+	replicas := []*VolumeReplica{
+		{
+			location: &location{"dc1", "r1", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dc1-writable"}},
+			info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 90, ReadOnly: false},
+		},
+		{
+			location: &location{"dc2", "r2", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dc2-readonly"}},
+			info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 80, ReadOnly: true},
+		},
+		{
+			location: &location{"dc2", "r3", &master_pb.DataNodeInfo{Id: "dc2-writable"}},
+			info:     &master_pb.VolumeInformationMessage{Size: 100, ReadOnly: false},
+		},
+	}
+	got := pickOneReplicaToDelete(replicas, replicaPlacement)
+	if got == nil {
+		t.Fatal("expected a replica to delete")
+	}
+	if got.location.dataNode.Id != "dc2-writable" {
+		t.Fatalf("expected to delete dc2-writable to preserve placement, got %s", got.location.dataNode.Id)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestSatisfyReplicaCurrentLocation(t *testing.T) {
 
 	var tests = []testcase{
diff --git a/weed/storage/disk_location.go b/weed/storage/disk_location.go
index 33312eb49..38d41d60a 100644
--- a/weed/storage/disk_location.go
+++ b/weed/storage/disk_location.go
@@ -250,8 +250,12 @@ func (l *DiskLocation) loadExistingVolume(dirEntry os.DirEntry, needleMapKind Ne
 	if util.FileExists(noteFile) {
 		note, _ := os.ReadFile(noteFile)
 		glog.Warningf("volume %s was not completed: %s", volumeName, string(note))
-		removeVolumeFiles(l.Directory+"/"+volumeName, false)
-		removeVolumeFiles(l.IdxDirectory+"/"+volumeName, false)
+		// Keep the .vif when an .ecx for this vid coexists on the disk: the
+		// regular and EC volumes share <base>.vif, so removing the incomplete
+		// regular copy must not strip the EC volume's info file.
+		keepVif := l.hasEcxFile(volumeName)
+		removeVolumeFiles(l.Directory+"/"+volumeName, keepVif)
+		removeVolumeFiles(l.IdxDirectory+"/"+volumeName, keepVif)
 		return false
 	}