diff --git a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-storage-manager/src/replication/core/aligner_reply.rs b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-storage-manager/src/replication/core/aligner_reply.rs
index 20c82d0fb..6e2350766 100644
--- a/plugins/zenoh-plugin-storage-manager/src/replication/core/aligner_reply.rs
+++ b/plugins/zenoh-plugin-storage-manager/src/replication/core/aligner_reply.rs
@@ -207,62 +207,7 @@ impl Replication {
                 }
             }
             AlignmentReply::Retrieval(replica_event) => {
-                tracing::trace!("Processing `AlignmentReply::Retrieval`");
-                {
-                    let span = tracing::Span::current();
-                    span.record(
-                        "sample",
-                        replica_event
-                            .stripped_key
-                            .as_ref()
-                            .map_or("", |key| key.as_str()),
-                    );
-                    span.record("t", replica_event.timestamp.to_string());
-                }
-
-                if self
-                    .latest_updates
-                    .read()
-                    .await
-                    .get(&replica_event.stripped_key)
-                    .is_some_and(|latest_event| latest_event.timestamp >= replica_event.timestamp)
-                {
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                let mut replication_log_guard = self.replication_log.write().await;
-                if let Some(latest_event) =
-                    replication_log_guard.lookup(&replica_event.stripped_key)
-                {
-                    if latest_event.timestamp >= replica_event.timestamp {
-                        return;
-                    }
-                }
-
-                // NOTE: This code can only be called with `action` set to `delete` on an initial
-                // alignment, in which case the Storage of the receiving Replica is empty => there
-                // is no need to actually call `storage.delete`.
-                //
-                // Outside of an initial alignment, the `delete` action will be performed at the
-                // step above, in `AlignmentReply::Events`.
-                if replica_event.action == SampleKind::Put
-                    && matches!(
-                        self.storage
-                            .lock()
-                            .await
-                            .put(
-                                replica_event.stripped_key.clone(),
-                                sample.into(),
-                                replica_event.timestamp,
-                            )
-                            .await,
-                        Ok(StorageInsertionResult::Outdated) | Err(_)
-                    )
-                {
-                    return;
-                }
-
-                replication_log_guard.insert_event(replica_event.into());
+                self.process_event_retrieval(replica_event, sample).await;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -340,4 +285,63 @@ impl Replication {
 
         Some(replica_event)
     }
+
+    /// Processes the [EventMetadata] and [Sample] sent by the Replica, adding it to our Storage if
+    /// needed.
+    ///
+    /// # Special case: initial alignment
+    ///
+    /// Outside of the initial alignment, an [EventMetadata] with an action set to `Delete` will be
+    /// processed during the previous step, i.e. in the `AlignmentReply::EventsMetadata` as, as
+    /// explained there, we already have at that stage all the required information to perform the
+    /// deletion.
+    ///
+    /// That fact is true except for the initial alignment: the initial alignment bypasses all these
+    /// steps and the Replica goes straight to sending all its Replication Log and data in its
+    /// Storage. Including for the deleted events.
+    async fn process_event_retrieval(&self, replica_event: EventMetadata, sample: Sample) {
+        tracing::trace!("Processing `AlignmentReply::Retrieval`");
+
+        if self
+            .latest_updates
+            .read()
+            .await
+            .get(&replica_event.stripped_key)
+            .is_some_and(|latest_event| latest_event.timestamp >= replica_event.timestamp)
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        let mut replication_log_guard = self.replication_log.write().await;
+        if let Some(latest_event) = replication_log_guard.lookup(&replica_event.stripped_key) {
+            if latest_event.timestamp >= replica_event.timestamp {
+                return;
+            }
+        }
+
+        // NOTE: This code can only be called with `action` set to `delete` on an initial
+        // alignment, in which case the Storage of the receiving Replica is empty => there
+        // is no need to actually call `storage.delete`.
+        //
+        // Outside of an initial alignment, the `delete` action will be performed at the
+        // step above, in `AlignmentReply::EventsMetadata`.
+        if replica_event.action == SampleKind::Put
+            && matches!(
+                self.storage
+                    .lock()
+                    .await
+                    .put(
+                        replica_event.stripped_key.clone(),
+                        sample.into(),
+                        replica_event.timestamp,
+                    )
+                    .await,
+                Ok(StorageInsertionResult::Outdated) | Err(_)
+            )
+        {
+            return;
+        }
+
+        replication_log_guard.insert_event(replica_event.into());
+    }
 }