diff --git a/mooncake-store/src/serialize/serializer.cpp b/mooncake-store/src/serialize/serializer.cpp
index fff481e2cb..8edda2b05d 100644
--- a/mooncake-store/src/serialize/serializer.cpp
+++ b/mooncake-store/src/serialize/serializer.cpp
@@ -737,14 +737,16 @@ auto Serializer<Replica>::deserialize(const msgpack::object &obj,
                                "data, expected array"));
     }
 
-    // Verify array size is correct (should have 5 elements: id, status,
-    // replica_type, storage_level, payload)
-    if (obj.via.array.size != 5) {
+    // Accept both legacy 4-element format [id, status, replica_type, payload]
+    // and new 5-element format [id, status, replica_type, storage_level, payload].
+    // Legacy replicas default to StorageLevel::RAM.
+    const auto array_size = obj.via.array.size;
+    if (array_size != 4 && array_size != 5) {
         return tl::unexpected(SerializationError(
             ErrorCode::DESERIALIZE_FAIL,
             fmt::format("deserialize_msgpack Replica invalid array size: "
-                        "expected 5, got {}",
-                        obj.via.array.size)));
+                        "expected 4 or 5, got {}",
+                        array_size)));
     }
 
     auto *array_items = obj.via.array.ptr;
@@ -758,8 +760,14 @@ auto Serializer<Replica>::deserialize(const msgpack::object &obj,
     // 3. Deserialize replica_type
     auto replica_type_code = array_items[2].as<int8_t>();
 
-    // 4. Deserialize storage_level
-    auto storage_level = static_cast<StorageLevel>(array_items[3].as<int8_t>());
+    // 4. Deserialize storage_level (missing in legacy 4-element format → RAM)
+    StorageLevel storage_level = StorageLevel::RAM;
+    size_t payload_index = 3;
+    if (array_size == 5) {
+        storage_level =
+            static_cast<StorageLevel>(array_items[3].as<int8_t>());
+        payload_index = 4;
+    }
 
     // 5. Parse payload by type
     std::shared_ptr<Replica> replica;
@@ -767,7 +775,7 @@ auto Serializer<Replica>::deserialize(const msgpack::object &obj,
         case static_cast<int8_t>(ReplicaType::MEMORY): {
             // MEMORY: payload is AllocatedBuffer
             auto buffer_result = Serializer<AllocatedBuffer>::deserialize(
-                array_items[4], segment_view);
+                array_items[payload_index], segment_view);
             if (!buffer_result) {
                 return tl::unexpected(buffer_result.error());
             }
@@ -776,7 +784,7 @@ auto Serializer<Replica>::deserialize(const msgpack::object &obj,
             break;
         }
         case static_cast<int8_t>(ReplicaType::DISK): {
-            const auto &payload = array_items[4];
+            const auto &payload = array_items[payload_index];
             if (payload.type != msgpack::type::ARRAY ||
                 payload.via.array.size != 2) {
                 return tl::unexpected(
@@ -793,7 +801,7 @@ auto Serializer<Replica>::deserialize(const msgpack::object &obj,
             break;
         }
         case static_cast<int8_t>(ReplicaType::LOCAL_DISK): {
-            const auto &payload = array_items[4];
+            const auto &payload = array_items[payload_index];
             if (payload.type != msgpack::type::ARRAY ||
                 payload.via.array.size != 3) {
                 return tl::unexpected(