diff --git a/pkg/statestore/storeadapter/migration.go b/pkg/statestore/storeadapter/migration.go
index 03e3ddb64e4..22ea712d052 100644
--- a/pkg/statestore/storeadapter/migration.go
+++ b/pkg/statestore/storeadapter/migration.go
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ func allSteps() migration.Steps {
 		2: deletePrefix("sync_interval"),
 		3: deletePrefix("sync_interval"),
 		4: deletePrefix("blocklist"),
+		5: deletePrefix("batchstore"),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/storer/internal/reserve/reserve.go b/pkg/storer/internal/reserve/reserve.go
index b48f5075e8c..8e7f9a121e8 100644
--- a/pkg/storer/internal/reserve/reserve.go
+++ b/pkg/storer/internal/reserve/reserve.go
@@ -25,9 +25,11 @@ import (
 
 // loggerName is the tree path name of the logger for this package.
 const loggerName = "reserve"
-
 const reserveNamespace = "reserve"
 
+// hack: make sures the network's storage radius does not fall below a certain value
+const minRadius = 9
+
 /*
 	pull by 	bin - binID
 	evict by 	bin - batchID
@@ -69,7 +71,7 @@ func New(
 	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, storage.ErrNotFound) {
 		return nil, err
 	}
-	rs.radius.Store(uint32(rItem.Radius))
+	rs.radius.Store(uint32(max(rItem.Radius, minRadius)))
 
 	epochItem := &EpochItem{}
 	err = store.Get(epochItem)
@@ -463,6 +465,7 @@ func (r *Reserve) EvictionTarget() int {
 }
 
 func (r *Reserve) SetRadius(store storage.Store, rad uint8) error {
+	rad = max(rad, minRadius)
 	r.radius.Store(uint32(rad))
 	r.radiusSetter.SetStorageRadius(rad)
 	return store.Put(&radiusItem{Radius: rad})