diff --git a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/mod.rs b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/mod.rs
index 147e0e475..bc48d0f00 100644
--- a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/mod.rs
+++ b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/mod.rs
@@ -163,6 +163,14 @@ impl ChildSorters {
         match Self::sort_by_health(a, b) {
             Ordering::Equal => match Self::sort_by_child(a, b) {
                 Ordering::Equal => {
+                    // remove mismatched topology replicas first
+                    if let (Some(a), Some(b)) = (a.valid_pool_topology(), b.valid_pool_topology()) {
+                        match a.cmp(b) {
+                            Ordering::Equal => {}
+                            _else => return _else,
+                        }
+                    }
+
                     let childa_is_local = !a.spec().share.shared();
                     let childb_is_local = !b.spec().share.shared();
                     if childa_is_local == childb_is_local {
diff --git a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/resources/mod.rs b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/resources/mod.rs
index 6193d57c6..b0efe210a 100644
--- a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/resources/mod.rs
+++ b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/resources/mod.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,7 @@ pub(crate) struct ReplicaItem {
     /// a Affinity Group and the already created volumes have replicas
     /// on this pool.
     ag_replicas_on_pool: Option<u64>,
+    valid_pool_topology: Option<bool>,
 }
 
 impl ReplicaItem {
@@ -197,8 +198,20 @@ impl ReplicaItem {
             child_spec,
             child_info,
             ag_replicas_on_pool,
+            valid_pool_topology: None,
         }
     }
+    /// Set the validity of the replica's pool topology.
+    /// If set to false, this means the replica is not in sync with the volume topology and
+    /// therefore should be replaced by another replica which is in sync.
+    pub(crate) fn with_pool_topology(mut self, valid_pool_topology: Option<bool>) -> ReplicaItem {
+        self.valid_pool_topology = valid_pool_topology;
+        self
+    }
+    /// Get a reference to the topology validity flag.
+    pub(crate) fn valid_pool_topology(&self) -> &Option<bool> {
+        &self.valid_pool_topology
+    }
     /// Get a reference to the replica spec.
     pub(crate) fn spec(&self) -> &ReplicaSpec {
         &self.replica_spec
diff --git a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume.rs b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume.rs
index e3a1ef513..edaf1becb 100644
--- a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume.rs
+++ b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume.rs
@@ -343,6 +343,14 @@ impl GetChildForRemovalContext {
                     }),
                     ag_rep_count,
                 )
+                .with_pool_topology({
+                    use crate::controller::scheduling::volume_policy::pool::PoolBaseFilters;
+                    Some(PoolBaseFilters::topology_(
+                        &self.spec,
+                        &self.registry,
+                        replica_spec.pool_name(),
+                    ))
+                })
             })
             .collect::<Vec<_>>()
     }
diff --git a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume_policy/pool.rs b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume_policy/pool.rs
index 6dd80ef93..4be06eaba 100644
--- a/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume_policy/pool.rs
+++ b/control-plane/agents/src/bin/core/controller/scheduling/volume_policy/pool.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,16 @@
-use crate::controller::scheduling::{
-    resources::{ChildItem, PoolItem},
-    volume::{GetSuitablePoolsContext, ReplicaResizePoolsContext},
-    volume_policy::qualifies_label_criteria,
+use crate::controller::{
+    registry::Registry,
+    scheduling::{
+        resources::{ChildItem, PoolItem},
+        volume::{GetSuitablePoolsContext, ReplicaResizePoolsContext},
+        volume_policy::qualifies_label_criteria,
+    },
 };
 use std::collections::HashMap;
-use stor_port::types::v0::transport::{PoolStatus, PoolTopology};
+use stor_port::types::v0::{
+    store::volume::VolumeSpec,
+    transport::{PoolId, PoolStatus, PoolTopology},
+};
 
 /// Filter pools used for replica creation.
 pub(crate) struct PoolBaseFilters {}
@@ -77,27 +83,32 @@ impl PoolBaseFilters {
 
     /// Should only attempt to use pools having specific creation label if topology has it.
     pub(crate) fn topology(request: &GetSuitablePoolsContext, item: &PoolItem) -> bool {
+        Self::topology_(request, request.registry(), &item.pool.id)
+    }
+
+    /// Should only attempt to use pools having specific creation label if topology has it.
+    pub(crate) fn topology_(volume: &VolumeSpec, registry: &Registry, pool_id: &PoolId) -> bool {
         let volume_pool_topology_inclusion_labels: HashMap<String, String>;
-        match request.topology.clone() {
+        match &volume.topology {
             None => return true,
-            Some(topology) => match topology.pool {
+            Some(topology) => match &topology.pool {
                 None => return true,
-                Some(pool_topology) => match pool_topology {
+                Some(pool_topology) => match &pool_topology {
                     PoolTopology::Labelled(labelled_topology) => {
                         // The labels in Volume Pool Topology should match the pool labels if
                         // present, otherwise selection of any pool is allowed.
-                        if !labelled_topology.inclusion.is_empty() {
-                            volume_pool_topology_inclusion_labels = labelled_topology.inclusion
-                        } else {
+                        if labelled_topology.inclusion.is_empty() {
+                            // todo: missing exclusion check?
                             return true;
                         }
+                        volume_pool_topology_inclusion_labels = labelled_topology.inclusion.clone()
                     }
                 },
             },
         };
 
         // We will reach this part of code only if the volume has inclusion/exclusion labels.
-        match request.registry().specs().pool(&item.pool.id) {
+        match registry.specs().pool(pool_id) {
             Ok(spec) => match spec.labels {
                 None => false,
                 Some(pool_labels) => {