diff --git a/ant-networking/src/cmd.rs b/ant-networking/src/cmd.rs
index bb0d9d022d..641d00c656 100644
--- a/ant-networking/src/cmd.rs
+++ b/ant-networking/src/cmd.rs
@@ -1149,7 +1149,7 @@ impl SwarmDriver {
     ) -> Result<Vec<PeerId>> {
         let is_periodic_replicate = target.as_peer_id().is_some();
         let expected_candidates = if is_periodic_replicate {
-            CLOSE_GROUP_SIZE + 4
+            CLOSE_GROUP_SIZE * 2
         } else {
             CLOSE_GROUP_SIZE
         };
diff --git a/ant-networking/src/replication_fetcher.rs b/ant-networking/src/replication_fetcher.rs
index 6ccf29850e..be6740c0e6 100644
--- a/ant-networking/src/replication_fetcher.rs
+++ b/ant-networking/src/replication_fetcher.rs
@@ -466,16 +466,19 @@ impl ReplicationFetcher {
                     "Distance to target {addr:?} is {distance:?}, against range {distance_range:?}"
                 );
                 let mut is_in_range = distance <= *distance_range;
-                if !is_in_range {
+                // For middle-range records, they could be farther than distance_range,
+                // but still supposed to be held by the closest group to us.
+                if !is_in_range && distance - *distance_range < *distance_range {
                     closest_k_peers.sort_by_key(|key| key.distance(addr));
                     let closest_group: HashSet<_> = closest_k_peers.iter().take(CLOSE_GROUP_SIZE).collect();
                     if closest_group.contains(&self_address) {
                         debug!("Record {addr:?} has a far distance but still among {CLOSE_GROUP_SIZE} closest within {} neighbourd.", closest_k_peers.len());
                         is_in_range = true;
-                    } else {
-                        out_of_range_keys.push(addr.clone());
                     }
                 }
+                if !is_in_range {
+                    out_of_range_keys.push(addr.clone());
+                }
                 is_in_range
             });
         }