diff --git a/lib/collection/src/collection/collection_ops.rs b/lib/collection/src/collection/collection_ops.rs
index fea7506632..a4d00604e4 100644
--- a/lib/collection/src/collection/collection_ops.rs
+++ b/lib/collection/src/collection/collection_ops.rs
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ impl Collection {
             // Check that we are not removing the *last* replica or the last *active* replica
             //
             // `is_last_active_replica` counts both `Active` and `ReshardingScaleDown` replicas!
-            if peers.len() == 1 || replica_set.is_last_active_replica(peer_id) {
+            if peers.len() == 1 || replica_set.is_last_source_of_truth_replica(peer_id) {
                 return Err(CollectionError::BadRequest {
                     description: format!(
                         "Shard {shard_id} must have at least one active replica after removing {peer_id}",
diff --git a/lib/collection/src/collection/mod.rs b/lib/collection/src/collection/mod.rs
index 7e3976b35d..21eda1dcb6 100644
--- a/lib/collection/src/collection/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/collection/src/collection/mod.rs
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ impl Collection {
         // 3. Do not deactivate the last active replica
         //
         // `is_last_active_replica` counts both `Active` and `ReshardingScaleDown` replicas!
-        if replica_set.is_last_active_replica(peer_id) && !new_state.is_active() {
+        if replica_set.is_last_source_of_truth_replica(peer_id) && !new_state.is_active() {
             return Err(CollectionError::bad_input(format!(
                 "Cannot deactivate the last active replica {peer_id} of shard {shard_id}"
             )));
diff --git a/lib/collection/src/shards/replica_set/mod.rs b/lib/collection/src/shards/replica_set/mod.rs
index 3a892a77ca..4c2f67a937 100644
--- a/lib/collection/src/shards/replica_set/mod.rs
+++ b/lib/collection/src/shards/replica_set/mod.rs
@@ -411,9 +411,40 @@ impl ShardReplicaSet {
         self.replica_state.read().peers()
     }
 
-    pub fn is_last_active_replica(&self, peer_id: PeerId) -> bool {
+    /// Checks if the current replica contains a unique source of truth and should never
+    /// be deactivated or removed.
+    /// If current replica is the only "alive" replica, it is considered the last source of truth.
+    ///
+    /// If our replica is `Initializing`, we consider it to be the last source of truth if there is
+    /// no other active replicas. If we would deactivate it, it will be impossible to recover the
+    /// replica later. This may happen if we got killed or crashed during collection creation.
+    ///
+    /// Same logic applies to `Listener` replicas, as they are not recoverable if there are no
+    /// other active replicas.
+    ///
+    /// Examples:
+    /// Active(this), Initializing(other), Initializing(other) -> true
+    /// Active(this), Active(other) -> false
+    /// Initializing(this) -> true
+    /// Initializing(this), Initializing(other) -> true
+    /// Initializing(this), Dead(other) -> true
+    /// Initializing(this), Active(other) -> false
+    /// Active(this), Initializing(other) -> true
+    ///
+    pub fn is_last_source_of_truth_replica(&self, peer_id: PeerId) -> bool {
         // This includes `Active` and `ReshardingScaleDown` replicas!
         let active_peers = self.replica_state.read().active_peers();
+        if active_peers.is_empty() {
+            if let Some(peer_state) = self.peer_state(peer_id) {
+                // If there are no other active peers, deactivating those replicas
+                // is not recoverable, so it is considered the last source of truth,
+                // even though it is not technically active.
+                return matches!(
+                    peer_state,
+                    ReplicaState::Initializing | ReplicaState::Listener
+                );
+            }
+        }
         active_peers.len() == 1 && active_peers.contains(&peer_id)
     }
 
@@ -421,17 +452,6 @@ impl ShardReplicaSet {
         self.replica_state.read().get_peer_state(peer_id)
     }
 
-    /// List the peer IDs on which this shard is active, both the local and remote peers.
-    pub fn active_shards(&self) -> Vec<PeerId> {
-        let replica_state = self.replica_state.read();
-        replica_state
-            // This is a part of deprecated built-in resharding implementation, so we don't care
-            .active_peers()
-            .into_iter()
-            .filter(|&peer_id| !self.is_locally_disabled(peer_id))
-            .collect()
-    }
-
     /// List the remote peer IDs on which this shard is active, excludes the local peer ID.
     pub fn active_remote_shards(&self) -> Vec<PeerId> {
         let replica_state = self.replica_state.read();