diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/TODO.md b/nimbus/db/aristo/TODO.md
index fab7e70b0..a35630bf9 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/TODO.md
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/TODO.md
@@ -16,7 +16,3 @@
 	function mentioned above.
 
 * `aristo_nearby` also qualifies for a re-write, now
-
-* A storage tree vid should be allowed to become stale (or locally deactivated)
-  if the vertex vanishes to be re-used when the tree is re-filled. Currently
-  the vid is removed and then re-allocated.
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_blobify.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_blobify.nim
index 8e0fef392..493a11497 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_blobify.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_blobify.nim
@@ -146,9 +146,9 @@ proc blobifyTo*(pyl: LeafPayload, data: var Blob) =
       lens += uint16(tmp.len - 1) shl 3 # 5 bits
       data &= tmp.data()
 
-    if VertexID(0) < pyl.stoID:
+    if pyl.stoID.isValid:
       mask = mask or 0x04
-      let tmp = pyl.stoID.blobify()
+      let tmp = pyl.stoID.vid.blobify()
       lens += uint16(tmp.len - 1) shl 8 # 3 bits
       data &= tmp.data()
 
@@ -275,7 +275,7 @@ proc deblobify(
 
   if (mask and 0x04) > 0:
     let len = (lens shr 8) and 0b111
-    pAcc.stoID = VertexID(? load64(data, start, int(len + 1)))
+    pAcc.stoID = (true, VertexID(? load64(data, start, int(len + 1))))
 
   if (mask and 0x08) > 0:
     if data.len() < start + 32:
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_check/check_top.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_check/check_top.nim
index e9058bef1..27b9d79bc 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_check/check_top.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_check/check_top.nim
@@ -89,8 +89,9 @@ proc checkTopCommon*(
       case vtx.vType:
       of Leaf:
         if vtx.lData.pType == AccountData:
-          let stoVid = vtx.lData.stoID
-          if stoVid.isValid:
+          let stoID = vtx.lData.stoID
+          if stoID.isValid:
+            let stoVid = stoID.vid
             if stoVid in stoRoots:
               return err((stoVid,CheckAnyVidSharedStorageRoot))
             if vTop < stoVid:
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_compute.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_compute.nim
index dbbf408b2..e3c26d3f6 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_compute.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_compute.nim
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ proc computeKeyImpl(
         stoID = vtx.lData.stoID
         skey =
           if stoID.isValid:
-            let (skey, sl) = ?db.computeKeyImpl((stoID, stoID))
+            let (skey, sl) = ?db.computeKeyImpl((stoID.vid, stoID.vid))
             level = maxLevel(level, sl)
             skey
           else:
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_debug.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_debug.nim
index bb0d0b5fe..2f0bb4a6e 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_debug.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_debug.nim
@@ -100,6 +100,12 @@ proc ppVid(vid: VertexID; pfx = true): string =
   else:
     result &= "ø"
 
+proc ppVid(sid: StorageID; pfx = true): string =
+  if sid.isValid or not sid.vid.isValid:
+    sid.vid.ppVid(pfx)
+  else:
+    (if pfx: "$" else: "") & "®" & sid.vid.ppVid(false)
+
 proc ppVid(rvid: RootedVertexID; pfx = true): string =
   if pfx:
     result = "$"
@@ -234,7 +240,7 @@ proc ppNode(
       if nd.lData.pType == AccountData:
         result &= "(" & nd.lData.account.ppAriAccount() & ","
         if nd.lData.stoID.isValid:
-          let tag = db.ppKeyOk(nd.key[0],(rvid.root,nd.lData.stoID))
+          let tag = db.ppKeyOk(nd.key[0],(rvid.root,nd.lData.stoID.vid))
           result &= nd.lData.stoID.ppVid & tag
         else:
           result &= nd.lData.stoID.ppVid
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_delete.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_delete.nim
index 2459de7e9..df04aa865 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_delete.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_delete.nim
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ proc deleteAccountRecord*(
 
   # Delete storage tree if present
   if stoID.isValid:
-    ? db.delStoTreeImpl((stoID, stoID), accPath, NibblesBuf())
+    ? db.delStoTreeImpl((stoID.vid, stoID.vid), accPath, NibblesBuf())
 
   ?db.deleteImpl(hike)
 
@@ -279,7 +279,7 @@ proc deleteStorageData*(
   if not stoID.isValid:
     return err(DelStoRootMissing)
 
-  let stoHike = stoPath.hikeUp(stoID, db).valueOr:
+  let stoHike = stoPath.hikeUp(stoID.vid, db).valueOr:
     if error[1] in HikeAcceptableStopsNotFound:
       return err(DelPathNotFound)
     return err(error[1])
@@ -292,12 +292,12 @@ proc deleteStorageData*(
   db.layersPutStoLeaf(AccountKey.mixUp(accPath, stoPath), nil)
 
   # Make sure that an account leaf has no dangling sub-trie
-  if db.getVtx((stoID, stoID)).isValid:
+  if db.getVtx((stoID.vid, stoID.vid)).isValid:
     return ok(false)
 
   # De-register the deleted storage tree from the account record
   let leaf = wpAcc.vtx.dup           # Dup on modify
-  leaf.lData.stoID = VertexID(0)
+  leaf.lData.stoID.isValid = false
   db.layersPutAccLeaf(accPath, leaf)
   db.layersPutVtx((accHike.root, wpAcc.vid), leaf)
   ok(true)
@@ -323,11 +323,11 @@ proc deleteStorageTree*(
   # Mark account path Merkle keys for update
   db.updateAccountForHasher accHike
 
-  ? db.delStoTreeImpl((stoID, stoID), accPath, NibblesBuf())
+  ? db.delStoTreeImpl((stoID.vid, stoID.vid), accPath, NibblesBuf())
 
   # De-register the deleted storage tree from the accounts record
   let leaf = wpAcc.vtx.dup             # Dup on modify
-  leaf.lData.stoID = VertexID(0)
+  leaf.lData.stoID.isValid = false
   db.layersPutAccLeaf(accPath, leaf)
   db.layersPutVtx((accHike.root, wpAcc.vid), leaf)
   ok()
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_desc/desc_structural.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_desc/desc_structural.nim
index 49648ad89..b1e277ac5 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_desc/desc_structural.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_desc/desc_structural.nim
@@ -47,6 +47,14 @@ type
     AccountData                      ## `Aristo account` with vertex IDs links
     StoData                          ## Slot storage data
 
+  StorageID* = tuple
+    ## Once a storage tree is allocated, its root vertex ID is registered in
+    ## the leaf payload of an acoount. After subsequent storage tree deletion
+    ## the root vertex ID will be kept in the leaf payload for re-use but set
+    ## disabled (`.isValid` = `false`).
+    isValid: bool                    ## See also `isValid()` for `VertexID`
+    vid: VertexID                    ## Storage root vertex ID
+
   LeafPayload* = object
     ## The payload type depends on the sub-tree used. The `VertexID(1)` rooted
     ## sub-tree only has `AccountData` type payload, stoID-based have StoData
@@ -56,7 +64,7 @@ type
       rawBlob*: Blob                 ## Opaque data, default value
     of AccountData:
       account*: AristoAccount
-      stoID*: VertexID               ## Storage vertex ID (if any)
+      stoID*: StorageID              ## Storage vertex ID (if any)
     of StoData:
       stoData*: UInt256
 
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_fetch.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_fetch.nim
index 4fc8403eb..240154697 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_fetch.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_fetch.nim
@@ -163,7 +163,7 @@ proc fetchStorageID*(
   if not stoID.isValid:
     return err(FetchPathNotFound)
 
-  ok stoID
+  ok stoID.vid
 
 proc retrieveStoragePayload(
     db: AristoDbRef;
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_merge.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_merge.nim
index 5da23e9c3..05d8d0abb 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_merge.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_merge.nim
@@ -127,11 +127,14 @@ proc mergeStorageData*(
         stoID = vtx.lData.stoID
 
         # Provide new storage ID when needed
-        useID = if stoID.isValid: stoID else: db.vidFetch()
+        useID =
+          if stoID.isValid: stoID                     # Use as is
+          elif stoID.vid.isValid: (true, stoID.vid)   # Re-use previous vid
+          else: (true, db.vidFetch())                 # Create new vid
 
         # Call merge
         pyl = LeafPayload(pType: StoData, stoData: stoData)
-        rc = db.mergePayloadImpl(useID, stoPath.data, pyl)
+        rc = db.mergePayloadImpl(useID.vid, stoPath.data, pyl)
 
       if rc.isOk:
         # Mark account path Merkle keys for update
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_part.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_part.nim
index 771194170..b10130de2 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_part.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_part.nim
@@ -240,7 +240,7 @@ proc partPut*(
       of Leaf:
         let lKey = node.key[0]
         if node.lData.pType == AccountData and lKey.isValid:
-          node.lData.stoID = (? ps.getRvid(root, lKey))[0].vid
+          node.lData.stoID = (true, (? ps.getRvid(root, lKey))[0].vid)
       of Branch:
         for n in 0 .. 15:
           let bKey = node.key[n]
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_serialise.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_serialise.nim
index 90fa2cba8..77b1b9a9c 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_serialise.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_serialise.nim
@@ -37,15 +37,13 @@ proc serialise(
   of RawData:
     ok pyl.rawBlob
   of AccountData:
-    let
-      vid = pyl.stoID
-      key = block:
-        if vid.isValid:
-          vid.getKey.valueOr:
-            let w = (vid,error)
-            return err(w)
-        else:
-          VOID_HASH_KEY
+    let key = block:
+      if pyl.stoID.isValid:
+        pyl.stoID.vid.getKey.valueOr:
+          let w = (pyl.stoID.vid, error)
+          return err(w)
+      else:
+        VOID_HASH_KEY
 
     ok rlp.encode Account(
       nonce:       pyl.account.nonce,
diff --git a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_utils.nim b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_utils.nim
index 1dc7b5162..6492280d9 100644
--- a/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_utils.nim
+++ b/nimbus/db/aristo/aristo_utils.nim
@@ -59,11 +59,11 @@ proc toNode*(
     let node = NodeRef(vType: Leaf, lPfx: vtx.lPfx, lData: vtx.lData)
     # Need to resolve storage root for account leaf
     if vtx.lData.pType == AccountData:
-      let vid = vtx.lData.stoID
-      if vid.isValid:
-        let key = db.getKey (vid, vid)
+      let stoID = vtx.lData.stoID
+      if stoID.isValid:
+        let key = db.getKey (stoID.vid, stoID.vid)
         if not key.isValid:
-          return err(@[vid])
+          return err(@[stoID.vid])
         node.key[0] = key
     return ok node
 
@@ -90,9 +90,9 @@ iterator subVids*(vtx: VertexRef): VertexID =
   case vtx.vType:
   of Leaf:
     if vtx.lData.pType == AccountData:
-      let vid = vtx.lData.stoID
-      if vid.isValid:
-        yield vid
+      let stoID = vtx.lData.stoID
+      if stoID.isValid:
+        yield stoID.vid
   of Branch:
     for vid in vtx.bVid:
       if vid.isValid:
@@ -103,9 +103,9 @@ iterator subVidKeys*(node: NodeRef): (VertexID,HashKey) =
   case node.vType:
   of Leaf:
     if node.lData.pType == AccountData:
-      let vid = node.lData.stoID
-      if node.isValid:
-        yield (vid,node.key[0])
+      let stoID = node.lData.stoID
+      if stoID.isValid:
+        yield (stoID.vid, node.key[0])
   of Branch:
     for n in 0 .. 15:
       let vid = node.bVid[n]
diff --git a/tests/test_aristo/test_portal_proof.nim b/tests/test_aristo/test_portal_proof.nim
index 72f362b43..4d6b5db70 100644
--- a/tests/test_aristo/test_portal_proof.nim
+++ b/tests/test_aristo/test_portal_proof.nim
@@ -90,16 +90,14 @@ proc payloadAsBlob(pyl: LeafPayload; ps: PartStateRef): Blob =
   of RawData:
     pyl.rawBlob
   of AccountData:
-    let
-      vid = pyl.stoID
-      key = block:
-        if vid.isValid:
-          let rc = ps.db.getKeyRc (VertexID(1),vid)
-          if rc.isErr:
-            raiseAssert info & ": getKey => " & $rc.error
-          rc.value[0]
-        else:
-          VOID_HASH_KEY
+    let key = block:
+      if pyl.stoID.isValid:
+        let rc = ps.db.getKeyRc (VertexID(1),pyl.stoID.vid)
+        if rc.isErr:
+          raiseAssert info & ": getKey => " & $rc.error
+        rc.value[0]
+      else:
+        VOID_HASH_KEY
 
     rlp.encode Account(
       nonce:       pyl.account.nonce,