diff --git a/src/cluster.c b/src/cluster.c
index 93e19920..fd295df3 100644
--- a/src/cluster.c
+++ b/src/cluster.c
@@ -4745,16 +4745,22 @@ try_again:
 
     /* Read the RESTORE replies. */
     int error_from_target = 0;
+    int del_idx = 1; /* Index of the key argument for the replicated DEL op. */
+    robj **newargv;
+
+    if (!copy) newargv = zmalloc(sizeof(robj*)*(num_keys+1));
+
     for (j = 0; j < num_keys; j++) {
         if (syncReadLine(cs->fd, buf2, sizeof(buf2), timeout) <= 0)
             goto socket_err;
-        if (error_from_target) continue; /* Just consume the replies. */
         if ((select && buf1[0] == '-') || buf2[0] == '-') {
             /* On error assume that last_dbid is no longer valid. */
-            cs->last_dbid = -1;
-            addReplyErrorFormat(c,"Target instance replied with error: %s",
-                (select && buf1[0] == '-') ? buf1+1 : buf2+1);
-            error_from_target = 1;
+            if (!error_from_target) {
+                cs->last_dbid = -1;
+                addReplyErrorFormat(c,"Target instance replied with error: %s",
+                    (select && buf1[0] == '-') ? buf1+1 : buf2+1);
+                error_from_target = 1;
+            }
         } else {
             if (!copy) {
                 robj *aux;
@@ -4764,17 +4770,23 @@ try_again:
                 signalModifiedKey(c->db,kv[j]);
                 server.dirty++;
 
-                /* Translate MIGRATE as DEL for replication/AOF. */
-                if (j == 0) {
-                    aux = createStringObject("DEL",3);
-                    rewriteClientCommandArgument(c,0,aux);
-                    decrRefCount(aux);
-                }
-                rewriteClientCommandArgument(c,j+1,kv[j]);
+                /* Populate the argument vector to replace the old one. */
+                newargv[del_idx++] = kv[j];
             }
         }
     }
 
+    if (!copy) {
+        /* Translate MIGRATE as DEL for replication/AOF. */
+        if (del_idx > 1) {
+            newargv[0] = createStringObject("DEL",3);
+            replaceClientCommandVector(c,newargv,del_idx);
+        } else {
+            /* No key transfer acknowledged, no need to rewrite as DEL. */
+            zfree(newargv);
+        }
+    }
+
     if (!error_from_target) {
         /* Update the last_dbid in migrateCachedSocket and reply +OK. */
         cs->last_dbid = dbid;
diff --git a/src/networking.c b/src/networking.c
index ef0ec732..047e8d22 100644
--- a/src/networking.c
+++ b/src/networking.c
@@ -1597,15 +1597,28 @@ void replaceClientCommandVector(client *c, int argc, robj **argv) {
 }
 
 /* Rewrite a single item in the command vector.
- * The new val ref count is incremented, and the old decremented. */
+ * The new val ref count is incremented, and the old decremented.
+ *
+ * It is possible to specify an argument over the current size of the
+ * argument vector: in this case the array of objects gets reallocated
+ * and c->argc set to the max value. However it's up to the caller to
+ *
+ * 1. Make sure there are no "holes" and all the arguments are set.
+ * 2. If the original argument vector was longer than the one we
+ *    want to end with, it's up to the caller to set c->argc and
+ *    free the no longer used objects on c->argv. */
 void rewriteClientCommandArgument(client *c, int i, robj *newval) {
     robj *oldval;
 
-    if (i >= c->argc) c->argv = zrealloc(c->argv,sizeof(robj*)*(i+1));
+    if (i >= c->argc) {
+        c->argv = zrealloc(c->argv,sizeof(robj*)*(i+1));
+        c->argc = i+1;
+        c->argv[i] = NULL;
+    }
     oldval = c->argv[i];
     c->argv[i] = newval;
     incrRefCount(newval);
-    decrRefCount(oldval);
+    if (oldval) decrRefCount(oldval);
 
     /* If this is the command name make sure to fix c->cmd. */
     if (i == 0) {