diff --git a/neurons/base/validator.py b/neurons/base/validator.py
index 32fea9d5..57663b8b 100644
--- a/neurons/base/validator.py
+++ b/neurons/base/validator.py
@@ -288,23 +288,23 @@ def resync_metagraph(self):
             return
 
         bt.logging.info('Metagraph updated, re-syncing hotkeys, dendrite pool and moving averages')
-        # Zero out all hotkeys that have been replaced.
-        for uid, hotkey in enumerate(self.hotkeys):
-            if hotkey != self.metagraph.hotkeys[uid]:
-                self.scores[uid] = 0  # hotkey has been replaced
-
-        # Check to see if the metagraph has changed size.
-        # If so, we need to add new hotkeys and moving averages.
-        if len(self.hotkeys) < len(self.metagraph.hotkeys):
-            # Update the size of the moving average scores.
-            new_moving_average = np.zeros((self.metagraph.n))
-            min_len = min(len(self.hotkeys), len(self.scores))
-            new_moving_average[:min_len] = self.scores[:min_len]
-            self.scores = new_moving_average
-
-        # Update the hotkeys.
+        self.scores = self._align_scores_to_metagraph(self.scores, self.hotkeys)
         self.hotkeys = copy.deepcopy(self.metagraph.hotkeys)
 
+    def _align_scores_to_metagraph(self, scores: np.ndarray, hotkeys: list) -> np.ndarray:
+        """Resize scores to the live metagraph and zero slots whose hotkey was replaced."""
+        n = int(self.metagraph.n)
+        scores_arr = np.asarray(scores, dtype=np.float32)
+        aligned = np.zeros(n, dtype=np.float32)
+        min_len = min(len(scores_arr), n)
+        aligned[:min_len] = scores_arr[:min_len]
+
+        for uid in range(min(len(hotkeys), n)):
+            if hotkeys[uid] != self.metagraph.hotkeys[uid]:
+                aligned[uid] = 0.0
+
+        return aligned
+
     def update_scores(self, rewards: np.ndarray, uids: set[int], blacklisted_uids: List[int] = None):
         """Performs exponential moving average on the scores based on the rewards received from the miners."""
 
@@ -380,9 +380,10 @@ def load_state(self):
         state_path = self.config.neuron.full_path + '/state.npz'
         try:
             state = np.load(state_path)
+            loaded_hotkeys = list(state['hotkeys'])
             self.step = int(state['step'])
-            self.scores = state['scores']
-            self.hotkeys = list(state['hotkeys'])
+            self.scores = self._align_scores_to_metagraph(state['scores'], loaded_hotkeys)
+            self.hotkeys = copy.deepcopy(self.metagraph.hotkeys)
             bt.logging.success(f'Successfully loaded validator state from {state_path}')
         except FileNotFoundError:
             bt.logging.warning(f'No state file found at {state_path}, starting with fresh state')
diff --git a/tests/validator/test_validator_state_alignment.py b/tests/validator/test_validator_state_alignment.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f404a26
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/validator/test_validator_state_alignment.py
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+# The MIT License (MIT)
+# Copyright © 2025 Entrius
+
+"""Regression tests for validator state alignment after metagraph size changes."""
+
+from unittest.mock import MagicMock
+
+import numpy as np
+
+from neurons.base.validator import BaseValidatorNeuron
+
+
+class _ValidatorStub:
+    _align_scores_to_metagraph = BaseValidatorNeuron._align_scores_to_metagraph
+    load_state = BaseValidatorNeuron.load_state
+
+    metagraph: MagicMock
+    config: MagicMock
+    step: int
+    scores: np.ndarray
+    hotkeys: list[str]
+
+    def __init__(self, n: int, hotkeys: list[str]):
+        self.metagraph = MagicMock()
+        self.metagraph.n = n
+        self.metagraph.hotkeys = hotkeys
+
+
+def test_align_scores_grows_with_metagraph():
+    validator = _ValidatorStub(n=4, hotkeys=['h0', 'h1', 'h2', 'h3'])
+    scores = np.array([0.1, 0.2, 0.3], dtype=np.float32)
+
+    aligned = validator._align_scores_to_metagraph(scores, ['h0', 'h1', 'h2'])
+
+    assert aligned.shape == (4,)
+    assert np.allclose(aligned[:3], [0.1, 0.2, 0.3])
+    assert aligned[3] == 0.0
+
+
+def test_align_scores_shrinks_with_metagraph():
+    validator = _ValidatorStub(n=2, hotkeys=['h0', 'h1'])
+    scores = np.array([0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4], dtype=np.float32)
+
+    aligned = validator._align_scores_to_metagraph(scores, ['h0', 'h1', 'h2', 'h3'])
+
+    assert aligned.shape == (2,)
+    assert np.allclose(aligned, [0.1, 0.2])
+
+
+def test_align_scores_zeros_replaced_hotkey():
+    validator = _ValidatorStub(n=3, hotkeys=['h0', 'new_h1', 'h2'])
+    scores = np.array([0.1, 0.5, 0.4], dtype=np.float32)
+
+    aligned = validator._align_scores_to_metagraph(scores, ['h0', 'old_h1', 'h2'])
+
+    assert np.allclose(aligned, [0.1, 0.0, 0.4])
+
+
+def test_load_state_realigns_persisted_scores_to_current_metagraph(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
+    validator = _ValidatorStub(n=4, hotkeys=['h0', 'h1', 'h2', 'h3'])
+    validator.config = MagicMock()
+    validator.config.neuron.full_path = str(tmp_path)
+    state_path = tmp_path / 'state.npz'
+    np.savez(
+        state_path,
+        step=42,
+        scores=np.array([0.1, 0.2, 0.3], dtype=np.float32),
+        hotkeys=['h0', 'h1', 'h2'],
+    )
+
+    validator.load_state()
+
+    assert validator.step == 42
+    assert validator.scores.shape == (4,)
+    assert np.allclose(validator.scores[:3], [0.1, 0.2, 0.3])
+    assert validator.scores[3] == 0.0
+    assert validator.hotkeys == ['h0', 'h1', 'h2', 'h3']