A method includes detecting a storage error regarding an encoded data slice. The method further includes determining failure mode information regarding a set of storage units. The method further includes determining, based on the failure mode information, whether to use a data-based rebuilding protocol or a zero information gain rebuilding protocol for rebuilding the encoded data slice. The method further includes, when the zero information gain rebuilding protocol is to be used to rebuild the encoded data slice retrieving zero information gain partial encoded data slices from one or more storage servers of the set of storage servers; and rebuilding the encoded data slices based on the zero information gain partial encoded data slices.