1. A method comprises: storing, by a set of storage units of a dispersed storage network (DSN), a plurality of encoded data slices, wherein each storage unit of the set of storage units stores a unique sub-set of encoded data slices of the plurality of encoded data slices and wherein a data segment of data is dispersed storage error encoded to produce the plurality of encoded data slices; dispersed storage error encoding, by each storage unit of the set of storage units, at least a recovery threshold number of encoded data slices of the unique sub-set of encoded data slices to produce a local set of encoded recovery data slices; and in response to a retrieval request for the data segment: identifying, by a device of the DSN, a desired sub-set of storage units of the set of storage units to produce an initial recovery number of storage units; identifying, by the device, a storage unit of the initial recovery number of storage units having a rebuilding issue; determining, by the device, whether the rebuilding issue is correctable at a local storage unit level or at a DSN level; when the rebuilding issue is correctable at the DSN level, selecting, by the device, another storage unit from remaining storage units of the set of storage units to replace the storage unit having the rebuilding issue that is correctable at the DSN level to produce a recovery number of storage units; and sending, by the device, retrieve requests to the recovery number of storage units.