diff --git a/internal/db/fetcher/versioned.go b/internal/db/fetcher/versioned.go
index 9ac9b7d13d..9466952d90 100644
--- a/internal/db/fetcher/versioned.go
+++ b/internal/db/fetcher/versioned.go
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 
 	"github.com/ipfs/go-cid"
+	cidlink "github.com/ipld/go-ipld-prime/linking/cid"
 
 	"github.com/sourcenetwork/immutable"
 
@@ -315,39 +316,25 @@ func (vf *VersionedFetcher) merge(c cid.Cid) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	link, err := block.GenerateLink()
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	mcrdt := merklecrdt.NewMerkleCompositeDAG(
-		vf.store,
-		keys.NewCollectionSchemaVersionKey(block.Delta.GetSchemaVersionID(), vf.col.Description().RootID),
-		keys.DataStoreKey{
-			CollectionRootID: vf.col.Description().RootID,
-			DocID:            string(block.Delta.GetDocID()),
-			FieldID:          fmt.Sprint(core.COMPOSITE_NAMESPACE),
-		},
-	)
-	err = mcrdt.Clock().ProcessBlock(vf.ctx, block, link)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	// handle subgraphs
-	for _, l := range block.Links {
-		// get node
-		subBlock, err := vf.getDAGBlock(l.Link.Cid)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-
-		field, ok := vf.col.Definition().GetFieldByName(l.Name)
+	var mcrdt merklecrdt.MerkleCRDT
+	switch {
+	case block.Delta.IsComposite():
+		mcrdt = merklecrdt.NewMerkleCompositeDAG(
+			vf.store,
+			keys.NewCollectionSchemaVersionKey(block.Delta.GetSchemaVersionID(), vf.col.Description().RootID),
+			keys.DataStoreKey{
+				CollectionRootID: vf.col.Description().RootID,
+				DocID:            string(block.Delta.GetDocID()),
+				FieldID:          fmt.Sprint(core.COMPOSITE_NAMESPACE),
+			},
+		)
+	default:
+		field, ok := vf.col.Definition().GetFieldByName(block.Delta.GetFieldName())
 		if !ok {
-			return client.NewErrFieldNotExist(l.Name)
+			return client.NewErrFieldNotExist(block.Delta.GetFieldName())
 		}
 
-		mcrdt, err := merklecrdt.FieldLevelCRDTWithStore(
+		mcrdt, err = merklecrdt.FieldLevelCRDTWithStore(
 			vf.store,
 			keys.NewCollectionSchemaVersionKey(block.Delta.GetSchemaVersionID(), vf.col.Description().RootID),
 			field.Typ,
@@ -362,8 +349,22 @@ func (vf *VersionedFetcher) merge(c cid.Cid) error {
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}
+	}
+
+	err = mcrdt.Clock().ProcessBlock(
+		vf.ctx,
+		block,
+		cidlink.Link{
+			Cid: c,
+		},
+	)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
 
-		err = mcrdt.Clock().ProcessBlock(vf.ctx, subBlock, l.Link)
+	// handle subgraphs
+	for _, l := range block.AllLinks() {
+		err = vf.merge(l.Cid)
 		if err != nil {
 			return err
 		}