diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 427f49bed..f9e3c0c38 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 {
   "name": "@tbd54566975/dwn-sdk-js",
-  "version": "0.2.8",
+  "version": "0.2.9",
   "lockfileVersion": 3,
   "requires": true,
   "packages": {
     "": {
       "name": "@tbd54566975/dwn-sdk-js",
-      "version": "0.2.8",
+      "version": "0.2.9",
       "license": "Apache-2.0",
       "dependencies": {
         "@ipld/dag-cbor": "9.0.3",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 6f6c61525..64904a8d1 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@tbd54566975/dwn-sdk-js",
-  "version": "0.2.8",
+  "version": "0.2.9",
   "description": "A reference implementation of https://identity.foundation/decentralized-web-node/spec/",
   "repository": {
     "type": "git",
@@ -157,4 +157,4 @@
     "license-check": "license-report --only=prod > license-report.json && node ./build/license-check.cjs",
     "publish:unstable": "./build/publish-unstable.sh"
   }
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/handlers/records-query.ts b/src/handlers/records-query.ts
index ddae815af..dd4406ff7 100644
--- a/src/handlers/records-query.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/records-query.ts
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ export class RecordsQueryHandler implements MethodHandler {
           [{ recordId: recordsWrite.recordId, isLatestBaseState: false, method: DwnMethodName.Write }]
         );
         const initialWrite = initialWriteQueryResult.messages[0] as RecordsQueryReplyEntry;
-        delete initialWrite.encodedData;
+        delete initialWrite.encodedData; // defensive measure but technically optional because we do this when an update RecordsWrite takes place
         recordsWrite.initialWrite = initialWrite;
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/handlers/records-read.ts b/src/handlers/records-read.ts
index b8f218f2f..a1b98e033 100644
--- a/src/handlers/records-read.ts
+++ b/src/handlers/records-read.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ export class RecordsReadHandler implements MethodHandler {
         [{ recordId: record.recordId, isLatestBaseState: false, method: DwnMethodName.Write }]
       );
       const initialWrite = initialWriteQueryResult.messages[0] as RecordsQueryReplyEntry;
-      delete initialWrite.encodedData;
+      delete initialWrite.encodedData; // defensive measure but technically optional because we do this when an update RecordsWrite takes place
       record.initialWrite = initialWrite;
     }