diff --git a/ax/storage/sqa_store/decoder.py b/ax/storage/sqa_store/decoder.py
index 4200d1015b0..c83c83636d4 100644
--- a/ax/storage/sqa_store/decoder.py
+++ b/ax/storage/sqa_store/decoder.py
@@ -956,13 +956,12 @@ def trial_from_sqa(
                         new_generator_run_structs.append(struct)
                 generator_run_structs = new_generator_run_structs
             trial._generator_run_structs = generator_run_structs
-            if not reduced_state:
-                trial._abandoned_arms_metadata = {
-                    abandoned_arm_sqa.name: self.abandoned_arm_from_sqa(
-                        abandoned_arm_sqa=abandoned_arm_sqa
-                    )
-                    for abandoned_arm_sqa in trial_sqa.abandoned_arms
-                }
+            trial._abandoned_arms_metadata = {
+                abandoned_arm_sqa.name: self.abandoned_arm_from_sqa(
+                    abandoned_arm_sqa=abandoned_arm_sqa
+                )
+                for abandoned_arm_sqa in trial_sqa.abandoned_arms
+            }
             trial._refresh_arms_by_name()  # Trigger cache build
         else:
             trial = Trial(
diff --git a/ax/storage/sqa_store/load.py b/ax/storage/sqa_store/load.py
index f418a7d6e62..58ebdcce10a 100644
--- a/ax/storage/sqa_store/load.py
+++ b/ax/storage/sqa_store/load.py
@@ -279,7 +279,6 @@ def _get_experiment_sqa_reduced_state(
     large experiments, in cases where model state history is not required.
     """
     options = get_query_options_to_defer_immutable_duplicates()
-    options.append(lazyload("abandoned_arms"))
     options.extend(get_query_options_to_defer_large_model_cols())
 
     return _get_experiment_sqa(
diff --git a/ax/storage/sqa_store/tests/test_sqa_store.py b/ax/storage/sqa_store/tests/test_sqa_store.py
index 45f14c3f2cd..6dfafd31637 100644
--- a/ax/storage/sqa_store/tests/test_sqa_store.py
+++ b/ax/storage/sqa_store/tests/test_sqa_store.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 from ax.core.arm import Arm
 from ax.core.auxiliary import AuxiliaryExperiment, AuxiliaryExperimentPurpose
 from ax.core.base_trial import TrialStatus
-from ax.core.batch_trial import BatchTrial, LifecycleStage
+from ax.core.batch_trial import LifecycleStage
 from ax.core.experiment import Experiment
 from ax.core.generator_run import GeneratorRun
 from ax.core.metric import Metric
@@ -480,21 +480,6 @@ def test_ExperimentSaveAndLoadReducedState(
         for skip_runners_and_metrics in [False, True]:
             # 1. No abandoned arms + no trials case, reduced state should be the
             # same as non-reduced state.
-            exp = get_experiment_with_multi_objective()
-            save_experiment(exp)
-            loaded_experiment = load_experiment(
-                exp.name,
-                reduced_state=True,
-                skip_runners_and_metrics=skip_runners_and_metrics,
-            )
-            loaded_experiment.runner = exp.runner
-            self.assertEqual(loaded_experiment, exp)
-            # Make sure decoder function was called with `reduced_state=True`.
-            self.assertTrue(_mock_exp_from_sqa.call_args[1].get("reduced_state"))
-            _mock_exp_from_sqa.reset_mock()
-            delete_experiment(exp_name=exp.name)
-
-            # 2. Try case with abandoned arms.
             exp = get_experiment_with_batch_trial(constrain_search_space=False)
             save_experiment(exp)
             loaded_experiment = load_experiment(
@@ -502,23 +487,15 @@ def test_ExperimentSaveAndLoadReducedState(
                 reduced_state=True,
                 skip_runners_and_metrics=skip_runners_and_metrics,
             )
-            # Experiments are not the same, because one has abandoned arms info.
-            self.assertNotEqual(loaded_experiment, exp)
-            # Remove all abandoned arms and check that all else is equal as expected.
-            t = assert_is_instance(exp.trials[0], BatchTrial)
-            t._abandoned_arms_metadata = {}
             loaded_experiment.runner = exp.runner
-            loaded_experiment._trials[0]._runner = exp._trials[0]._runner
+            for i in loaded_experiment.trials.keys():
+                loaded_experiment.trials[i]._runner = exp.trials[i].runner
             self.assertEqual(loaded_experiment, exp)
-            # Make sure that all relevant decoding functions were called with
-            # `reduced_state=True` and correct number of times.
+            # Make sure decoder function was called with `reduced_state=True`.
             self.assertTrue(_mock_exp_from_sqa.call_args[1].get("reduced_state"))
             self.assertTrue(_mock_trial_from_sqa.call_args[1].get("reduced_state"))
-            # 2 generator runs + regular and status quo.
             self.assertTrue(_mock_gr_from_sqa.call_args[1].get("reduced_state"))
             _mock_exp_from_sqa.reset_mock()
-            _mock_trial_from_sqa.reset_mock()
-            _mock_gr_from_sqa.reset_mock()
 
             # 3. Try case with model state and search space + opt.config on a
             # generator run in the experiment.
@@ -567,6 +544,24 @@ def test_ExperimentSaveAndLoadReducedState(
             self.assertEqual(loaded_experiment, exp)
             delete_experiment(exp_name=exp.name)
 
+    def test_load_and_save_reduced_state_does_not_lose_abandoned_arms(self) -> None:
+        exp = get_experiment_with_batch_trial(constrain_search_space=False)
+        exp.trials[0].mark_arm_abandoned(arm_name="0_0", reason="for this test")
+        save_experiment(exp)
+        loaded_experiment = load_experiment(
+            exp.name, reduced_state=True, skip_runners_and_metrics=True
+        )
+        save_experiment(loaded_experiment)
+        reloaded_experiment = load_experiment(exp.name)
+        self.assertEqual(
+            reloaded_experiment.trials[0].abandoned_arms,
+            exp.trials[0].abandoned_arms,
+        )
+        self.assertEqual(
+            len(reloaded_experiment.trials[0].abandoned_arms),
+            1,
+        )
+
     def test_ExperimentSaveAndLoadGRWithOptConfig(self) -> None:
         exp = get_experiment_with_batch_trial(constrain_search_space=False)
         gr = Models.SOBOL(experiment=exp).gen(