diff --git a/cmd/auth-handler.go b/cmd/auth-handler.go
index 5888fe494..40dee95fb 100644
--- a/cmd/auth-handler.go
+++ b/cmd/auth-handler.go
@@ -363,17 +363,6 @@ func checkRequestAuthTypeWithRequestTags(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request, a
 	return authorizeRequestWithTags(ctx, r, action, "", requestTags)
 }
 
-// checkRequestAuthTypeWithVID is similar to checkRequestAuthType
-// passes versionID additionally.
-func checkRequestAuthTypeWithVID(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request, action policy.Action, bucketName, objectName, versionID string) (s3Err APIErrorCode) {
-	logger.GetReqInfo(ctx).BucketName = bucketName
-	logger.GetReqInfo(ctx).ObjectName = objectName
-	logger.GetReqInfo(ctx).VersionID = versionID
-
-	_, _, s3Err = checkRequestAuthTypeCredential(ctx, r, action)
-	return s3Err
-}
-
 func authenticateRequest(ctx context.Context, r *http.Request, action policy.Action) (s3Err APIErrorCode) {
 	if logger.GetReqInfo(ctx) == nil {
 		bugLogIf(ctx, errors.New("unexpected context.Context does not have a logger.ReqInfo"), logger.ErrorKind)
diff --git a/cmd/bucket-handlers.go b/cmd/bucket-handlers.go
index ab1c4336e..c427e082b 100644
--- a/cmd/bucket-handlers.go
+++ b/cmd/bucket-handlers.go
@@ -465,11 +465,6 @@ func (api objectAPIHandlers) DeleteMultipleObjectsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter,
 
 	deleteObjectsFn := objectAPI.DeleteObjects
 
-	// Return Malformed XML as S3 spec if the number of objects is empty
-	if len(deleteObjectsReq.Objects) == 0 || len(deleteObjectsReq.Objects) > maxDeleteList {
-		writeErrorResponse(ctx, w, errorCodes.ToAPIErr(ErrMalformedXML), r.URL)
-		return
-	}
 	reqInfo := logger.GetReqInfo(ctx)
 	if reqInfo == nil {
 		writeErrorResponse(ctx, w, errorCodes.ToAPIErr(ErrAccessDenied), r.URL)
@@ -481,6 +476,11 @@ func (api objectAPIHandlers) DeleteMultipleObjectsHandler(w http.ResponseWriter,
 		writeErrorResponse(ctx, w, errorCodes.ToAPIErr(s3Err), r.URL)
 		return
 	}
+	// Return Malformed XML as S3 spec if the number of objects is empty.
+	if len(deleteObjectsReq.Objects) == 0 || len(deleteObjectsReq.Objects) > maxDeleteList {
+		writeErrorResponse(ctx, w, errorCodes.ToAPIErr(ErrMalformedXML), r.URL)
+		return
+	}
 
 	objectsToDelete := map[ObjectToDelete]int{}
 	getObjectInfoFn := objectAPI.GetObjectInfo
diff --git a/cmd/delete-version-authz_test.go b/cmd/delete-version-authz_test.go
index 79fe25398..035c8e9d4 100644
--- a/cmd/delete-version-authz_test.go
+++ b/cmd/delete-version-authz_test.go
@@ -319,6 +319,7 @@ func testAPIDeleteObjectVersionDenyAndReplicationCompatibility(obj ObjectLayer,
 		{"Effect":"Allow","Action":["s3:DeleteObject","s3:DeleteObjectVersion","s3:ReplicateDelete"],"Resource":["arn:aws:s3:::`+bucket+`/*"]},
 		{"Effect":"Deny","Action":"s3:DeleteObjectVersion","Resource":"arn:aws:s3:::`+bucket+`/deny/*"}
 	]`)
+	deleteOnly := newObjectAttributesAuthzUser(t, instanceType, bucket, `"s3:DeleteObject"`)
 
 	t.Run("ordinary explicit deny wins", func(t *testing.T) {
 		object := "deny/ordinary"
@@ -351,6 +352,25 @@ func testAPIDeleteObjectVersionDenyAndReplicationCompatibility(obj ObjectLayer,
 			t.Fatalf("status %d, want 403: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
 		}
 	})
+
+	t.Run("marker alone cannot enter the replication path", func(t *testing.T) {
+		object := "replication/fake-marker"
+		versionID := put(t, object)
+		target := getDeleteObjectURL("", bucket, object) + "?" + url.Values{xhttp.VersionID: {versionID}}.Encode()
+		req, err := newTestSignedRequestV4(http.MethodDelete, target, 0, nil, deleteOnly.AccessKey, deleteOnly.SecretKey,
+			map[string]string{xhttp.MinIOSourceReplicationRequest: "true"})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		rec := httptest.NewRecorder()
+		apiRouter.ServeHTTP(rec, req)
+		if rec.Code != http.StatusForbidden {
+			t.Fatalf("status %d, want 403: %s", rec.Code, rec.Body.String())
+		}
+		if _, err = obj.GetObjectInfo(t.Context(), bucket, object, ObjectOptions{VersionID: versionID}); err != nil {
+			t.Fatalf("fake marker removed the version: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 func newDeleteAuthzPolicyUser(t *testing.T, instanceType, bucket, statements string) auth.Credentials {