diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index 55a062bc..76e29a7c 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 .idea/
 .tox/
 .eggs/
+.vscode/
 dist/
 !djangocms_alias/static/djangocms_alias/js/dist/
 build/
diff --git a/djangocms_alias/cms_plugins.py b/djangocms_alias/cms_plugins.py
index 4bc764a2..630903b2 100644
--- a/djangocms_alias/cms_plugins.py
+++ b/djangocms_alias/cms_plugins.py
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-from copy import copy
-
 from cms.plugin_base import CMSPluginBase, PluginMenuItem
 from cms.plugin_pool import plugin_pool
 from cms.toolbar.utils import get_object_edit_url
@@ -140,26 +138,24 @@ def can_detach(cls, user, target_placeholder, plugins):
 
     @classmethod
     def detach_alias_plugin(cls, plugin, language):
-        source_placeholder = plugin.alias.get_placeholder(language, show_draft_content=True)  # We're in edit mode
+        source_plugins = plugin.alias.get_plugins(language, show_draft_content=True)  # We're in edit mode
         target_placeholder = plugin.placeholder
+        plugin_position = plugin.position
+        plugin_parent = plugin.parent
+        target_placeholder.delete_plugin(plugin)
+        if source_plugins:
+            if target_last_plugin := target_placeholder.get_last_plugin(plugin.language):
+                target_placeholder._shift_plugin_positions(
+                    language,
+                    start=plugin_position,
+                    offset=len(source_plugins) + target_last_plugin.position + 1,  # enough space to shift back
+                )
 
-        # Deleting uses a copy of a plugin to preserve pk on existing
-        # ``plugin`` object. This is done due to
-        # plugin.get_plugin_toolbar_info requiring a PK in a passed
-        # instance.
-        target_placeholder.delete_plugin(copy(plugin))
-        target_placeholder._shift_plugin_positions(
-            language,
-            plugin.position,
-            offset=target_placeholder.get_last_plugin_position(language),
-        )
-        if source_placeholder:
-            source_plugins = source_placeholder.get_plugins_list()
-            copied_plugins = copy_plugins_to_placeholder(
+            return copy_plugins_to_placeholder(
                 source_plugins,
                 placeholder=target_placeholder,
                 language=language,
-                start_positions={language: plugin.position},
+                root_plugin=plugin_parent,
+                start_positions={language: plugin_position},
             )
-            return copied_plugins
         return []
diff --git a/djangocms_alias/models.py b/djangocms_alias/models.py
index 3c99cdec..6a7f172c 100644
--- a/djangocms_alias/models.py
+++ b/djangocms_alias/models.py
@@ -193,16 +193,17 @@ def get_placeholder(self, language=None, show_draft_content=False):
         content = self.get_content(language=language, show_draft_content=show_draft_content)
         return getattr(content, "placeholder", None)
 
-    def get_plugins(self, language=None):
+    def get_plugins(self, language=None, show_draft_content=False):
         if not language:
             language = get_language()
+        cache_key = f"{language}-{show_draft_content}"
         try:
-            return self._plugins_cache[language]
+            return self._plugins_cache[cache_key]
         except KeyError:
-            placeholder = self.get_placeholder(language)
+            placeholder = self.get_placeholder(language, show_draft_content=show_draft_content)
             plugins = placeholder.get_plugins_list() if placeholder else []
-            self._plugins_cache[language] = plugins
-            return self._plugins_cache[language]
+            self._plugins_cache[cache_key] = plugins
+            return self._plugins_cache[cache_key]
 
     def get_languages(self):
         if not self._content_languages_cache:
@@ -307,25 +308,27 @@ def populate(self, replaced_placeholder=None, replaced_plugin=None, plugins=None
                 placeholder=self.placeholder,
             )
             return
-
         if replaced_placeholder:
-            plugins = replaced_placeholder.get_plugins(self.language)
-            placeholder = replaced_placeholder
-            add_plugin_kwargs = {}
-        else:
-            plugins = CMSPlugin.objects.filter(
-                id__in=[replaced_plugin.pk] + replaced_plugin._get_descendants_ids(),
+            replaced_placeholder.cmsplugin_set.update(placeholder=self.placeholder)
+            return add_plugin(
+                replaced_placeholder,
+                plugin_type="Alias",
+                language=self.language,
+                alias=self.alias,
             )
-            placeholder = replaced_plugin.placeholder
-            add_plugin_kwargs = {"position": "left", "target": replaced_plugin}
+
+        placeholder = replaced_plugin.placeholder
+        plugins = CMSPlugin.objects.filter(
+            id__in=[replaced_plugin.pk] + replaced_plugin._get_descendants_ids(),
+        )
+        add_plugin_kwargs = {"position": "left", "target": replaced_plugin}
 
         copy_plugins_to_placeholder(
             plugins,
             placeholder=self.placeholder,
             language=self.language,
         )
-        plugins.delete()
-        placeholder._recalculate_plugin_positions(self.language)
+        replaced_plugin.delete()
 
         new_plugin = add_plugin(
             placeholder,
@@ -334,9 +337,6 @@ def populate(self, replaced_placeholder=None, replaced_plugin=None, plugins=None
             alias=self.alias,
             **add_plugin_kwargs,
         )
-        if replaced_plugin:
-            new_plugin.position = replaced_plugin.position
-            new_plugin.save(update_fields=["position"])
         return new_plugin
 
 
diff --git a/djangocms_alias/views.py b/djangocms_alias/views.py
index 1ade7d2f..a12aa818 100644
--- a/djangocms_alias/views.py
+++ b/djangocms_alias/views.py
@@ -136,6 +136,8 @@ def create_alias_view(request):
             "Plugins are required to create an alias",
         )
 
+    plugin = create_form.cleaned_data.get("plugin")
+    plugin_pk = plugin.pk if plugin else None
     replace = create_form.cleaned_data.get("replace")
     if not Alias.can_create_alias(user, plugins, replace):
         raise PermissionDenied
@@ -144,8 +146,9 @@ def create_alias_view(request):
     emit_content_change([alias_content])
 
     if replace:
-        plugin = create_form.cleaned_data.get("plugin")
         placeholder = create_form.cleaned_data.get("placeholder")
+        if plugin is not None:
+            plugin.pk = plugin_pk  # Restore pk after it was set to None in form.save()
         return render_replace_response(
             request,
             new_plugins=[alias_plugin],