diff --git a/pageserver/src/basebackup.rs b/pageserver/src/basebackup.rs
index 975318419f..cae0ffb980 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/basebackup.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/basebackup.rs
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ pub async fn send_basebackup_tarball<'a, W>(
     req_lsn: Option<Lsn>,
     prev_lsn: Option<Lsn>,
     full_backup: bool,
+    replica: bool,
     ctx: &'a RequestContext,
 ) -> Result<(), BasebackupError>
 where
@@ -110,8 +111,8 @@ where
     };
 
     info!(
-        "taking basebackup lsn={}, prev_lsn={} (full_backup={})",
-        backup_lsn, prev_lsn, full_backup
+        "taking basebackup lsn={}, prev_lsn={} (full_backup={}, replica={})",
+        backup_lsn, prev_lsn, full_backup, replica
     );
 
     let basebackup = Basebackup {
@@ -120,6 +121,7 @@ where
         lsn: backup_lsn,
         prev_record_lsn: prev_lsn,
         full_backup,
+        replica,
         ctx,
     };
     basebackup
@@ -140,6 +142,7 @@ where
     lsn: Lsn,
     prev_record_lsn: Lsn,
     full_backup: bool,
+    replica: bool,
     ctx: &'a RequestContext,
 }
 
@@ -372,6 +375,10 @@ where
 
         for (path, content) in aux_files {
             if path.starts_with("pg_replslot") {
+                // Do not create LR slots at standby because they are not used but prevent WAL truncation
+                if self.replica {
+                    continue;
+                }
                 let offs = pg_constants::REPL_SLOT_ON_DISK_OFFSETOF_RESTART_LSN;
                 let restart_lsn = Lsn(u64::from_le_bytes(
                     content[offs..offs + 8].try_into().unwrap(),
diff --git a/pageserver/src/page_service.rs b/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
index 62b14cb83e..aed8a87851 100644
--- a/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
+++ b/pageserver/src/page_service.rs
@@ -1080,6 +1080,7 @@ impl PageServerHandler {
         prev_lsn: Option<Lsn>,
         full_backup: bool,
         gzip: bool,
+        replica: bool,
         ctx: &RequestContext,
     ) -> Result<(), QueryError>
     where
@@ -1132,6 +1133,7 @@ impl PageServerHandler {
                 lsn,
                 prev_lsn,
                 full_backup,
+                replica,
                 ctx,
             )
             .await
@@ -1154,6 +1156,7 @@ impl PageServerHandler {
                     lsn,
                     prev_lsn,
                     full_backup,
+                    replica,
                     ctx,
                 )
                 .await
@@ -1170,6 +1173,7 @@ impl PageServerHandler {
                     lsn,
                     prev_lsn,
                     full_backup,
+                    replica,
                     ctx,
                 )
                 .await
@@ -1326,24 +1330,27 @@ where
                 .for_command(ComputeCommandKind::Basebackup)
                 .inc();
 
-            let (lsn, gzip) = match (params.get(2), params.get(3)) {
-                (None, _) => (None, false),
-                (Some(&"--gzip"), _) => (None, true),
-                (Some(lsn_str), gzip_str_opt) => {
-                    let lsn = Lsn::from_str(lsn_str)
-                        .with_context(|| format!("Failed to parse Lsn from {lsn_str}"))?;
-                    let gzip = match gzip_str_opt {
-                        Some(&"--gzip") => true,
-                        None => false,
-                        Some(third_param) => {
+            let mut lsn = None;
+            let mut replica = false;
+            let mut gzip = false;
+            for param in &params[2..] {
+                if param.starts_with("--") {
+                    match *param {
+                        "--gzip" => gzip = true,
+                        "--replica" => replica = true,
+                        _ => {
                             return Err(QueryError::Other(anyhow::anyhow!(
-                                "Parameter in position 3 unknown {third_param}",
+                                "Unknown parameter {param}",
                             )))
                         }
-                    };
-                    (Some(lsn), gzip)
+                    }
+                } else {
+                    lsn = Some(
+                        Lsn::from_str(param)
+                            .with_context(|| format!("Failed to parse Lsn from {param}"))?,
+                    );
                 }
-            };
+            }
 
             let metric_recording = metrics::BASEBACKUP_QUERY_TIME.start_recording(&ctx);
             let res = async {
@@ -1355,6 +1362,7 @@ where
                     None,
                     false,
                     gzip,
+                    replica,
                     &ctx,
                 )
                 .await?;
@@ -1415,6 +1423,7 @@ where
                 prev_lsn,
                 true,
                 false,
+                false,
                 &ctx,
             )
             .await?;