diff --git a/libs/walproposer/src/api_bindings.rs b/libs/walproposer/src/api_bindings.rs
index d660602149..4d6cbae9a9 100644
--- a/libs/walproposer/src/api_bindings.rs
+++ b/libs/walproposer/src/api_bindings.rs
@@ -439,6 +439,7 @@ pub fn empty_shmem() -> crate::bindings::WalproposerShmemState {
         currentClusterSize: crate::bindings::pg_atomic_uint64 { value: 0 },
         shard_ps_feedback: [empty_feedback; 128],
         num_shards: 0,
+        replica_promote: false,
         min_ps_feedback: empty_feedback,
     }
 }
diff --git a/libs/walproposer/src/walproposer.rs b/libs/walproposer/src/walproposer.rs
index 7dbbe8451b..e95494297c 100644
--- a/libs/walproposer/src/walproposer.rs
+++ b/libs/walproposer/src/walproposer.rs
@@ -220,7 +220,6 @@ impl Wrapper {
             safekeeper_connection_timeout: config.safekeeper_connection_timeout,
             wal_segment_size: WAL_SEGMENT_SIZE as i32, // default 16MB
             syncSafekeepers: config.sync_safekeepers,
-            replicaPromote: false,
             systemId: 0,
             pgTimeline: 1,
             proto_version: 3,
diff --git a/pgxn/neon/walproposer.c b/pgxn/neon/walproposer.c
index 4a8b684eb9..494c36c637 100644
--- a/pgxn/neon/walproposer.c
+++ b/pgxn/neon/walproposer.c
@@ -1380,7 +1380,7 @@ ProcessPropStartPos(WalProposer *wp)
 	 * we must bail out, as clog and other non rel data is inconsistent.
 	 */
 	walprop_shared = wp->api.get_shmem_state(wp);
-	if (!wp->config->syncSafekeepers && !wp->config->replicaPromote)
+	if (!wp->config->syncSafekeepers && !walprop_shared->replica_promote)
 	{
 		/*
 		 * Basebackup LSN always points to the beginning of the record (not
diff --git a/pgxn/neon/walproposer.h b/pgxn/neon/walproposer.h
index 82e491abad..3d47461e3b 100644
--- a/pgxn/neon/walproposer.h
+++ b/pgxn/neon/walproposer.h
@@ -391,6 +391,7 @@ typedef struct WalproposerShmemState
 	/* last feedback from each shard */
 	PageserverFeedback shard_ps_feedback[MAX_SHARDS];
 	int			num_shards;
+	bool		replica_promote;
 
 	/* aggregated feedback with min LSNs across shards */
 	PageserverFeedback min_ps_feedback;
@@ -742,11 +743,6 @@ typedef struct WalProposerConfig
 	 */
 	bool		syncSafekeepers;
 
-	/*
-	 * Replica is promoted to primary
-	 */
-	bool		replicaPromote;
-
 	/* Will be passed to safekeepers in greet request. */
 	uint64		systemId;
 
diff --git a/pgxn/neon/walproposer_pg.c b/pgxn/neon/walproposer_pg.c
index 977e25cf22..5237c8b995 100644
--- a/pgxn/neon/walproposer_pg.c
+++ b/pgxn/neon/walproposer_pg.c
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ static XLogRecPtr sentPtr = InvalidXLogRecPtr;
 static const walproposer_api walprop_pg;
 static volatile sig_atomic_t got_SIGUSR2 = false;
 static bool reported_sigusr2 = false;
-static bool start_as_replica = false;
 
 static XLogRecPtr standby_flush_lsn = InvalidXLogRecPtr;
 static XLogRecPtr standby_apply_lsn = InvalidXLogRecPtr;
@@ -126,7 +125,6 @@ init_walprop_config(bool syncSafekeepers)
 	walprop_config.safekeeper_connection_timeout = wal_acceptor_connection_timeout;
 	walprop_config.wal_segment_size = wal_segment_size;
 	walprop_config.syncSafekeepers = syncSafekeepers;
-	walprop_config.replicaPromote = start_as_replica;
 	if (!syncSafekeepers)
 		walprop_config.systemId = GetSystemIdentifier();
 	else
@@ -153,8 +151,6 @@ WalProposerSync(int argc, char *argv[])
 	WalProposerStart(wp);
 }
 
-#define GUC_POLL_DELAY 100000L // 0.1 sec
-
 /*
  * WAL proposer bgworker entry point.
  */
@@ -322,8 +318,8 @@ assign_neon_safekeepers(const char *newval, void *extra)
 	char	   *newval_copy;
 	char	   *oldval;
 
-	if (newval && *newval == '\0')
-		start_as_replica = true;
+	if (newval && *newval != '\0' && walprop_shared && RecoveryInProgress())
+		walprop_shared->replica_promote = true;
 
 	if (!am_walproposer)
 		return;
@@ -531,6 +527,7 @@ walprop_register_bgworker(void)
 	bgw.bgw_restart_time = 1;
 	bgw.bgw_notify_pid = 0;
 	bgw.bgw_main_arg = (Datum) 0;
+
 	RegisterBackgroundWorker(&bgw);
 }
 
@@ -2025,7 +2022,6 @@ walprop_pg_get_redo_start_lsn(WalProposer *wp)
 	return GetRedoStartLsn();
 }
 
-
 static bool
 walprop_pg_strong_random(WalProposer *wp, void *buf, size_t len)
 {