diff --git a/walkeeper/src/replication.rs b/walkeeper/src/replication.rs
index a4a456d8cb..baf8962ee1 100644
--- a/walkeeper/src/replication.rs
+++ b/walkeeper/src/replication.rs
@@ -42,6 +42,19 @@ pub struct ReplicationConn {
     stream_in: Option<BufReader<TcpStream>>,
 }
 
+// TODO: move this to crate::timeline when there's more users
+// TODO: design a proper Timeline mock api
+trait HsFeedbackSubscriber {
+    fn add_hs_feedback(&self, _feedback: HotStandbyFeedback) {}
+}
+
+impl HsFeedbackSubscriber for Arc<Timeline> {
+    #[inline(always)]
+    fn add_hs_feedback(&self, feedback: HotStandbyFeedback) {
+        Timeline::add_hs_feedback(self, feedback);
+    }
+}
+
 impl ReplicationConn {
     /// Create a new `ReplicationConn`
     pub fn new(pgb: &mut PostgresBackend) -> Self {
@@ -52,13 +65,16 @@ impl ReplicationConn {
 
     /// Handle incoming messages from the network.
     /// This is spawned into the background by `handle_start_replication`.
-    fn background_thread(mut stream_in: impl Read, timeline: Arc<Timeline>) -> Result<()> {
+    fn background_thread(
+        mut stream_in: impl Read,
+        subscriber: impl HsFeedbackSubscriber,
+    ) -> Result<()> {
         // Wait for replica's feedback.
         while let Some(msg) = FeMessage::read(&mut stream_in)? {
             match msg {
                 FeMessage::CopyData(m) => {
                     let feedback = HotStandbyFeedback::des(&m)?;
-                    timeline.add_hs_feedback(feedback);
+                    subscriber.add_hs_feedback(feedback);
                 }
                 _ => {
                     // We only handle `CopyData` messages. Anything else is ignored.
@@ -212,3 +228,15 @@ impl ReplicationConn {
         Ok(())
     }
 }
+
+mod tests {
+    // A no-op impl for tests
+    impl super::HsFeedbackSubscriber for () {}
+
+    #[test]
+    fn test_replication_conn_background_thread_eof() {
+        // Test that background_thread recognizes EOF
+        let stream: &[u8] = &[];
+        super::ReplicationConn::background_thread(stream, ()).unwrap();
+    }
+}