diff --git a/testgres/backup.py b/testgres/backup.py
index 64f021ed..6e9aedb0 100644
--- a/testgres/backup.py
+++ b/testgres/backup.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def spawn_primary(self, name=None, destroy=True):
 
         return node
 
-    def spawn_replica(self, name=None, destroy=True):
+    def spawn_replica(self, name=None, destroy=True, slot_name=None):
         """
         Create a replica of the original node from a backup.
 
@@ -171,7 +171,7 @@ def spawn_replica(self, name=None, destroy=True):
 
         # Assign it a master and a recovery file (private magic)
         node._assign_master(self.original_node)
-        node._create_recovery_conf(username=self.username)
+        node._create_recovery_conf(username=self.username, slot_name=slot_name)
 
         return node
 
diff --git a/testgres/consts.py b/testgres/consts.py
index 15400311..5ca5b747 100644
--- a/testgres/consts.py
+++ b/testgres/consts.py
@@ -24,3 +24,6 @@
 PG_LOG_FILE = "postgresql.log"
 UTILS_LOG_FILE = "utils.log"
 BACKUP_LOG_FILE = "backup.log"
+
+# default replication slots number
+REPLICATION_SLOTS = 10
diff --git a/testgres/node.py b/testgres/node.py
index 993837bf..cc81ca82 100644
--- a/testgres/node.py
+++ b/testgres/node.py
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@
     RECOVERY_CONF_FILE, \
     PG_LOG_FILE, \
     UTILS_LOG_FILE, \
-    PG_PID_FILE
+    PG_PID_FILE, \
+    REPLICATION_SLOTS
 
 from .decorators import \
     method_decorator, \
@@ -277,7 +278,7 @@ def _assign_master(self, master):
         # now this node has a master
         self._master = master
 
-    def _create_recovery_conf(self, username):
+    def _create_recovery_conf(self, username, slot_name=None):
         """NOTE: this is a private method!"""
 
         # fetch master of this node
@@ -305,6 +306,9 @@ def _create_recovery_conf(self, username):
             "standby_mode=on\n"
         ).format(conninfo)
 
+        if slot_name:
+            line += "primary_slot_name={}\n".format(slot_name)
+
         self.append_conf(RECOVERY_CONF_FILE, line)
 
     def _maybe_start_logger(self):
@@ -348,6 +352,28 @@ def _collect_special_files(self):
 
         return result
 
+    def _create_replication_slot(self, slot_name, dbname=None, username=None):
+        """
+        Create a physical replication slot.
+
+        Args:
+            slot_name: slot name
+            dbname: database name
+            username: database user name
+        """
+        rs = self.execute("select exists (select * from pg_replication_slots "
+                          "where slot_name = '{}')".format(slot_name),
+                          dbname=dbname, username=username)
+
+        if rs[0][0]:
+            raise TestgresException("Slot '{}' already exists".format(slot_name))
+
+        query = (
+            "select pg_create_physical_replication_slot('{}')"
+        ).format(slot_name)
+
+        self.execute(query=query, dbname=dbname, username=username)
+
     def init(self, initdb_params=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Perform initdb for this node.
@@ -458,8 +484,10 @@ def get_auth_method(t):
                 wal_keep_segments = 20  # for convenience
                 conf.write(u"hot_standby = on\n"
                            u"max_wal_senders = {}\n"
+                           u"max_replication_slots = {}\n"
                            u"wal_keep_segments = {}\n"
                            u"wal_level = {}\n".format(max_wal_senders,
+                                                      REPLICATION_SLOTS,
                                                       wal_keep_segments,
                                                       wal_level))
 
@@ -941,7 +969,7 @@ def backup(self, **kwargs):
 
         return NodeBackup(node=self, **kwargs)
 
-    def replicate(self, name=None, **kwargs):
+    def replicate(self, name=None, slot_name=None, **kwargs):
         """
         Create a binary replica of this node.
 
@@ -952,10 +980,15 @@ def replicate(self, name=None, **kwargs):
             base_dir: the base directory for data files and logs
         """
 
+        if slot_name:
+            self._create_replication_slot(slot_name, **kwargs)
+
         backup = self.backup(**kwargs)
 
         # transform backup into a replica
-        return backup.spawn_replica(name=name, destroy=True)
+        return backup.spawn_replica(name=name,
+                                    destroy=True,
+                                    slot_name=slot_name)
 
     def catchup(self, dbname=None, username=None):
         """
diff --git a/tests/test_simple.py b/tests/test_simple.py
index 48f1130d..fc3b4dd2 100755
--- a/tests/test_simple.py
+++ b/tests/test_simple.py
@@ -383,6 +383,21 @@ def test_replicate(self):
                 res = node.execute('select * from test')
                 self.assertListEqual(res, [])
 
+    def test_replication_slots(self):
+        query_create = 'create table test as select generate_series(1, 2) as val'
+
+        with get_new_node() as node:
+            node.init(allow_streaming=True).start()
+            node.execute(query_create)
+
+            with node.replicate(slot_name='slot1').start() as replica:
+                res = replica.execute('select * from test')
+                self.assertListEqual(res, [(1, ), (2, )])
+
+                # cannot create new slot with the same name
+                with self.assertRaises(TestgresException):
+                    node._create_replication_slot('slot1')
+
     def test_incorrect_catchup(self):
         with get_new_node() as node:
             node.init(allow_streaming=True).start()