diff --git a/docs/pause.rst b/docs/pause.rst
index a33b04b4..285ebac1 100644
--- a/docs/pause.rst
+++ b/docs/pause.rst
@@ -27,6 +27,8 @@ When Patroni runs in a paused mode, it does not change the state of PostgreSQL,
 
 - When Postgres is stopped, Patroni does not try to start it. When Patroni is stopped, it does not try to stop the Postgres instance it is managing.
 
+- Patroni will not try to remove replication slots that don't represent the other cluster member or are not listed in the configuration of the permanent slots.
+
 User guide
 ----------
 
diff --git a/patroni/ha.py b/patroni/ha.py
index 9f84613f..54f2c0ab 100644
--- a/patroni/ha.py
+++ b/patroni/ha.py
@@ -1483,7 +1483,9 @@ class Ha(object):
                 # asynchronous processes are running (should be always the case for the master)
                 if not self._async_executor.busy and not self.state_handler.is_starting():
                     create_slots = self.state_handler.slots_handler.sync_replication_slots(self.cluster,
-                                                                                           self.patroni.nofailover)
+                                                                                           self.patroni.nofailover,
+                                                                                           self.patroni.replicatefrom,
+                                                                                           self.is_paused())
                     if not self.state_handler.cb_called:
                         if not self.state_handler.is_leader():
                             self._rewind.trigger_check_diverged_lsn()
diff --git a/patroni/postgresql/slots.py b/patroni/postgresql/slots.py
index 32cbc9b8..0d5051f7 100644
--- a/patroni/postgresql/slots.py
+++ b/patroni/postgresql/slots.py
@@ -112,10 +112,10 @@ class SlotsHandler(object):
         # In normal situation rowcount should be 1, otherwise either slot doesn't exists or it is still active
         return cursor.rowcount == 1
 
-    def _drop_incorrect_slots(self, cluster, slots):
+    def _drop_incorrect_slots(self, cluster, slots, paused):
         # drop old replication slots which are not presented in desired slots
         for name in set(self._replication_slots) - set(slots):
-            if not self.ignore_replication_slot(cluster, name) and not self.drop_replication_slot(name):
+            if not paused and not self.ignore_replication_slot(cluster, name) and not self.drop_replication_slot(name):
                 logger.error("Failed to drop replication slot '%s'", name)
                 self._schedule_load_slots = True
 
@@ -206,7 +206,7 @@ class SlotsHandler(object):
                         self._schedule_load_slots = True
         return create_slots
 
-    def sync_replication_slots(self, cluster, nofailover, replicatefrom=None):
+    def sync_replication_slots(self, cluster, nofailover, replicatefrom=None, paused=False):
         ret = None
         if self._postgresql.major_version >= 90400 and cluster.config:
             try:
@@ -215,7 +215,7 @@ class SlotsHandler(object):
                 slots = cluster.get_replication_slots(self._postgresql.name, self._postgresql.role,
                                                       nofailover, self._postgresql.major_version, True)
 
-                self._drop_incorrect_slots(cluster, slots)
+                self._drop_incorrect_slots(cluster, slots, paused)
 
                 self._ensure_physical_slots(slots)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_slots.py b/tests/test_slots.py
index 454fab8d..2301ae5f 100644
--- a/tests/test_slots.py
+++ b/tests/test_slots.py
@@ -42,8 +42,10 @@ class TestSlotsHandler(BaseTestPostgresql):
         self.p.set_role('standby_leader')
         self.s.sync_replication_slots(cluster, False)
         self.p.set_role('replica')
-        with patch.object(Postgresql, 'is_leader', Mock(return_value=False)):
-            self.s.sync_replication_slots(cluster, False)
+        with patch.object(Postgresql, 'is_leader', Mock(return_value=False)),\
+                patch.object(SlotsHandler, 'drop_replication_slot') as mock_drop:
+            self.s.sync_replication_slots(cluster, False, paused=True)
+            mock_drop.assert_not_called()
         self.p.set_role('master')
         with mock.patch('patroni.postgresql.Postgresql.role', new_callable=PropertyMock(return_value='replica')):
             self.s.sync_replication_slots(cluster, False)