diff --git a/patroni/__init__.py b/patroni/__init__.py
index 36c8feac..85b6c5df 100644
--- a/patroni/__init__.py
+++ b/patroni/__init__.py
@@ -35,6 +35,10 @@ class Patroni(object):
     def replicatefrom(self):
         return self.tags.get('replicatefrom')
 
+    @property
+    def clonefrom(self):
+        return self.tags.get('clonefrom')
+
     @staticmethod
     def get_dcs(name, config):
         if 'etcd' in config:
diff --git a/patroni/dcs.py b/patroni/dcs.py
index 4c2dddad..b705105d 100644
--- a/patroni/dcs.py
+++ b/patroni/dcs.py
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ class Member(namedtuple('Member', 'index,name,session,data')):
     def replicatefrom(self):
         return self.data.get('tags', {}).get('replicatefrom')
 
+    @property
+    def clonefrom(self):
+        return self.data.get('tags', {}).get('clonefrom')
+
 
 class Leader(namedtuple('Leader', 'index,session,member')):
 
@@ -147,6 +151,9 @@ class Cluster(namedtuple('Cluster', 'initialize,leader,last_leader_operation,mem
     def has_member(self, member_name):
         return any(m for m in self.members if m.name == member_name)
 
+    def get_member(self, member_name):
+        return ([m for m in self.members if m.name == member_name] or [None])[0]
+
 
 class AbstractDCS(object):
 
diff --git a/patroni/ha.py b/patroni/ha.py
index 98ba4398..61e27814 100644
--- a/patroni/ha.py
+++ b/patroni/ha.py
@@ -76,7 +76,9 @@ class Ha(object):
     def bootstrap(self):
         if not self.cluster.is_unlocked():  # cluster already has leader
             self._async_executor.schedule('bootstrap from leader')
-            self._async_executor.run_async(self.clone, args=(self.cluster.leader, ))
+            clonefrom = self.patroni.clonefrom
+            source = self.cluster.get_member(clonefrom) if self.cluster.has_member(clonefrom) else self.cluster.leader
+            self._async_executor.run_async(self.clone, args=(source,))
             return 'trying to bootstrap from leader'
         elif not self.cluster.initialize and not self.patroni.nofailover:  # no initialize key
             if self.dcs.initialize(create_new=True):  # race for initialization
diff --git a/patroni/postgresql.py b/patroni/postgresql.py
index a1cedb58..da561f8a 100644
--- a/patroni/postgresql.py
+++ b/patroni/postgresql.py
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ class Postgresql(object):
         return env
 
     def sync_replica(self, leader):
+        # add either the leader's or replica's credentials to pgpass
         env = self.write_pgpass(parseurl(leader.conn_url)) if leader else os.environ.copy()
         if self.create_replica(leader, env) == 0:
             self.delete_trigger_file()
@@ -258,23 +259,23 @@ class Postgresql(object):
         replica_methods = self.config.get('create_replica_method', [])
         return any(self.replica_method_can_work_without_leader(replica_method) for replica_method in replica_methods)
 
-    def create_replica(self, leader, env):
+    def create_replica(self, source, env):
         # create the replica according to the replica_method
         # defined by the user.  this is a list, so we need to
         # loop through all methods the user supplies
-        connstring = leader.conn_url if leader else ""
+        connstring = source.conn_url if source else ""
         # get list of replica methods from config.
         # If there is no configuration key, or no value is specified, use basebackup
         replica_methods = self.config.get('create_replica_method') or ['basebackup']
-        # if we don't have any leader, leave only replica methods that work without it
-        replica_methods = [r for r in replica_methods if self.replica_method_can_work_without_leader(r)] if not leader \
+        # if we don't have any source, leave only replica methods that work without it
+        replica_methods = [r for r in replica_methods if self.replica_method_can_work_without_leader(r)] if not source \
             else replica_methods
         # go through them in priority order
         ret = 1
         for replica_method in replica_methods:
             # if the method is basebackup, then use the built-in
             if replica_method == "basebackup":
-                ret = self.basebackup(leader, env)
+                ret = self.basebackup(source, env)
                 if ret == 0:
                     logger.info("replica has been created using basebackup")
                     # if basebackup succeeds, exit with success
@@ -702,7 +703,7 @@ $$""".format(name, options), name, password, password)
         """
             Populate PostgreSQL data directory by doing one of the following:
              - create with initdb if there is no master.
-             - initialize the replica from an existing master
+             - initialize the replica from an existing master or replica
              - initialize the replica using the replica creation method that
                works without the master (i.e. restore from on-disk base backup)
 
diff --git a/tests/test_ha.py b/tests/test_ha.py
index 98b1ad1c..2b5e0ada 100644
--- a/tests/test_ha.py
+++ b/tests/test_ha.py
@@ -57,6 +57,7 @@ class MockPatroni(object):
         self.nap_time = 10
         self.replicatefrom = None
         self.api.connection_string = 'http://127.0.0.1:8008'
+        self.clonefrom = None
 
 
 def run_async(func, args=()):