diff --git a/patroni/postgresql/config.py b/patroni/postgresql/config.py
index 27fd4cf6..c995f177 100644
--- a/patroni/postgresql/config.py
+++ b/patroni/postgresql/config.py
@@ -1094,12 +1094,22 @@ class ConfigHandler(object):
                 effective_configuration[name] = cvalue
                 self._postgresql.set_pending_restart(True)
 
-        # If we are using custom bootstrap with PITR it could fail when values
-        # like max_connections are increased, therefore we disable hot_standby.
-        if self._postgresql.bootstrap.running_custom_bootstrap and \
-                (self._postgresql.bootstrap.keep_existing_recovery_conf or self._recovery_conf):
-            effective_configuration['hot_standby'] = 'off'
-            self._postgresql.set_pending_restart(True)
+        # If we are using custom bootstrap with PITR it could fail when values like max_connections
+        # are increased, therefore we disable hot_standby if recovery_target_action == 'promote'.
+        if self._postgresql.bootstrap.running_custom_bootstrap:
+            disable_hot_standby = False
+            if self._postgresql.bootstrap.keep_existing_recovery_conf:
+                disable_hot_standby = True  # trust that pgBackRest does the right thing
+            # `pause_at_recovery_target` has no effect if hot_standby is not enabled, therefore we consider only 9.5+
+            elif self._postgresql.major_version >= 90500 and self._recovery_params:
+                pause_at_recovery_target = parse_bool(self._recovery_params.get('pause_at_recovery_target'))
+                recovery_target_action = self._recovery_params.get(
+                    'recovery_target_action', 'promote' if pause_at_recovery_target is False else 'pause')
+                disable_hot_standby = recovery_target_action == 'promote'
+
+            if disable_hot_standby:
+                effective_configuration['hot_standby'] = 'off'
+                self._postgresql.set_pending_restart(True)
 
         return effective_configuration
 
diff --git a/tests/test_postgresql.py b/tests/test_postgresql.py
index 40411208..20777a80 100644
--- a/tests/test_postgresql.py
+++ b/tests/test_postgresql.py
@@ -675,14 +675,20 @@ class TestPostgresql(BaseTestPostgresql):
 
     @patch.object(Postgresql, 'get_postgres_role_from_data_directory', Mock(return_value='replica'))
     @patch.object(Bootstrap, 'running_custom_bootstrap', PropertyMock(return_value=True))
-    @patch.object(Bootstrap, 'keep_existing_recovery_conf', PropertyMock(return_value=True))
-    def test__build_effective_configuration(self):
-        with patch.object(Postgresql, 'controldata',
-                          Mock(return_value={'max_connections setting': '200',
-                                             'max_worker_processes setting': '20',
-                                             'max_locks_per_xact setting': '100',
-                                             'max_wal_senders setting': 10})):
-            self.p.cancellable.cancel()
+    @patch.object(Postgresql, 'controldata', Mock(return_value={'max_connections setting': '200',
+                                                                'max_worker_processes setting': '20',
+                                                                'max_locks_per_xact setting': '100',
+                                                                'max_wal_senders setting': 10}))
+    @patch('patroni.postgresql.config.logger.warning')
+    def test_effective_configuration(self, mock_logger):
+        self.p.cancellable.cancel()
+        self.p.config.write_recovery_conf({'pause_at_recovery_target': 'false'})
+        self.assertFalse(self.p.start())
+        mock_logger.assert_called_once()
+        self.assertTrue('is missing from pg_controldata output' in mock_logger.call_args[0][0])
+
+        self.assertTrue(self.p.pending_restart)
+        with patch.object(Bootstrap, 'keep_existing_recovery_conf', PropertyMock(return_value=True)):
             self.assertFalse(self.p.start())
             self.assertTrue(self.p.pending_restart)