diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchAll.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchAll.java
index baffff7..bcd86d7 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchAll.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchAll.java
@@ -29,7 +29,11 @@
   private final ReplicationStateListener stateLog;
 
   public interface Factory {
-    FetchAll create(String urlMatch, ReplicationFilter filter, ReplicationState state, boolean now);
+    FetchAll create(
+        String urlMatch,
+        ReplicationFilter filter,
+        ReplicationState state,
+        ReplicationType replicationType);
   }
 
   private final WorkQueue workQueue;
@@ -37,7 +41,7 @@
   private final String urlMatch;
   private final ReplicationFilter filter;
   private final ReplicationState state;
-  private final boolean now;
+  private final ReplicationType replicationType;
   private final SourcesCollection sources;
 
   @Inject
@@ -49,7 +53,7 @@
       @Assisted @Nullable String urlMatch,
       @Assisted ReplicationFilter filter,
       @Assisted ReplicationState state,
-      @Assisted boolean now) {
+      @Assisted ReplicationType replicationType) {
     this.workQueue = wq;
     this.projectCache = projectCache;
     this.stateLog = stateLog;
@@ -57,7 +61,7 @@
     this.urlMatch = urlMatch;
     this.filter = filter;
     this.state = state;
-    this.now = now;
+    this.replicationType = replicationType;
   }
 
   Future<?> schedule(long delay, TimeUnit unit) {
@@ -69,7 +73,7 @@
     try {
       for (Project.NameKey nameKey : projectCache.all()) {
         if (filter.matches(nameKey)) {
-          scheduleFullSync(nameKey, urlMatch, state, now);
+          scheduleFullSync(nameKey, urlMatch, state, replicationType);
         }
       }
     } catch (Exception e) {
@@ -79,12 +83,15 @@
   }
 
   private void scheduleFullSync(
-      Project.NameKey project, String urlMatch, ReplicationState state, boolean now) {
+      Project.NameKey project,
+      String urlMatch,
+      ReplicationState state,
+      ReplicationType replicationType) {
 
     for (Source cfg : sources.getAll()) {
       if (cfg.wouldFetchProject(project)) {
         for (URIish uri : cfg.getURIs(project, urlMatch)) {
-          cfg.schedule(project, FetchOne.ALL_REFS, uri, state, now);
+          cfg.schedule(project, FetchOne.ALL_REFS, uri, state, replicationType);
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/OnStartStop.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/OnStartStop.java
index d8c4a8d..5cf8bb6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/OnStartStop.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/OnStartStop.java
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull;
 
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.ASYNC;
+
 import com.google.common.util.concurrent.Atomics;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.LifecycleListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.registration.DynamicItem;
@@ -65,7 +67,7 @@
               new FetchResultProcessing.GitUpdateProcessing(eventDispatcher.get()));
       fetchAllFuture.set(
           fetchAll
-              .create(null, ReplicationFilter.all(), state, false)
+              .create(null, ReplicationFilter.all(), state, ASYNC)
               .schedule(30, TimeUnit.SECONDS));
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationType.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationType.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..308a90b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationType.java
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2021 The Android Open Source Project
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+// http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull;
+
+public enum ReplicationType {
+  SYNC,
+  ASYNC
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/Source.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/Source.java
index 0d4c57d..3847426 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/Source.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/Source.java
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.ReplicationFileBasedConfig.replaceName;
 import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.FetchResultProcessing.resolveNodeName;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.SYNC;
 
 import com.google.common.base.Throwables;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
@@ -383,13 +384,20 @@
   }
 
   public Future<?> schedule(
-      Project.NameKey project, String ref, ReplicationState state, boolean now) {
+      Project.NameKey project,
+      String ref,
+      ReplicationState state,
+      ReplicationType replicationType) {
     URIish uri = getURI(project);
-    return schedule(project, ref, uri, state, now);
+    return schedule(project, ref, uri, state, replicationType);
   }
 
   public Future<?> schedule(
-      Project.NameKey project, String ref, URIish uri, ReplicationState state, boolean now) {
+      Project.NameKey project,
+      String ref,
+      URIish uri,
+      ReplicationState state,
+      ReplicationType replicationType) {
 
     repLog.info("scheduling replication {}:{} => {}", uri, ref, project);
     if (!shouldReplicate(project, ref, state)) {
@@ -429,7 +437,7 @@
         addRef(e, ref);
         e.addState(ref, state);
         pending.put(uri, e);
-        f = pool.schedule(e, now ? 0 : config.getDelay(), TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+        f = pool.schedule(e, isSyncCall(replicationType) ? 0 : config.getDelay(), TimeUnit.SECONDS);
       } else if (!e.getRefs().contains(ref)) {
         addRef(e, ref);
         e.addState(ref, state);
@@ -452,6 +460,10 @@
     postReplicationScheduledEvent(e, ref);
   }
 
+  private boolean isSyncCall(ReplicationType replicationType) {
+    return SYNC.equals(replicationType);
+  }
+
   /**
    * It schedules again a FetchOp instance.
    *
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/SourceConfiguration.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/SourceConfiguration.java
index e50461d..8046d49 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/SourceConfiguration.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/SourceConfiguration.java
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.RemoteConfig;
 
 public class SourceConfiguration implements RemoteConfiguration {
-  static final int DEFAULT_REPLICATION_DELAY = 0;
+  static final int DEFAULT_REPLICATION_DELAY = 4;
   static final int DEFAULT_RESCHEDULE_DELAY = 3;
   static final int DEFAULT_SLOW_LATENCY_THRESHOLD_SECS = 900;
   static final int DEFAULT_MAX_CONNECTION_INACTIVITY_MS = 10000;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/StartFetchCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/StartFetchCommand.java
index 6ababe9..97f8e9e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/StartFetchCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/StartFetchCommand.java
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull;
 
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.ASYNC;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.SYNC;
+
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.annotations.RequiresCapability;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.registration.DynamicItem;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.EventDispatcher;
@@ -77,7 +80,10 @@
       projectFilter = new ReplicationFilter(projectPatterns);
     }
 
-    future = fetchFactory.create(urlMatch, projectFilter, state, now).schedule(0, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
+    future =
+        fetchFactory
+            .create(urlMatch, projectFilter, state, replicationType(now))
+            .schedule(0, TimeUnit.SECONDS);
 
     if (wait) {
       if (future != null) {
@@ -105,6 +111,10 @@
     }
   }
 
+  private ReplicationType replicationType(Boolean now) {
+    return now ? SYNC : ASYNC;
+  }
+
   @Override
   public void writeStdOutSync(String message) {
     if (wait) {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchAction.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchAction.java
index 6970299..92cc180 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchAction.java
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@
   private Response<?> applySync(Project.NameKey project, Input input)
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
           TimeoutException {
-    command.fetch(project, input.label, input.refName);
+    command.fetchSync(project, input.label, input.refName);
     return Response.created(input);
   }
 
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@
     @Override
     public void run() {
       try {
-        command.fetch(project, input.label, input.refName);
+        command.fetchAsync(project, input.label, input.refName);
       } catch (InterruptedException
           | ExecutionException
           | RemoteConfigurationMissingException
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommand.java
index 1088d9b..e1ac9ac 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommand.java
@@ -14,6 +14,9 @@
 
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api;
 
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.ASYNC;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.SYNC;
+
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.registration.DynamicItem;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.EventDispatcher;
@@ -22,6 +25,7 @@
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.FetchResultProcessing;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.PullReplicationStateLogger;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationState;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.Source;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.SourcesCollection;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.exception.RemoteConfigurationMissingException;
@@ -50,7 +54,19 @@
     this.eventDispatcher = eventDispatcher;
   }
 
-  public void fetch(Project.NameKey name, String label, String refName)
+  public void fetchAsync(Project.NameKey name, String label, String refName)
+      throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
+          TimeoutException {
+    fetch(name, label, refName, ASYNC);
+  }
+
+  public void fetchSync(Project.NameKey name, String label, String refName)
+      throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
+          TimeoutException {
+    fetch(name, label, refName, SYNC);
+  }
+
+  private void fetch(Project.NameKey name, String label, String refName, ReplicationType fetchType)
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
           TimeoutException {
     ReplicationState state =
@@ -66,7 +82,7 @@
 
     try {
       state.markAllFetchTasksScheduled();
-      Future<?> future = source.get().schedule(name, refName, state, true);
+      Future<?> future = source.get().schedule(name, refName, state, fetchType);
       future.get(source.get().getTimeout(), TimeUnit.SECONDS);
     } catch (ExecutionException
         | IllegalStateException
diff --git a/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md b/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md
index affd094..126cd1b 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md
+++ b/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md
@@ -292,13 +292,14 @@
 	Defaults to 0 seconds, wait indefinitely.
 
 remote.NAME.replicationDelay
-:	Time to wait before scheduling a remote fetch operation. Setting
-	the delay to 0 effectively disables the delay, causing the fetch
-	to start as soon as possible.
+:	Time to wait before scheduling an asynchronous remote fetch
+	operation. Setting the delay to 0 effectively disables the delay,
+	causing the fetch to start as soon as possible.
 
 	This is a Gerrit specific extension to the Git remote block.
 
-	By default, 0 seconds.
+	By default for asynchronous fetch, 4 seconds. For a synchronous fetch
+	replicationDelay is zero.
 
 remote.NAME.rescheduleDelay
 :	Delay when rescheduling a fetch operation due to an in-flight fetch
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchActionTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchActionTest.java
index 2c888c8..fb7f3d1 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchActionTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchActionTest.java
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@
     inputParams.label = label;
     inputParams.refName = refName;
 
-    doThrow(new InterruptedException()).when(fetchCommand).fetch(any(), any(), any());
+    doThrow(new InterruptedException()).when(fetchCommand).fetchSync(any(), any(), any());
 
     fetchAction.apply(projectResource, inputParams);
   }
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@
 
     doThrow(new RemoteConfigurationMissingException(""))
         .when(fetchCommand)
-        .fetch(any(), any(), any());
+        .fetchSync(any(), any(), any());
 
     fetchAction.apply(projectResource, inputParams);
   }
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@
 
     doThrow(new ExecutionException(new RuntimeException()))
         .when(fetchCommand)
-        .fetch(any(), any(), any());
+        .fetchSync(any(), any(), any());
 
     fetchAction.apply(projectResource, inputParams);
   }
@@ -190,7 +190,7 @@
     inputParams.label = label;
     inputParams.refName = refName;
 
-    doThrow(new IllegalStateException()).when(fetchCommand).fetch(any(), any(), any());
+    doThrow(new IllegalStateException()).when(fetchCommand).fetchSync(any(), any(), any());
 
     fetchAction.apply(projectResource, inputParams);
   }
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@
     inputParams.label = label;
     inputParams.refName = refName;
 
-    doThrow(new TimeoutException()).when(fetchCommand).fetch(any(), any(), any());
+    doThrow(new TimeoutException()).when(fetchCommand).fetchSync(any(), any(), any());
 
     fetchAction.apply(projectResource, inputParams);
   }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommandTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommandTest.java
index 4cdad48..e1ad565 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommandTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/FetchCommandTest.java
@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api;
 
 import static com.google.gerrit.testing.GerritJUnit.assertThrows;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.ASYNC;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.ReplicationType.SYNC;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.any;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyLong;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyString;
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@
     when(fetchReplicationStateFactory.create(any())).thenReturn(state);
     when(source.getRemoteConfigName()).thenReturn(label);
     when(sources.getAll()).thenReturn(Lists.newArrayList(source));
-    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, true))
+    when(source.schedule(eq(projectName), eq(REF_NAME_TO_FETCH), eq(state), any()))
         .thenReturn(CompletableFuture.completedFuture(null));
     objectUnderTest =
         new FetchCommand(fetchReplicationStateFactory, fetchStateLog, sources, eventDispatcher);
@@ -84,18 +86,27 @@
   public void shouldScheduleRefFetch()
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
           TimeoutException {
-    objectUnderTest.fetch(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH);
+    objectUnderTest.fetchSync(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH);
 
-    verify(source, times(1)).schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, true);
+    verify(source, times(1)).schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, SYNC);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldScheduleRefFetchWithDelay()
+      throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
+          TimeoutException {
+    objectUnderTest.fetchAsync(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH);
+
+    verify(source, times(1)).schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, ASYNC);
   }
 
   @Test
   public void shouldMarkAllFetchTasksScheduled()
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, RemoteConfigurationMissingException,
           TimeoutException {
-    objectUnderTest.fetch(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH);
+    objectUnderTest.fetchSync(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH);
 
-    verify(source, times(1)).schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, true);
+    verify(source, times(1)).schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, SYNC);
     verify(state, times(1)).markAllFetchTasksScheduled();
   }
 
@@ -103,7 +114,7 @@
   public void shouldUpdateStateWhenRemoteConfigNameIsMissing() {
     assertThrows(
         RemoteConfigurationMissingException.class,
-        () -> objectUnderTest.fetch(projectName, "unknownLabel", REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
+        () -> objectUnderTest.fetchSync(projectName, "unknownLabel", REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
     verify(fetchStateLog, times(1)).error(anyString(), eq(state));
   }
 
@@ -112,12 +123,12 @@
   public void shouldUpdateStateWhenInterruptedException()
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException {
     when(future.get(anyLong(), eq(TimeUnit.SECONDS))).thenThrow(new InterruptedException());
-    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, true)).thenReturn(future);
+    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, SYNC)).thenReturn(future);
 
     InterruptedException e =
         assertThrows(
             InterruptedException.class,
-            () -> objectUnderTest.fetch(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
+            () -> objectUnderTest.fetchSync(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
     verify(fetchStateLog, times(1)).error(anyString(), eq(e), eq(state));
   }
 
@@ -127,12 +138,12 @@
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException {
     when(future.get(anyLong(), eq(TimeUnit.SECONDS)))
         .thenThrow(new ExecutionException(new Exception()));
-    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, true)).thenReturn(future);
+    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, SYNC)).thenReturn(future);
 
     ExecutionException e =
         assertThrows(
             ExecutionException.class,
-            () -> objectUnderTest.fetch(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
+            () -> objectUnderTest.fetchSync(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
     verify(fetchStateLog, times(1)).error(anyString(), eq(e), eq(state));
   }
 
@@ -141,12 +152,12 @@
   public void shouldUpdateStateWhenTimeoutException()
       throws InterruptedException, ExecutionException, TimeoutException {
     when(future.get(anyLong(), eq(TimeUnit.SECONDS))).thenThrow(new TimeoutException());
-    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, true)).thenReturn(future);
+    when(source.schedule(projectName, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH, state, SYNC)).thenReturn(future);
 
     TimeoutException e =
         assertThrows(
             TimeoutException.class,
-            () -> objectUnderTest.fetch(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
+            () -> objectUnderTest.fetchSync(projectName, label, REF_NAME_TO_FETCH));
     verify(fetchStateLog, times(1)).error(anyString(), eq(e), eq(state));
   }
 }