diff --git a/BUILD b/BUILD
index e1f435d..f6a6e48 100644
--- a/BUILD
+++ b/BUILD
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
         "Implementation-URL: https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/#/admin/projects/plugins/pull-replication",
         "Gerrit-PluginName: pull-replication",
         "Gerrit-Module: com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.PullReplicationModule",
+        "Gerrit-InitStep: com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.InitPlugin",
         "Gerrit-SshModule: com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.SshModule",
         "Gerrit-HttpModule: com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.HttpModule",
     ],
diff --git a/example-setup/Dockerfile b/example-setup/broker/Dockerfile
similarity index 61%
rename from example-setup/Dockerfile
rename to example-setup/broker/Dockerfile
index 350aec0..acc34b9 100644
--- a/example-setup/Dockerfile
+++ b/example-setup/broker/Dockerfile
@@ -1,18 +1,17 @@
-FROM gerritcodereview/gerrit:3.7.0-almalinux8
+FROM gerritcodereview/gerrit:3.7.2-almalinux8
 
 USER root
 
 RUN yum install -y gettext
 
-ARG JAVA_OPTS='--add-opens java.base/java.net=ALL-UNNAMED --add-opens java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED'
-
-RUN  java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init --batch --install-all-plugins -d /var/gerrit && \
-    java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war reindex -d /var/gerrit
-
 RUN git config -f /var/gerrit/etc/secure.config --add auth.bearerToken "theSecretBearerToken"
 
 COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit pull-replication.jar /var/gerrit/plugins/pull-replication.jar
 COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit pull-replication.jar /var/gerrit/lib/pull-replication.jar
+
+COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit events-kafka.jar /var/gerrit/plugins/events-kafka.jar
+COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit libevents-broker.jar /var/gerrit/lib/libevents-broker.jar
+
 COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit entrypoint.sh /tmp/
 COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit configs/replication.config.template /var/gerrit/etc/
 COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit configs/gerrit.config.template /var/gerrit/etc/
diff --git a/example-setup/broker/README.md b/example-setup/broker/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d50e097
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example-setup/broker/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+# What is this for?
+
+This docker compose sets up primary and replica nodes using pull-replication to
+replicate with notifications over a broker. In this case our broker
+implementation is Kafka.
+
+Copy the pull-replication, events-kafka, and events-broker artefacts to test
+into this directory:
+
+```bash
+cp $GERRIT_HOME/bazel-bin/plugins/pull-replication/pull-replication.jar .
+cp $GERRIT_HOME/bazel-bin/plugins/events-kafka/events-kafka.jar .
+cp $GERRIT_HOME/bazel-bin/plugins/events-broker/libevents-broker.jar .
+```
+
+Start up the application using docker compose:
+
+```bash
+docker-compose up
+```
diff --git a/example-setup/broker/configs/gerrit.config.template b/example-setup/broker/configs/gerrit.config.template
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..de65519
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example-setup/broker/configs/gerrit.config.template
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+[gerrit]
+    basePath = git
+    serverId = 69ec38f0-350e-4d9c-96d4-bc956f2faaac
+    canonicalWebUrl = http://localhost:8080
+    installModule = com.gerritforge.gerrit.eventbroker.BrokerApiModule
+    instanceId = $INSTANCE_ID
+[container]
+    javaOptions = "-Dflogger.backend_factory=com.google.common.flogger.backend.log4j.Log4jBackendFactory#getInstance"
+    javaOptions = "-Dflogger.logging_context=com.google.gerrit.server.logging.LoggingContext#getInstance"
+    javaOptions = "-agentlib:jdwp=transport=dt_socket,server=y,suspend=n,address=*:$DEBUG_PORT"
+    replica = $REPLICA
+[index]
+    type = LUCENE
+[auth]
+    type = DEVELOPMENT_BECOME_ANY_ACCOUNT
+[receive]
+    enableSignedPush = false
+[sendemail]
+    smtpServer = localhost
+[sshd]
+    listenAddress = *:29418
+    advertisedAddress = *:29418
+[httpd]
+    listenUrl = http://*:8080/
+    requestLog = true
+[cache]
+    directory = cache
+[plugins]
+    allowRemoteAdmin = true
+[plugin "events-kafka"]
+    sendAsync = true
+    bootstrapServers = $BROKER_HOST:$BROKER_PORT
+    groupId = $INSTANCE_ID
+    numberOfSubscribers = 6
+    securityProtocol = PLAINTEXT
+    pollingIntervalMs = 1000
+    enableAutoCommit = true
+    autoCommitIntervalMs = 1000
+    autoOffsetReset = latest
+    sendStreamEvents = true
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example-setup/configs/replication.config.template b/example-setup/broker/configs/replication.config.template
similarity index 77%
copy from example-setup/configs/replication.config.template
copy to example-setup/broker/configs/replication.config.template
index 7e81055..d464586 100644
--- a/example-setup/configs/replication.config.template
+++ b/example-setup/broker/configs/replication.config.template
@@ -1,17 +1,17 @@
 [gerrit]
     autoReload = true
-    replicateOnStartup = false
+    replicateOnStartup = $REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP
 [replication]
     excludeRefs = ^refs/users/\\d\\d/\\d+/edit-\\d+/\\d+$
     lockErrorMaxRetries = 5
     maxRetries = 100
     useCGitClient = false
     consumeStreamEvents = false
-    syncRefs="ALL REFS ASYNC"
-    maxApiPayloadSize=40000
+    eventBrokerTopic = gerrit
+    syncRefs = "ALL REFS ASYNC"
+    maxApiPayloadSize = 40000
 [remote "$REMOTE"]
     url = http://$REMOTE_URL:8080/#{name}#.git
-    apiUrl = http://$REMOTE_URL:8080
     fetch = +refs/*:refs/*
     mirror = true
     timeout = 60 # In seconds
@@ -22,4 +22,4 @@
     createMissingRepositories = true
     replicateProjectDeletions = true
     replicateHiddenProjects = true
-    tagopt= --no-tags
\ No newline at end of file
+    tagopt = --no-tags
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example-setup/broker/docker-compose.yaml b/example-setup/broker/docker-compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..705aea6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/example-setup/broker/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+version: '3'
+services:
+  gerrit1:
+    build: .
+    environment:
+      - INSTANCE_ID=primary
+      - REPLICA=false
+      - REMOTE=replica-1
+      - REMOTE_URL=gerrit2
+      - DEBUG_PORT=5005
+      - BROKER_HOST=broker
+      - BROKER_PORT=9092
+      - REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP=false
+    ports:
+      - "8080:8080"
+      - "29418:29418"
+      - "5005:5005"
+    depends_on:
+      - broker
+  gerrit2:
+    build: .
+    environment:
+      - INSTANCE_ID=replica-1
+      - REPLICA=true
+      - REMOTE=primary
+      - REMOTE_URL=gerrit1
+      - DEBUG_PORT=5006
+      - BROKER_HOST=broker
+      - BROKER_PORT=9092
+      - REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP=true
+    ports:
+      - "8081:8080"
+      - "29419:29418"
+      - "5006:5006"
+    depends_on:
+      - broker
+      - gerrit1
+
+  zookeeper:
+    image: confluentinc/cp-zookeeper:7.3.0
+    container_name: zookeeper
+    environment:
+      ZOOKEEPER_CLIENT_PORT: 2181
+      ZOOKEEPER_TICK_TIME: 2000
+
+  broker:
+    image: confluentinc/cp-kafka:7.3.0
+    container_name: broker
+    ports:
+      - "9092:9092"
+    depends_on:
+      - zookeeper
+    environment:
+      KAFKA_BROKER_ID: 1
+      KAFKA_ZOOKEEPER_CONNECT: 'zookeeper:2181'
+      KAFKA_LISTENER_SECURITY_PROTOCOL_MAP: PLAINTEXT:PLAINTEXT,PLAINTEXT_INTERNAL:PLAINTEXT
+      KAFKA_ADVERTISED_LISTENERS: PLAINTEXT://broker:9092,PLAINTEXT_INTERNAL://broker:29092
+      KAFKA_OFFSETS_TOPIC_REPLICATION_FACTOR: 1
+      KAFKA_TRANSACTION_STATE_LOG_MIN_ISR: 1
+      KAFKA_TRANSACTION_STATE_LOG_REPLICATION_FACTOR: 1
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example-setup/entrypoint.sh b/example-setup/broker/entrypoint.sh
similarity index 64%
rename from example-setup/entrypoint.sh
rename to example-setup/broker/entrypoint.sh
index 412c487..1d958e4 100755
--- a/example-setup/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/example-setup/broker/entrypoint.sh
@@ -13,8 +13,16 @@
   cat /var/gerrit/etc/gerrit.config.template | envsubst > /var/gerrit/etc/gerrit.config
 }
 
+ARG JAVA_OPTS='--add-opens java.base/java.net=ALL-UNNAMED --add-opens java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED'
+
+echo "Init phase ..."
+java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init --batch --install-all-plugins -d /var/gerrit
+
 setup_replication_config
 setup_gerrit_config
 
+echo "Reindexing phase ..."
+java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war reindex -d /var/gerrit
+
 echo "Running Gerrit ..."
 exec /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.sh run
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/example-setup/Dockerfile b/example-setup/http/Dockerfile
similarity index 61%
copy from example-setup/Dockerfile
copy to example-setup/http/Dockerfile
index 350aec0..3a68b59 100644
--- a/example-setup/Dockerfile
+++ b/example-setup/http/Dockerfile
@@ -1,14 +1,9 @@
-FROM gerritcodereview/gerrit:3.7.0-almalinux8
+FROM gerritcodereview/gerrit:3.7.2-almalinux8
 
 USER root
 
 RUN yum install -y gettext
 
-ARG JAVA_OPTS='--add-opens java.base/java.net=ALL-UNNAMED --add-opens java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED'
-
-RUN  java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init --batch --install-all-plugins -d /var/gerrit && \
-    java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war reindex -d /var/gerrit
-
 RUN git config -f /var/gerrit/etc/secure.config --add auth.bearerToken "theSecretBearerToken"
 
 COPY --chown=gerrit:gerrit pull-replication.jar /var/gerrit/plugins/pull-replication.jar
diff --git a/example-setup/README.md b/example-setup/http/README.md
similarity index 100%
rename from example-setup/README.md
rename to example-setup/http/README.md
diff --git a/example-setup/configs/gerrit.config.template b/example-setup/http/configs/gerrit.config.template
similarity index 100%
rename from example-setup/configs/gerrit.config.template
rename to example-setup/http/configs/gerrit.config.template
diff --git a/example-setup/configs/replication.config.template b/example-setup/http/configs/replication.config.template
similarity index 93%
rename from example-setup/configs/replication.config.template
rename to example-setup/http/configs/replication.config.template
index 7e81055..6768146 100644
--- a/example-setup/configs/replication.config.template
+++ b/example-setup/http/configs/replication.config.template
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 [gerrit]
     autoReload = true
-    replicateOnStartup = false
+    replicateOnStartup = $REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP
 [replication]
     excludeRefs = ^refs/users/\\d\\d/\\d+/edit-\\d+/\\d+$
     lockErrorMaxRetries = 5
diff --git a/example-setup/docker-compose.yaml b/example-setup/http/docker-compose.yaml
similarity index 88%
rename from example-setup/docker-compose.yaml
rename to example-setup/http/docker-compose.yaml
index af90341..ccb6b86 100644
--- a/example-setup/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/example-setup/http/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
       - REMOTE=replica-1
       - REMOTE_URL=gerrit2
       - DEBUG_PORT=5005
+      - REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP=false
     ports:
       - "8080:8080"
       - "29418:29418"
@@ -20,6 +21,7 @@
       - REMOTE=primary
       - REMOTE_URL=gerrit1
       - DEBUG_PORT=5006
+      - REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP=true
     ports:
       - "8081:8080"
       - "29419:29418"
diff --git a/example-setup/entrypoint.sh b/example-setup/http/entrypoint.sh
similarity index 64%
copy from example-setup/entrypoint.sh
copy to example-setup/http/entrypoint.sh
index 412c487..1d958e4 100755
--- a/example-setup/entrypoint.sh
+++ b/example-setup/http/entrypoint.sh
@@ -13,8 +13,16 @@
   cat /var/gerrit/etc/gerrit.config.template | envsubst > /var/gerrit/etc/gerrit.config
 }
 
+ARG JAVA_OPTS='--add-opens java.base/java.net=ALL-UNNAMED --add-opens java.base/java.lang.invoke=ALL-UNNAMED'
+
+echo "Init phase ..."
+java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war init --batch --install-all-plugins -d /var/gerrit
+
 setup_replication_config
 setup_gerrit_config
 
+echo "Reindexing phase ..."
+java $JAVA_OPTS -jar /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.war reindex -d /var/gerrit
+
 echo "Running Gerrit ..."
 exec /var/gerrit/bin/gerrit.sh run
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/external_plugin_deps.bzl b/external_plugin_deps.bzl
index f1f162e..3bf728d 100644
--- a/external_plugin_deps.bzl
+++ b/external_plugin_deps.bzl
@@ -3,6 +3,6 @@
 def external_plugin_deps():
     maven_jar(
         name = "events-broker",
-        artifact = "com.gerritforge:events-broker:3.4.0.4",
-        sha1 = "8d361d863382290e33828116e65698190118d0f1",
+        artifact = "com.gerritforge:events-broker:3.6.0-rc3",
+        sha1 = "cb398afa4f76367be5c62b99a7ffce74ae1d3d8b",
     )
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ApplyObjectMetrics.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ApplyObjectMetrics.java
index 78745bb..d41dd8f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ApplyObjectMetrics.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ApplyObjectMetrics.java
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
 package com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull;
 
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.annotations.PluginName;
+import com.google.gerrit.metrics.Counter0;
 import com.google.gerrit.metrics.Description;
 import com.google.gerrit.metrics.Field;
 import com.google.gerrit.metrics.MetricMaker;
@@ -28,6 +29,8 @@
   private final Timer1<String> executionTime;
   private final Timer1<String> end2EndTime;
 
+  private final Counter0 maxApiPayloadSizeReachedCounter;
+
   @Inject
   ApplyObjectMetrics(@PluginName String pluginName, MetricMaker metricMaker) {
     Field<String> field =
@@ -53,6 +56,13 @@
                 .setCumulative()
                 .setUnit(Description.Units.MILLISECONDS),
             field);
+    maxApiPayloadSizeReachedCounter =
+        metricMaker.newCounter(
+            "apply_object_max_api_payload_reached",
+            new Description(
+                    "Number of apply object operation with payload larger than maxApiPayloadSize")
+                .setRate()
+                .setUnit("errors"));
   }
 
   /**
@@ -74,4 +84,9 @@
   public Timer1.Context<String> startEnd2End(String name) {
     return end2EndTime.start(name);
   }
+
+  /** Increment metric when ref size is larger than maxApiPayloadSize. */
+  public void incrementMaxPayloadSizeReached() {
+    maxApiPayloadSizeReachedCounter.increment();
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchOne.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchOne.java
index eb543a0..43db907 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchOne.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchOne.java
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.Fetch;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.FetchFactory;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.PermanentTransportException;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.RefUpdateState;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Collection;
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@
   private final int maxLockRetries;
   private int lockRetryCount;
   private final int id;
+  private String taskIdHex;
   private final long createdAt;
   private final FetchReplicationMetrics metrics;
   private final AtomicBoolean canceledWhileRunning;
@@ -119,6 +121,7 @@
     lockRetryCount = 0;
     maxLockRetries = pool.getLockErrorMaxRetries();
     id = ig.next();
+    taskIdHex = HexFormat.fromInt(id);
     stateLog = sl;
     createdAt = System.nanoTime();
     metrics = m;
@@ -158,7 +161,7 @@
 
   @Override
   public String toString() {
-    String print = "[" + HexFormat.fromInt(id) + "] fetch " + uri;
+    String print = "[" + taskIdHex + "] fetch " + uri;
 
     if (retryCount > 0) {
       print = "(retry " + retryCount + ") " + print;
@@ -288,13 +291,19 @@
     if (!pool.requestRunway(this)) {
       if (!canceled) {
         repLog.info(
-            "Rescheduling replication to {} to avoid collision with an in-flight fetch.", uri);
+            "Rescheduling [{}] replication to {} to avoid collision with an in-flight fetch.",
+            taskIdHex,
+            uri);
         pool.reschedule(this, Source.RetryReason.COLLISION);
       }
       return;
     }
 
-    repLog.info("Replication from {} started...", uri);
+    repLog.info(
+        "Replication [{}] from {} started for refs [{}] ...",
+        taskIdHex,
+        uri,
+        String.join(",", getRefs()));
     Timer1.Context<String> context = metrics.start(config.getName());
     try {
       long startedAt = context.getStartTime();
@@ -308,7 +317,8 @@
               .flatMap(metrics -> metrics.stop(config.getName()))
               .map(NANOSECONDS::toMillis);
       repLog.info(
-          "Replication from {} completed in {}ms, {}ms delay, {} retries{}",
+          "Replication [{}] from {} completed in {}ms, {}ms delay, {} retries{}",
+          taskIdHex,
           uri,
           elapsed,
           delay,
@@ -324,15 +334,19 @@
       // does not exist.  In this case NoRemoteRepositoryException is not
       // raised.
       String msg = e.getMessage();
-      repLog.error("Cannot replicate {}; Remote repository error: {}", projectName, msg);
+      repLog.error(
+          "Cannot replicate [{}] {}; Remote repository error: {}", taskIdHex, projectName, msg);
     } catch (NotSupportedException e) {
       stateLog.error("Cannot replicate from " + uri, e, getStatesAsArray());
+    } catch (PermanentTransportException e) {
+      repLog.error(
+          String.format("Terminal failure. Cannot replicate [%s] from %s", taskIdHex, uri), e);
     } catch (TransportException e) {
       if (e instanceof LockFailureException) {
         lockRetryCount++;
         // The LockFailureException message contains both URI and reason
         // for this failure.
-        repLog.error("Cannot replicate from {}: {}", uri, e.getMessage());
+        repLog.error("Cannot replicate [{}] from {}: {}", taskIdHex, uri, e.getMessage());
 
         // The remote fetch operation should be retried.
         if (lockRetryCount <= maxLockRetries) {
@@ -343,16 +357,17 @@
           }
         } else {
           repLog.error(
-              "Giving up after {} occurrences of this error: {} during replication from {}",
+              "Giving up after {} occurrences of this error: {} during replication from [{}] {}",
               lockRetryCount,
               e.getMessage(),
+              taskIdHex,
               uri);
         }
       } else {
         if (canceledWhileRunning.get()) {
           logCanceledWhileRunningException(e);
         } else {
-          repLog.error("Cannot replicate from {}", uri, e);
+          repLog.error("Cannot replicate [{}] from {}", taskIdHex, uri, e);
           // The remote fetch operation should be retried.
           pool.reschedule(this, Source.RetryReason.TRANSPORT_ERROR);
         }
@@ -370,7 +385,7 @@
   }
 
   private void logCanceledWhileRunningException(TransportException e) {
-    repLog.info("Cannot replicate from {}. It was canceled while running", uri, e);
+    repLog.info("Cannot replicate [{}] from {}. It was canceled while running", taskIdHex, uri, e);
   }
 
   private void runImpl() throws IOException {
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/InitPlugin.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/InitPlugin.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5539451
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/InitPlugin.java
@@ -0,0 +1,102 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2023 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;
+
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.auth.PullReplicationGroupBackend.INTERNAL_GROUP_NAME;
+import static com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.auth.PullReplicationGroupBackend.INTERNAL_GROUP_UUID;
+
+import com.google.gerrit.common.data.GlobalCapability;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.GroupReference;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.annotations.PluginName;
+import com.google.gerrit.pgm.init.api.AllProjectsConfig;
+import com.google.gerrit.pgm.init.api.ConsoleUI;
+import com.google.gerrit.pgm.init.api.InitStep;
+import com.google.inject.Inject;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Arrays;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+import org.apache.commons.lang3.ArrayUtils;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.ConfigInvalidException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Config;
+
+public class InitPlugin implements InitStep {
+
+  private final String pluginName;
+  private final BearerTokenProvider bearerTokenProvider;
+  private final ConsoleUI ui;
+  private final AllProjectsConfig allProjectsConfig;
+
+  private static final String CAPABILITY_SECTION = "capability";
+
+  @Inject
+  InitPlugin(
+      @PluginName String pluginName,
+      BearerTokenProvider bearerTokenProvider,
+      ConsoleUI ui,
+      AllProjectsConfig allProjectsConfig) {
+    this.pluginName = pluginName;
+    this.bearerTokenProvider = bearerTokenProvider;
+    this.ui = ui;
+    this.allProjectsConfig = allProjectsConfig;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public void run() {}
+
+  @Override
+  public void postRun() throws Exception {
+    ui.header("%s initialization", pluginName);
+
+    if (!bearerTokenProvider.get().isPresent()) {
+      ui.message(
+          "The %s plugin is not configured to use bearer token. If you are using basic auth, remember to grant the '%s' global capability to all relevant users\n",
+          pluginName, GlobalCapability.ACCESS_DATABASE);
+      return;
+    }
+
+    ui.message(
+        "Granting '%s' global capability to the '%s' user\n",
+        GlobalCapability.ACCESS_DATABASE, INTERNAL_GROUP_NAME);
+
+    upsertCapability();
+
+    ui.message(
+        "'%s' global capability granted to user '%s'\n",
+        GlobalCapability.ACCESS_DATABASE, INTERNAL_GROUP_NAME);
+  }
+
+  private void upsertCapability() throws ConfigInvalidException, IOException {
+    String pullReplicationGroup = "group " + INTERNAL_GROUP_NAME;
+
+    Config cfg = allProjectsConfig.load().getConfig();
+    String[] groupsWithAccessDatabase =
+        cfg.getStringList(CAPABILITY_SECTION, null, GlobalCapability.ACCESS_DATABASE);
+
+    if (Arrays.stream(groupsWithAccessDatabase).noneMatch(pullReplicationGroup::equals)) {
+      cfg.setStringList(
+          CAPABILITY_SECTION,
+          null,
+          GlobalCapability.ACCESS_DATABASE,
+          Arrays.stream(ArrayUtils.add(groupsWithAccessDatabase, pullReplicationGroup))
+              .collect(Collectors.toList()));
+
+      allProjectsConfig
+          .getGroups()
+          .put(
+              INTERNAL_GROUP_UUID, GroupReference.create(INTERNAL_GROUP_UUID, INTERNAL_GROUP_NAME));
+
+      allProjectsConfig.save(pluginName, "Init step");
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationModule.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationModule.java
index cd19be4..08a402e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationModule.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationModule.java
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
 import com.google.common.eventbus.EventBus;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.annotations.Exports;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.config.CapabilityDefinition;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.HeadUpdatedListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.LifecycleListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.ProjectDeletedListener;
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@
         .annotatedWith(UniqueAnnotations.create())
         .to(ReplicationQueue.class);
 
-    DynamicSet.bind(binder(), GitReferenceUpdatedListener.class).to(ReplicationQueue.class);
+    DynamicSet.bind(binder(), GitBatchRefUpdateListener.class).to(ReplicationQueue.class);
 
     bind(ConfigParser.class).to(SourceConfigParser.class).in(Scopes.SINGLETON);
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueue.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueue.java
index f5b27ee..990c82c 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueue.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueue.java
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project.NameKey;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.HeadUpdatedListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.LifecycleListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.ProjectDeletedListener;
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@
 public class ReplicationQueue
     implements ObservableQueue,
         LifecycleListener,
-        GitReferenceUpdatedListener,
+        GitBatchRefUpdateListener,
         ProjectDeletedListener,
         HeadUpdatedListener {
 
@@ -147,17 +147,24 @@
   }
 
   @Override
-  public void onGitReferenceUpdated(GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event) {
-    if (isRefToBeReplicated(event.getRefName())) {
-      repLog.info(
-          "Ref event received: {} on project {}:{} - {} => {}",
-          refUpdateType(event),
-          event.getProjectName(),
-          event.getRefName(),
-          event.getOldObjectId(),
-          event.getNewObjectId());
-      fire(ReferenceUpdatedEvent.from(event));
-    }
+  public void onGitBatchRefUpdate(GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event) {
+    event.getUpdatedRefs().stream()
+        .sorted(ReplicationQueue::sortByMetaRefAsLast)
+        .forEachOrdered(
+            updateRef -> {
+              String refName = updateRef.getRefName();
+
+              if (isRefToBeReplicated(refName)) {
+                repLog.info(
+                    "Ref event received: {} on project {}:{} - {} => {}",
+                    refUpdateType(updateRef),
+                    event.getProjectName(),
+                    refName,
+                    updateRef.getOldObjectId(),
+                    updateRef.getNewObjectId());
+                fire(ReferenceUpdatedEvent.from(event.getProjectName(), updateRef));
+              }
+            });
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -170,11 +177,17 @@
                 source.getApis().forEach(apiUrl -> source.scheduleDeleteProject(apiUrl, project)));
   }
 
-  private static String refUpdateType(GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event) {
-    String forcedPrefix = event.isNonFastForward() ? "FORCED " : " ";
-    if (event.isCreate()) {
+  private static int sortByMetaRefAsLast(UpdatedRef a, @SuppressWarnings("unused") UpdatedRef b) {
+    repLog.info("sortByMetaRefAsLast(" + a.getRefName() + " <=> " + b.getRefName());
+    return Boolean.compare(
+        RefNames.isNoteDbMetaRef(a.getRefName()), RefNames.isNoteDbMetaRef(b.getRefName()));
+  }
+
+  private static String refUpdateType(UpdatedRef updateRef) {
+    String forcedPrefix = updateRef.isNonFastForward() ? "FORCED " : " ";
+    if (updateRef.isCreate()) {
       return forcedPrefix + "CREATE";
-    } else if (event.isDelete()) {
+    } else if (updateRef.isDelete()) {
       return forcedPrefix + "DELETE";
     } else {
       return forcedPrefix + "UPDATE";
@@ -518,12 +531,12 @@
           projectName, refName, objectId, isDelete);
     }
 
-    static ReferenceUpdatedEvent from(GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event) {
+    static ReferenceUpdatedEvent from(String projectName, UpdatedRef updateRef) {
       return ReferenceUpdatedEvent.create(
-          event.getProjectName(),
-          event.getRefName(),
-          ObjectId.fromString(event.getNewObjectId()),
-          event.isDelete());
+          projectName,
+          updateRef.getRefName(),
+          ObjectId.fromString(updateRef.getNewObjectId()),
+          updateRef.isDelete());
     }
 
     public abstract String projectName();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/RevisionReader.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/RevisionReader.java
index db46b23..cd6a0ea 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/RevisionReader.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/RevisionReader.java
@@ -55,9 +55,13 @@
   private GitRepositoryManager gitRepositoryManager;
   private Long maxRefSize;
   private final int maxDepth;
+  private ApplyObjectMetrics metrics;
 
   @Inject
-  public RevisionReader(GitRepositoryManager gitRepositoryManager, ReplicationConfig cfg) {
+  public RevisionReader(
+      GitRepositoryManager gitRepositoryManager,
+      ReplicationConfig cfg,
+      ApplyObjectMetrics metrics) {
     this.gitRepositoryManager = gitRepositoryManager;
     this.maxRefSize =
         cfg.getConfig()
@@ -65,6 +69,7 @@
     this.maxDepth =
         cfg.getConfig()
             .getInt("replication", CONFIG_MAX_API_HISTORY_DEPTH, DEFAULT_MAX_API_HISTORY_DEPTH);
+    this.metrics = metrics;
   }
 
   public Optional<RevisionData> read(
@@ -146,6 +151,7 @@
 
       return Optional.of(new RevisionData(parentObjectIds, commitRev, treeRev, blobs));
     } catch (LargeObjectException e) {
+      metrics.incrementMaxPayloadSizeReached();
       repLog.trace(
           "Ref {} size for project {} is greater than configured '{}'",
           refName,
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 3170eb5..3d9f5c3 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
@@ -623,6 +623,10 @@
     return configSettingsAllowReplication(project);
   }
 
+  public boolean wouldCreateProject(Project.NameKey project) {
+    return configSettingsAllowReplication(project);
+  }
+
   private boolean configSettingsAllowReplication(Project.NameKey project) {
     // by default fetch all projects
     List<String> projects = config.getProjects();
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommand.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommand.java
index fd62910..e49c8b6 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommand.java
@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.server.git.GitRepositoryManager;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackend;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackendException;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.RefPermission;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.project.ProjectCache;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.project.ProjectState;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
@@ -40,6 +39,7 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.Optional;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.RefUpdate;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.URIish;
@@ -79,6 +79,12 @@
         throw new ResourceNotFoundException(String.format("Project %s was not found", name));
       }
 
+      Optional<Ref> ref = getRef(name, refName);
+      if (!ref.isPresent()) {
+        logger.atFine().log("Ref %s was not found in project %s", refName, name);
+        return;
+      }
+
       Source source =
           sourcesCollection
               .getByRemoteName(sourceLabel)
@@ -89,15 +95,9 @@
       URIish sourceUri = source.getURI(name);
 
       try {
-        projectState.get().checkStatePermitsWrite();
-        permissionBackend
-            .currentUser()
-            .project(projectState.get().getNameKey())
-            .ref(refName)
-            .check(RefPermission.DELETE);
 
         Context.setLocalEvent(true);
-        deleteRef(name, refName);
+        deleteRef(name, ref.get());
 
         eventDispatcher
             .get()
@@ -141,17 +141,24 @@
     }
   }
 
-  private RefUpdateState deleteRef(Project.NameKey name, String refName) throws IOException {
+  private Optional<Ref> getRef(Project.NameKey repo, String refName) throws IOException {
+    try (Repository repository = gitManager.openRepository(repo)) {
+      Ref ref = repository.exactRef(refName);
+      return Optional.ofNullable(ref);
+    }
+  }
 
+  private RefUpdateState deleteRef(Project.NameKey name, Ref ref) throws IOException {
     try (Repository repository = gitManager.openRepository(name)) {
+
       RefUpdate.Result result;
-      RefUpdate u = repository.updateRef(refName);
-      u.setExpectedOldObjectId(repository.exactRef(refName).getObjectId());
+      RefUpdate u = repository.updateRef(ref.getName());
+      u.setExpectedOldObjectId(ref.getObjectId());
       u.setNewObjectId(ObjectId.zeroId());
       u.setForceUpdate(true);
 
       result = u.delete();
-      return new RefUpdateState(refName, result);
+      return new RefUpdateState(ref.getName(), result);
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationAction.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationAction.java
index 2214fb3..8711379 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationAction.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationAction.java
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.Url;
+import com.google.gerrit.index.project.ProjectIndexer;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.CurrentUser;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.GlobalPermission;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackend;
@@ -49,15 +50,18 @@
   private final GerritConfigOps gerritConfigOps;
   private final Provider<CurrentUser> userProvider;
   private final PermissionBackend permissionBackend;
+  private final ProjectIndexer projectIndexer;
 
   @Inject
   ProjectInitializationAction(
       GerritConfigOps gerritConfigOps,
       Provider<CurrentUser> userProvider,
-      PermissionBackend permissionBackend) {
+      PermissionBackend permissionBackend,
+      ProjectIndexer projectIndexer) {
     this.gerritConfigOps = gerritConfigOps;
     this.userProvider = userProvider;
     this.permissionBackend = permissionBackend;
+    this.projectIndexer = projectIndexer;
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -106,6 +110,10 @@
     }
     LocalFS localFS = new LocalFS(maybeUri.get());
     Project.NameKey projectNameKey = Project.NameKey.parse(projectName);
-    return localFS.createProject(projectNameKey, RefNames.HEAD);
+    if (localFS.createProject(projectNameKey, RefNames.HEAD)) {
+      projectIndexer.index(projectNameKey);
+      return true;
+    }
+    return false;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/auth/PullReplicationGroupBackend.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/auth/PullReplicationGroupBackend.java
index 7bcf3d2..ffd3c1f 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/auth/PullReplicationGroupBackend.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/auth/PullReplicationGroupBackend.java
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 
 /** Backend to expose the pull-replication internal user group membership. */
 @Singleton
-class PullReplicationGroupBackend extends AbstractGroupBackend {
+public class PullReplicationGroupBackend extends AbstractGroupBackend {
   public static final AccountGroup.UUID INTERNAL_GROUP_UUID =
       AccountGroup.uuid("pullreplication:internal-user");
   public static final String INTERNAL_GROUP_NAME = "Pull-replication Internal User";
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListener.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListener.java
index c1ffa44..2ea8a33 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListener.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListener.java
@@ -22,45 +22,62 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project.NameKey;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.config.GerritInstanceId;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.Event;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.EventListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.ProjectCreatedEvent;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.events.ProjectEvent;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.RefUpdatedEvent;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.git.WorkQueue;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackendException;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.Provider;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.FetchOne;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.Source;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.SourcesCollection;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.DeleteRefCommand;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.FetchAction;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.FetchJob;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.FetchJob.Factory;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.ProjectInitializationAction;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.filter.ExcludedRefsFilter;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.util.Optional;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 
 public class StreamEventListener implements EventListener {
   private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
+  private static final String ZERO_ID_NAME = ObjectId.zeroId().name();
 
-  private String instanceId;
-  private WorkQueue workQueue;
-  private ProjectInitializationAction projectInitializationAction;
-
-  private Factory fetchJobFactory;
+  private final DeleteRefCommand deleteCommand;
+  private final ExcludedRefsFilter refsFilter;
+  private final Factory fetchJobFactory;
+  private final ProjectInitializationAction projectInitializationAction;
   private final Provider<PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics> metricsProvider;
+  private final SourcesCollection sources;
+  private final String instanceId;
+  private final WorkQueue workQueue;
 
   @Inject
   public StreamEventListener(
       @Nullable @GerritInstanceId String instanceId,
+      DeleteRefCommand deleteCommand,
       ProjectInitializationAction projectInitializationAction,
       WorkQueue workQueue,
       FetchJob.Factory fetchJobFactory,
-      Provider<PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics> metricsProvider) {
+      Provider<PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics> metricsProvider,
+      SourcesCollection sources,
+      ExcludedRefsFilter excludedRefsFilter) {
     this.instanceId = instanceId;
+    this.deleteCommand = deleteCommand;
     this.projectInitializationAction = projectInitializationAction;
     this.workQueue = workQueue;
     this.fetchJobFactory = fetchJobFactory;
     this.metricsProvider = metricsProvider;
+    this.sources = sources;
+    this.refsFilter = excludedRefsFilter;
 
     requireNonNull(
         Strings.emptyToNull(this.instanceId), "gerrit.instanceId cannot be null or empty");
@@ -79,40 +96,101 @@
   }
 
   public void fetchRefsForEvent(Event event) throws AuthException, PermissionBackendException {
-    if (!instanceId.equals(event.instanceId)) {
-      PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics metrics = metricsProvider.get();
-      metrics.start(event);
-      if (event instanceof RefUpdatedEvent) {
-        RefUpdatedEvent refUpdatedEvent = (RefUpdatedEvent) event;
-        if (!isProjectDelete(refUpdatedEvent)) {
-          fetchRefsAsync(
-              refUpdatedEvent.getRefName(),
-              refUpdatedEvent.instanceId,
-              refUpdatedEvent.getProjectNameKey(),
-              metrics);
-        }
+    if (instanceId.equals(event.instanceId) || !shouldReplicateProject(event)) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics metrics = metricsProvider.get();
+    metrics.start(event);
+    if (event instanceof RefUpdatedEvent) {
+      RefUpdatedEvent refUpdatedEvent = (RefUpdatedEvent) event;
+      if (!isRefToBeReplicated(refUpdatedEvent.getRefName())) {
+        logger.atFine().log(
+            "Skipping excluded ref '%s' for project '%s'",
+            refUpdatedEvent.getRefName(), refUpdatedEvent.getProjectNameKey());
+        return;
       }
-      if (event instanceof ProjectCreatedEvent) {
-        ProjectCreatedEvent projectCreatedEvent = (ProjectCreatedEvent) event;
-        try {
-          projectInitializationAction.initProject(getProjectRepositoryName(projectCreatedEvent));
-          fetchRefsAsync(
-              FetchOne.ALL_REFS,
-              projectCreatedEvent.instanceId,
-              projectCreatedEvent.getProjectNameKey(),
-              metrics);
-        } catch (AuthException | PermissionBackendException e) {
-          logger.atSevere().withCause(e).log(
-              "Cannot initialise project:%s", projectCreatedEvent.projectName);
-          throw e;
-        }
+
+      if (isProjectDelete(refUpdatedEvent)) {
+        return;
+      }
+
+      if (isRefDelete(refUpdatedEvent)) {
+        deleteRef(refUpdatedEvent);
+        return;
+      }
+
+      fetchRefsAsync(
+          refUpdatedEvent.getRefName(),
+          refUpdatedEvent.instanceId,
+          refUpdatedEvent.getProjectNameKey(),
+          metrics);
+    } else if (event instanceof ProjectCreatedEvent) {
+      ProjectCreatedEvent projectCreatedEvent = (ProjectCreatedEvent) event;
+      try {
+        projectInitializationAction.initProject(getProjectRepositoryName(projectCreatedEvent));
+        fetchRefsAsync(
+            FetchOne.ALL_REFS,
+            projectCreatedEvent.instanceId,
+            projectCreatedEvent.getProjectNameKey(),
+            metrics);
+      } catch (AuthException | PermissionBackendException e) {
+        logger.atSevere().withCause(e).log(
+            "Cannot initialise project:%s", projectCreatedEvent.projectName);
+        throw e;
       }
     }
   }
 
+  private void deleteRef(RefUpdatedEvent refUpdatedEvent) {
+    try {
+      deleteCommand.deleteRef(
+          refUpdatedEvent.getProjectNameKey(),
+          refUpdatedEvent.getRefName(),
+          refUpdatedEvent.instanceId);
+    } catch (IOException | RestApiException e) {
+      logger.atSevere().withCause(e).log(
+          "Cannot delete ref %s project:%s",
+          refUpdatedEvent.getRefName(), refUpdatedEvent.getProjectNameKey());
+    }
+  }
+
+  private boolean isRefToBeReplicated(String refName) {
+    return !refsFilter.match(refName);
+  }
+
+  private boolean shouldReplicateProject(Event event) {
+    if (!(event instanceof ProjectEvent)) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    Optional<Source> maybeSource =
+        sources.getAll().stream()
+            .filter(s -> s.getRemoteConfigName().equals(event.instanceId))
+            .findFirst();
+
+    if (!maybeSource.isPresent()) {
+      return false;
+    }
+
+    Source source = maybeSource.get();
+    if (event instanceof ProjectCreatedEvent) {
+      ProjectCreatedEvent projectCreatedEvent = (ProjectCreatedEvent) event;
+
+      return source.isCreateMissingRepositories()
+          && source.wouldCreateProject(projectCreatedEvent.getProjectNameKey());
+    }
+
+    ProjectEvent projectEvent = (ProjectEvent) event;
+    return source.wouldFetchProject(projectEvent.getProjectNameKey());
+  }
+
+  private boolean isRefDelete(RefUpdatedEvent event) {
+    return ZERO_ID_NAME.equals(event.refUpdate.get().newRev);
+  }
+
   private boolean isProjectDelete(RefUpdatedEvent event) {
-    return RefNames.isConfigRef(event.getRefName())
-        && ObjectId.zeroId().equals(ObjectId.fromString(event.refUpdate.get().newRev));
+    return RefNames.isConfigRef(event.getRefName()) && isRefDelete(event);
   }
 
   protected void fetchRefsAsync(
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/JGitFetch.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/JGitFetch.java
index 89972cf..74ad9fc 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/JGitFetch.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/JGitFetch.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.stream.Collectors;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.TransportException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.NullProgressMonitor;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.*;
@@ -51,6 +52,13 @@
 
   private FetchResult fetchVia(Transport tn, List<RefSpec> fetchRefSpecs) throws IOException {
     repLog.info("Fetch references {} from {}", fetchRefSpecs, uri);
-    return tn.fetch(NullProgressMonitor.INSTANCE, fetchRefSpecs);
+    try {
+      return tn.fetch(NullProgressMonitor.INSTANCE, fetchRefSpecs);
+    } catch (TransportException e) {
+      if (PermanentTransportException.isPermanentFailure(e)) {
+        throw new PermanentTransportException("Terminal fetch failure", e);
+      }
+      throw e;
+    }
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/PermanentTransportException.java b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/PermanentTransportException.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9aebb31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/fetch/PermanentTransportException.java
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2023 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.fetch;
+
+import org.apache.sshd.common.SshException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.TransportException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.internal.JGitText;
+
+public class PermanentTransportException extends TransportException {
+  private static final long serialVersionUID = 1L;
+
+  public PermanentTransportException(String msg, Throwable cause) {
+    super(msg, cause);
+  }
+
+  public static boolean isPermanentFailure(TransportException e) {
+    Throwable cause = e.getCause();
+    String message = e.getMessage();
+    return (cause instanceof SshException
+            && cause.getMessage().startsWith("Failed (UnsupportedCredentialItem) to execute:"))
+        || message.matches(JGitText.get().remoteDoesNotHaveSpec.replaceAll("\\{0\\}", ".+"));
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md b/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md
index 51b10d8..b76585e 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md
+++ b/src/main/resources/Documentation/config.md
@@ -119,6 +119,18 @@
 
 	By default, fetches are retried indefinitely.
 
+	Note that only transient errors will be retried, whilst persistent errors will
+	cause a terminal failure, and the fetch will not be scheduled again. This is
+	only supported for JGit, not cGit. Currently, only the following failures are
+	considered permanent:
+
+	- UnknownHostKey: thrown by Jsch when establishing an SSH connection for an
+	unknown host.
+	- Jgit transport exception when the remote ref does not exist. The assumption
+	here is that the remote ref does not exist so it is not worth retrying. If the
+	exception arisen as a consequence of some ACLs (mis)configuration, then after
+	fixing the ACLs, an explicit replication must be manually triggered.
+
 replication.instanceLabel
 :	Remote configuration name of the current server.
 	This label is passed as a part of the payload to notify other
@@ -380,6 +392,9 @@
 
 	By default, use replication.maxRetries.
 
+	Note that not all fetch failures are retriable. Please refer
+	to `replication.maxRetries` for more information on this.
+
 remote.NAME.threads
 :	Number of worker threads to dedicate to fetching to the
 	repositories described by this remote.  Each thread can fetch
@@ -558,6 +573,14 @@
 remote.NAME.password
 :	Password to use for HTTP authentication on this remote.
 
+In both cases, the Global Capability `Access Database` [1] needs to be allowed
+in order to permit all `All-Users`' refs to be replicated. When _basic auth_ is
+used, the capability must be assigned to the `remote.NAME.username` used in
+configuration, whilst for _bearer token_, it needs to be assigned to
+the `Pull-replication Internal User` user.
+
+[1] https://gerrit-review.googlesource.com/Documentation/access-control.html#capability_accessDatabase
+
 File `~/.ssh/config`
 --------------------
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/CGitFetchIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/CGitFetchIT.java
index 406cd8c..3f40848 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/CGitFetchIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/CGitFetchIT.java
@@ -22,18 +22,12 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
 import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
-import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
-import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.LightweightPluginDaemonTest;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.PushOneCommit.Result;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.SkipProjectClone;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.TestPlugin;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.UseLocalDisk;
-import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.ProjectOperations;
-import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.projects.BranchInput;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.config.FactoryModule;
-import com.google.gerrit.server.config.SitePaths;
-import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.google.inject.Scopes;
 import com.google.inject.assistedinject.FactoryModuleBuilder;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.AutoReloadSecureCredentialsFactoryDecorator;
@@ -46,12 +40,8 @@
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.FetchClientImplementation;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.FetchFactory;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.RefUpdateState;
-import java.io.IOException;
 import java.net.URISyntaxException;
-import java.nio.file.Path;
-import java.time.Duration;
 import java.util.List;
-import java.util.function.Supplier;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.TransportException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Config;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
@@ -68,27 +58,8 @@
 @TestPlugin(
     name = "pull-replication",
     sysModule = "com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.CGitFetchIT$TestModule")
-public class CGitFetchIT extends LightweightPluginDaemonTest {
+public class CGitFetchIT extends FetchITBase {
   private static final String TEST_REPLICATION_SUFFIX = "suffix1";
-  private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
-
-  private static final int TEST_REPLICATION_DELAY = 60;
-  private static final Duration TEST_TIMEOUT = Duration.ofSeconds(TEST_REPLICATION_DELAY * 2);
-
-  @Inject private SitePaths sitePaths;
-  @Inject private ProjectOperations projectOperations;
-  private FetchFactory fetchFactory;
-  private Path gitPath;
-  private Path testRepoPath;
-
-  @Override
-  public void setUpTestPlugin() throws Exception {
-    gitPath = sitePaths.site_path.resolve("git");
-    testRepoPath = gitPath.resolve(project + TEST_REPLICATION_SUFFIX + ".git");
-
-    super.setUpTestPlugin();
-    fetchFactory = plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(FetchFactory.class);
-  }
 
   @Test
   public void shouldFetchRef() throws Exception {
@@ -245,27 +216,6 @@
     }
   }
 
-  private void waitUntil(Supplier<Boolean> waitCondition) throws InterruptedException {
-    WaitUtil.waitUntil(waitCondition, TEST_TIMEOUT);
-  }
-
-  private Ref getRef(Repository repo, String branchName) throws IOException {
-    return repo.getRefDatabase().exactRef(branchName);
-  }
-
-  private Ref checkedGetRef(Repository repo, String branchName) {
-    try {
-      return repo.getRefDatabase().exactRef(branchName);
-    } catch (Exception e) {
-      logger.atSevere().withCause(e).log("failed to get ref %s in repo %s", branchName, repo);
-      return null;
-    }
-  }
-
-  private Project.NameKey createTestProject(String name) throws Exception {
-    return projectOperations.newProject().name(name).create();
-  }
-
   @SuppressWarnings("unused")
   private static class TestModule extends FactoryModule {
     @Override
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent.java
index 43331dc..69549aa 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent.java
@@ -17,10 +17,13 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.changes.NotifyHandling;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.AccountInfo;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener.UpdatedRef;
+import java.util.Set;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.ReceiveCommand;
 
-public class FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent implements GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event {
+public class FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent implements GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event {
   private final String projectName;
   private final String ref;
   private final String oldObjectId;
@@ -46,36 +49,6 @@
   }
 
   @Override
-  public String getRefName() {
-    return ref;
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  public String getOldObjectId() {
-    return oldObjectId;
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  public String getNewObjectId() {
-    return newObjectId;
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  public boolean isCreate() {
-    return type == ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE;
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  public boolean isDelete() {
-    return type == ReceiveCommand.Type.DELETE;
-  }
-
-  @Override
-  public boolean isNonFastForward() {
-    return type == ReceiveCommand.Type.UPDATE_NONFASTFORWARD;
-  }
-
-  @Override
   public AccountInfo getUpdater() {
     return null;
   }
@@ -91,4 +64,46 @@
   public NotifyHandling getNotify() {
     return NotifyHandling.ALL;
   }
+
+  @Override
+  public Set<UpdatedRef> getUpdatedRefs() {
+    return Set.of(
+        new GitBatchRefUpdateListener.UpdatedRef() {
+
+          @Override
+          public String getRefName() {
+            return ref;
+          }
+
+          @Override
+          public String getOldObjectId() {
+            return ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
+          }
+
+          @Override
+          public String getNewObjectId() {
+            return newObjectId;
+          }
+
+          @Override
+          public boolean isCreate() {
+            return type == ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE;
+          }
+
+          @Override
+          public boolean isDelete() {
+            return type == ReceiveCommand.Type.DELETE;
+          }
+
+          @Override
+          public boolean isNonFastForward() {
+            return type == ReceiveCommand.Type.UPDATE_NONFASTFORWARD;
+          }
+        });
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public Set<String> getRefNames() {
+    return Set.of(ref);
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchITBase.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchITBase.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2a11717
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/FetchITBase.java
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2023 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;
+
+import com.google.common.flogger.FluentLogger;
+import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.LightweightPluginDaemonTest;
+import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.ProjectOperations;
+import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
+import com.google.gerrit.server.config.SitePaths;
+import com.google.inject.Inject;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.FetchFactory;
+import java.io.IOException;
+import java.nio.file.Path;
+import java.time.Duration;
+import java.util.function.Supplier;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Ref;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
+
+public abstract class FetchITBase extends LightweightPluginDaemonTest {
+  private static final String TEST_REPLICATION_SUFFIX = "suffix1";
+  private static final FluentLogger logger = FluentLogger.forEnclosingClass();
+
+  private static final int TEST_REPLICATION_DELAY = 60;
+  private static final Duration TEST_TIMEOUT = Duration.ofSeconds(TEST_REPLICATION_DELAY * 2);
+
+  @Inject private SitePaths sitePaths;
+  @Inject private ProjectOperations projectOperations;
+  FetchFactory fetchFactory;
+  private Path gitPath;
+  Path testRepoPath;
+
+  @Override
+  public void setUpTestPlugin() throws Exception {
+    gitPath = sitePaths.site_path.resolve("git");
+    testRepoPath = gitPath.resolve(project + TEST_REPLICATION_SUFFIX + ".git");
+
+    super.setUpTestPlugin();
+    fetchFactory = plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(FetchFactory.class);
+  }
+
+  void waitUntil(Supplier<Boolean> waitCondition) throws InterruptedException {
+    WaitUtil.waitUntil(waitCondition, TEST_TIMEOUT);
+  }
+
+  Ref getRef(Repository repo, String branchName) throws IOException {
+    return repo.getRefDatabase().exactRef(branchName);
+  }
+
+  Ref checkedGetRef(Repository repo, String branchName) {
+    try {
+      return repo.getRefDatabase().exactRef(branchName);
+    } catch (Exception e) {
+      logger.atSevere().withCause(e).log("failed to get ref %s in repo %s", branchName, repo);
+      return null;
+    }
+  }
+
+  Project.NameKey createTestProject(String name) throws Exception {
+    return projectOperations.newProject().name(name).create();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/JGitFetchIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/JGitFetchIT.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ec695a6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/JGitFetchIT.java
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2023 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;
+
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
+import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.SkipProjectClone;
+import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.TestPlugin;
+import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.UseLocalDisk;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.config.FactoryModule;
+import com.google.inject.Scopes;
+import com.google.inject.assistedinject.FactoryModuleBuilder;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.AutoReloadSecureCredentialsFactoryDecorator;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.CredentialsFactory;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.ReplicationConfig;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.ReplicationFileBasedConfig;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.Fetch;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.FetchClientImplementation;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.FetchFactory;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.JGitFetch;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.PermanentTransportException;
+import java.net.URISyntaxException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Config;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.Repository;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.RefSpec;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.RemoteConfig;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.transport.URIish;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+@SkipProjectClone
+@UseLocalDisk
+@TestPlugin(
+    name = "pull-replication",
+    sysModule = "com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.JGitFetchIT$TestModule")
+public class JGitFetchIT extends FetchITBase {
+  private static final String TEST_REPLICATION_SUFFIX = "suffix1";
+
+  @Test(expected = PermanentTransportException.class)
+  public void shouldThrowPermanentTransportExceptionWhenRefDoesNotExists() throws Exception {
+
+    testRepo = cloneProject(createTestProject(project + TEST_REPLICATION_SUFFIX));
+    String nonExistingRef = "refs/changes/02/20000/1:refs/changes/02/20000/1";
+    try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
+      Fetch objectUnderTest = fetchFactory.create(new URIish(testRepoPath.toString()), repo);
+      objectUnderTest.fetch(Lists.newArrayList(new RefSpec(nonExistingRef)));
+    }
+  }
+
+  @SuppressWarnings("unused")
+  private static class TestModule extends FactoryModule {
+    @Override
+    protected void configure() {
+      Config cf = new Config();
+      cf.setInt("remote", "test_config", "timeout", 0);
+      try {
+        RemoteConfig remoteConfig = new RemoteConfig(cf, "test_config");
+        SourceConfiguration sourceConfig = new SourceConfiguration(remoteConfig, cf);
+        bind(ReplicationConfig.class).to(ReplicationFileBasedConfig.class);
+        bind(CredentialsFactory.class)
+            .to(AutoReloadSecureCredentialsFactoryDecorator.class)
+            .in(Scopes.SINGLETON);
+
+        bind(SourceConfiguration.class).toInstance(sourceConfig);
+        install(
+            new FactoryModuleBuilder()
+                .implement(Fetch.class, JGitFetch.class)
+                .implement(Fetch.class, FetchClientImplementation.class, JGitFetch.class)
+                .build(FetchFactory.class));
+      } catch (URISyntaxException e) {
+        throw new RuntimeException(e);
+      }
+    }
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PermanentFailureExceptionTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PermanentFailureExceptionTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b44e92b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PermanentFailureExceptionTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,44 @@
+// Copyright (C) 2023 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;
+
+import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
+
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.fetch.PermanentTransportException;
+import org.apache.sshd.common.SshException;
+import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.TransportException;
+import org.junit.Test;
+
+public class PermanentFailureExceptionTest {
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldConsiderSchUnknownHostAsPermanent() {
+    assertThat(
+            PermanentTransportException.isPermanentFailure(
+                new TransportException(
+                    "SSH error",
+                    new SshException(
+                        "Failed (UnsupportedCredentialItem) to execute: some.commands"))))
+        .isTrue();
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldConsiderNotExistingRefsAsPermanent() {
+    assertThat(
+            PermanentTransportException.isPermanentFailure(
+                new TransportException("Remote does not have refs/heads/foo available for fetch.")))
+        .isTrue();
+  }
+}
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationFanoutConfigIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationFanoutConfigIT.java
index ee5876f..ff8265f 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationFanoutConfigIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationFanoutConfigIT.java
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.testsuite.project.ProjectOperations;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.projects.BranchInput;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.config.SitePaths;
 import com.google.inject.Inject;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.AutoReloadConfigDecorator;
@@ -105,14 +105,14 @@
     String sourceRef = pushResult.getPatchSet().refName();
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue = getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             sourceRef,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             sourceCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, sourceRef) != null);
@@ -141,14 +141,14 @@
     RevCommit sourceCommit = pushResult.getCommit();
     final String sourceRef = pushResult.getPatchSet().refName();
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue = getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             sourceRef,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             sourceCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, sourceRef) != null);
@@ -174,14 +174,14 @@
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue =
         plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             newBranch,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             branchRevision,
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project);
         Repository sourceRepo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationIT.java
index 86b22b2..6fd5cb3 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationIT.java
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.changes.NotifyHandling;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.projects.BranchInput;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.HeadUpdatedListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.ProjectDeletedListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
@@ -91,14 +91,14 @@
     String sourceRef = pushResult.getPatchSet().refName();
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue = getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             sourceRef,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             sourceCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, sourceRef) != null);
@@ -124,14 +124,14 @@
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue =
         plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             newBranch,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             branchRevision,
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project);
         Repository sourceRepo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
@@ -167,14 +167,14 @@
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue =
         plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             newBranch,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             branchRevision,
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, newBranch) != null);
@@ -193,14 +193,14 @@
     assertThat(pushedRefs).hasSize(1);
     assertThat(pushedRefs.iterator().next().getStatus()).isEqualTo(Status.OK);
 
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event forcedPushEvent =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event forcedPushEvent =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             newBranch,
             branchRevision,
             amendedCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.UPDATE_NONFASTFORWARD);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(forcedPushEvent);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(forcedPushEvent);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project);
         Repository sourceRepo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
@@ -232,14 +232,14 @@
     String sourceRef = pushResult.getPatchSet().refName();
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue = getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             sourceRef,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             sourceCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, sourceRef) != null);
@@ -273,14 +273,14 @@
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue =
         plugin.getSysInjector().getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             newBranch,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             branchRevision,
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project);
         Repository sourceRepo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
@@ -364,14 +364,14 @@
     String sourceRef = pushResult.getPatchSet().refName();
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue = getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             sourceRef,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             sourceCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, sourceRef) != null);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationWithGitHttpTransportProtocolIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationWithGitHttpTransportProtocolIT.java
index d8e5947..2d1f51f 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationWithGitHttpTransportProtocolIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/PullReplicationWithGitHttpTransportProtocolIT.java
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.TestPlugin;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.UseLocalDisk;
 import com.google.gerrit.acceptance.config.GerritConfig;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
 import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Optional;
@@ -82,14 +82,14 @@
     String sourceRef = pushResult.getPatchSet().refName();
 
     ReplicationQueue pullReplicationQueue = getInstance(ReplicationQueue.class);
-    GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event event =
+    GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event event =
         new FakeGitReferenceUpdatedEvent(
             project,
             sourceRef,
             ObjectId.zeroId().getName(),
             sourceCommit.getId().getName(),
             ReceiveCommand.Type.CREATE);
-    pullReplicationQueue.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    pullReplicationQueue.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     try (Repository repo = repoManager.openRepository(project)) {
       waitUntil(() -> checkedGetRef(repo, sourceRef) != null);
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueueTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueueTest.java
index 927aec2..e7de264 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueueTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/ReplicationQueueTest.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyInt;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyString;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.eq;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.inOrder;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.lenient;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.times;
@@ -33,8 +34,8 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.api.changes.NotifyHandling;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.common.AccountInfo;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener;
-import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.GitBatchRefUpdateListener.UpdatedRef;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.events.ProjectDeletedListener;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.registration.DynamicItem;
 import com.google.gerrit.metrics.DisabledMetricMaker;
@@ -54,6 +55,8 @@
 import java.util.Arrays;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Optional;
+import java.util.Set;
+import java.util.stream.Collectors;
 import org.apache.http.client.ClientProtocolException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.errors.LargeObjectException;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
@@ -64,6 +67,7 @@
 import org.junit.runner.RunWith;
 import org.mockito.ArgumentCaptor;
 import org.mockito.Captor;
+import org.mockito.InOrder;
 import org.mockito.Mock;
 import org.mockito.junit.MockitoJUnitRunner;
 
@@ -161,57 +165,84 @@
 
   @Test
   public void shouldCallSendObjectWhenMetaRef() throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
     objectUnderTest.start();
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient).callSendObjects(any(), anyString(), any(), any());
   }
 
   @Test
   public void shouldCallInitProjectWhenProjectIsMissing() throws IOException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
     when(httpResult.isSuccessful()).thenReturn(false);
     when(httpResult.isProjectMissing(any())).thenReturn(true);
     when(source.isCreateMissingRepositories()).thenReturn(true);
 
     objectUnderTest.start();
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient).initProject(any(), any());
   }
 
   @Test
   public void shouldNotCallInitProjectWhenReplicateNewRepositoriesNotSet() throws IOException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
     when(httpResult.isSuccessful()).thenReturn(false);
     when(httpResult.isProjectMissing(any())).thenReturn(true);
     when(source.isCreateMissingRepositories()).thenReturn(false);
 
     objectUnderTest.start();
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient, never()).initProject(any(), any());
   }
 
   @Test
   public void shouldCallSendObjectWhenPatchSetRef() throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/1");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/1");
     objectUnderTest.start();
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient).callSendObjects(any(), anyString(), any(), any());
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void shouldCallSendObjectReorderingRefsHavingMetaAtTheEnd()
+      throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
+    sendRefUpdatedEvents("refs/changes/01/1/meta", "refs/changes/01/1/1");
+    verifySendObjectOrdering("refs/changes/01/1/1", "refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldCallSendObjectKeepingMetaAtTheEnd()
+      throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
+    sendRefUpdatedEvents("refs/changes/01/1/1", "refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+    verifySendObjectOrdering("refs/changes/01/1/1", "refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+  }
+
+  private void sendRefUpdatedEvents(String firstRef, String secondRef) {
+    objectUnderTest.start();
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(new TestEvent(firstRef, secondRef));
+  }
+
+  private void verifySendObjectOrdering(String firstRef, String secondRef)
+      throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
+    InOrder inOrder = inOrder(fetchRestApiClient);
+
+    inOrder.verify(fetchRestApiClient).callSendObjects(any(), eq(firstRef), any(), any());
+    inOrder.verify(fetchRestApiClient).callSendObjects(any(), eq(secondRef), any(), any());
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void shouldFallbackToCallFetchWhenIOException()
       throws ClientProtocolException, IOException, LargeObjectException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
     objectUnderTest.start();
 
     when(revReader.read(any(), any(), anyString(), anyInt())).thenThrow(IOException.class);
 
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient).callFetch(any(), anyString(), any());
   }
@@ -219,12 +250,12 @@
   @Test
   public void shouldFallbackToCallFetchWhenLargeRef()
       throws ClientProtocolException, IOException, LargeObjectException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/1");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/1");
     objectUnderTest.start();
 
     when(revReader.read(any(), any(), anyString(), anyInt())).thenReturn(Optional.empty());
 
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient).callFetch(any(), anyString(), any());
   }
@@ -232,7 +263,7 @@
   @Test
   public void shouldFallbackToCallFetchWhenParentObjectIsMissing()
       throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/1");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/1");
     objectUnderTest.start();
 
     when(httpResult.isSuccessful()).thenReturn(false);
@@ -240,7 +271,7 @@
     when(fetchRestApiClient.callSendObjects(any(), anyString(), any(), any()))
         .thenReturn(httpResult);
 
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient).callFetch(any(), anyString(), any());
   }
@@ -248,7 +279,7 @@
   @Test
   public void shouldFallbackToApplyAllParentObjectsWhenParentObjectIsMissingOnMetaRef()
       throws ClientProtocolException, IOException {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/changes/01/1/meta");
     objectUnderTest.start();
 
     when(httpResult.isSuccessful()).thenReturn(false, true);
@@ -256,7 +287,7 @@
     when(fetchRestApiClient.callSendObjects(any(), anyString(), any(), any()))
         .thenReturn(httpResult);
 
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verify(fetchRestApiClient, times(2))
         .callSendObjects(any(), anyString(), revisionsDataCaptor.capture(), any());
@@ -291,16 +322,16 @@
             () -> revReader,
             applyObjectMetrics,
             fetchMetrics);
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/multi-site/version");
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/multi-site/version");
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verifyZeroInteractions(wq, rd, dis, sl, fetchClientFactory, accountInfo);
   }
 
   @Test
   public void shouldSkipEventWhenStarredChangesRef() {
-    Event event = new TestEvent("refs/starred-changes/41/2941/1000000");
-    objectUnderTest.onGitReferenceUpdated(event);
+    TestEvent event = new TestEvent("refs/starred-changes/41/2941/1000000");
+    objectUnderTest.onGitBatchRefUpdate(event);
 
     verifyZeroInteractions(wq, rd, dis, sl, fetchClientFactory, accountInfo);
   }
@@ -365,24 +396,22 @@
     return createTempDirectory(prefix);
   }
 
-  private class TestEvent implements GitReferenceUpdatedListener.Event {
+  private static class TestEvent implements GitBatchRefUpdateListener.Event {
     private String refName;
     private String projectName;
-    private ObjectId newObjectId;
+    private List<UpdatedRef> refs;
 
-    public TestEvent(String refName) {
-      this(refName, "defaultProject", ObjectId.zeroId());
+    public TestEvent(String... refNames) {
+      this(
+          "defaultProject",
+          Arrays.stream(refNames)
+              .map(refName -> updateRef(refName, ObjectId.zeroId()))
+              .collect(Collectors.toUnmodifiableList()));
     }
 
-    public TestEvent(String refName, String projectName, ObjectId newObjectId) {
-      this.refName = refName;
+    public TestEvent(String projectName, List<UpdatedRef> refs) {
       this.projectName = projectName;
-      this.newObjectId = newObjectId;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public String getRefName() {
-      return refName;
+      this.refs = refs;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -396,34 +425,55 @@
     }
 
     @Override
-    public String getOldObjectId() {
-      return ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public String getNewObjectId() {
-      return newObjectId.getName();
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean isCreate() {
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean isDelete() {
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    @Override
-    public boolean isNonFastForward() {
-      return false;
-    }
-
-    @Override
     public AccountInfo getUpdater() {
       return null;
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public Set<UpdatedRef> getUpdatedRefs() {
+      return refs.stream().collect(Collectors.toSet());
+    }
+
+    private static final GitBatchRefUpdateListener.UpdatedRef updateRef(
+        String refName, ObjectId refObjectId) {
+      return new GitBatchRefUpdateListener.UpdatedRef() {
+
+        @Override
+        public String getRefName() {
+          return refName;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public String getOldObjectId() {
+          return ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public String getNewObjectId() {
+          return refObjectId.getName();
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public boolean isCreate() {
+          return false;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public boolean isDelete() {
+          return false;
+        }
+
+        @Override
+        public boolean isNonFastForward() {
+          return false;
+        }
+      };
+    }
+
+    @Override
+    public Set<String> getRefNames() {
+      return Set.of(refName);
+    }
   }
 
   private class FakeProjectDeletedEvent implements ProjectDeletedListener.Event {
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommandTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommandTest.java
index efa931f..fc1b02c 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommandTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/DeleteRefCommandTest.java
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 import static com.google.common.truth.Truth.assertThat;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.any;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.anyString;
+import static org.mockito.Mockito.never;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@
 public class DeleteRefCommandTest {
   private static final String TEST_SOURCE_LABEL = "test-source-label";
   private static final String TEST_REF_NAME = "refs/changes/01/1/1";
+
+  private static final String NON_EXISTING_REF_NAME = "refs/changes/01/11101/1";
   private static final NameKey TEST_PROJECT_NAME = Project.nameKey("test-project");
   private static URIish TEST_REMOTE_URI;
 
@@ -88,9 +91,6 @@
     when(sourceCollection.getByRemoteName(TEST_SOURCE_LABEL)).thenReturn(Optional.of(source));
     TEST_REMOTE_URI = new URIish("git://some.remote.uri");
     when(source.getURI(TEST_PROJECT_NAME)).thenReturn(TEST_REMOTE_URI);
-    when(permissionBackend.currentUser()).thenReturn(currentUser);
-    when(currentUser.project(any())).thenReturn(forProject);
-    when(forProject.ref(any())).thenReturn(forRef);
     when(gitManager.openRepository(any())).thenReturn(repository);
     when(repository.updateRef(any())).thenReturn(refUpdate);
     when(repository.getRefDatabase()).thenReturn(refDb);
@@ -118,4 +118,13 @@
     assertThat(fetchEvent.getProjectNameKey()).isEqualTo(TEST_PROJECT_NAME);
     assertThat(fetchEvent.getRefName()).isEqualTo(TEST_REF_NAME);
   }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldHandleNonExistingRef() throws Exception {
+    when(refDb.exactRef(anyString())).thenReturn(null);
+
+    objectUnderTest.deleteRef(TEST_PROJECT_NAME, NON_EXISTING_REF_NAME, TEST_SOURCE_LABEL);
+
+    verify(eventDispatcher, never()).postEvent(any());
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationActionIT.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationActionIT.java
index 77f05a1..47037d6 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationActionIT.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/api/ProjectInitializationActionIT.java
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@
 import org.junit.Test;
 
 public class ProjectInitializationActionIT extends ActionITBase {
-  public static final String INVALID_TEST_PROJECT_NAME = "\0";
   @Inject private ProjectOperations projectOperations;
 
   @Test
@@ -150,18 +149,6 @@
 
   @Test
   @GerritConfig(name = "container.replica", value = "true")
-  public void shouldReturnBadRequestIfProjectNameIsInvalidAndCannotBeCreatedWhenNodeIsAReplica()
-      throws Exception {
-    url = getURLWithAuthenticationPrefix(INVALID_TEST_PROJECT_NAME);
-    httpClientFactory
-        .create(source)
-        .execute(
-            withBasicAuthenticationAsAdmin(createPutRequestWithHeaders()),
-            assertHttpResponseCode(HttpServletResponse.SC_BAD_REQUEST));
-  }
-
-  @Test
-  @GerritConfig(name = "container.replica", value = "true")
   public void shouldReturnBadRequestIfContentNotSetWhenNodeIsAReplica() throws Exception {
     httpClientFactory
         .create(source)
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListenerTest.java b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListenerTest.java
index c673011..92314a4 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListenerTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/googlesource/gerrit/plugins/replication/pull/event/StreamEventListenerTest.java
@@ -21,9 +21,11 @@
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.verify;
 import static org.mockito.Mockito.when;
 
+import com.google.common.collect.Lists;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.Project;
 import com.google.gerrit.entities.RefNames;
 import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.AuthException;
+import com.google.gerrit.extensions.restapi.RestApiException;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.data.RefUpdateAttribute;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.Event;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.events.ProjectCreatedEvent;
@@ -31,10 +33,15 @@
 import com.google.gerrit.server.git.WorkQueue;
 import com.google.gerrit.server.permissions.PermissionBackendException;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.FetchOne;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.Source;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.SourcesCollection;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.DeleteRefCommand;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.FetchAction.Input;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.FetchJob;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.ProjectInitializationAction;
 import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.api.PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics;
+import com.googlesource.gerrit.plugins.replication.pull.filter.ExcludedRefsFilter;
+import java.io.IOException;
 import java.util.concurrent.ScheduledExecutorService;
 import org.eclipse.jgit.lib.ObjectId;
 import org.junit.Before;
@@ -51,6 +58,7 @@
   private static final String TEST_REF_NAME = "refs/changes/01/1/1";
   private static final String TEST_PROJECT = "test-project";
   private static final String INSTANCE_ID = "node_instance_id";
+  private static final String NEW_REV = "0000000000000000000000000000000000000001";
   private static final String REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID = "remote_node_instance_id";
 
   @Mock private ProjectInitializationAction projectInitializationAction;
@@ -58,8 +66,12 @@
   @Mock private ScheduledExecutorService executor;
   @Mock private FetchJob fetchJob;
   @Mock private FetchJob.Factory fetchJobFactory;
+  @Mock private DeleteRefCommand deleteRefCommand;
   @Captor ArgumentCaptor<Input> inputCaptor;
   @Mock private PullReplicationApiRequestMetrics metrics;
+  @Mock private SourcesCollection sources;
+  @Mock private Source source;
+  @Mock private ExcludedRefsFilter refsFilter;
 
   private StreamEventListener objectUnderTest;
 
@@ -68,9 +80,22 @@
     when(workQueue.getDefaultQueue()).thenReturn(executor);
     when(fetchJobFactory.create(eq(Project.nameKey(TEST_PROJECT)), any(), any()))
         .thenReturn(fetchJob);
+    when(sources.getAll()).thenReturn(Lists.newArrayList(source));
+    when(source.wouldFetchProject(any())).thenReturn(true);
+    when(source.wouldCreateProject(any())).thenReturn(true);
+    when(source.isCreateMissingRepositories()).thenReturn(true);
+    when(source.getRemoteConfigName()).thenReturn(REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID);
+    when(refsFilter.match(any())).thenReturn(false);
     objectUnderTest =
         new StreamEventListener(
-            INSTANCE_ID, projectInitializationAction, workQueue, fetchJobFactory, () -> metrics);
+            INSTANCE_ID,
+            deleteRefCommand,
+            projectInitializationAction,
+            workQueue,
+            fetchJobFactory,
+            () -> metrics,
+            sources,
+            refsFilter);
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -80,6 +105,7 @@
     objectUnderTest.onEvent(event);
 
     verify(executor, never()).submit(any(Runnable.class));
+    verify(sources, never()).getAll();
   }
 
   @Test
@@ -99,11 +125,49 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void shouldSkipEventWhenNotOnAllowedProjectsList() {
+    when(source.wouldFetchProject(any())).thenReturn(false);
+
+    RefUpdatedEvent event = new RefUpdatedEvent();
+    RefUpdateAttribute refUpdate = new RefUpdateAttribute();
+    refUpdate.refName = TEST_REF_NAME;
+    refUpdate.project = TEST_PROJECT;
+    refUpdate.oldRev = ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
+    refUpdate.newRev = NEW_REV;
+
+    event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;
+    event.refUpdate = () -> refUpdate;
+
+    objectUnderTest.onEvent(event);
+
+    verify(executor, never()).submit(any(Runnable.class));
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldDeleteRefForRefDeleteEvent() throws IOException, RestApiException {
+    RefUpdatedEvent event = new RefUpdatedEvent();
+    RefUpdateAttribute refUpdate = new RefUpdateAttribute();
+    refUpdate.refName = TEST_REF_NAME;
+    refUpdate.newRev = ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
+    refUpdate.project = TEST_PROJECT;
+
+    event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;
+    event.refUpdate = () -> refUpdate;
+
+    objectUnderTest.onEvent(event);
+
+    verify(deleteRefCommand)
+        .deleteRef(Project.nameKey(TEST_PROJECT), refUpdate.refName, REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID);
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void shouldScheduleFetchJobForRefUpdateEvent() {
     RefUpdatedEvent event = new RefUpdatedEvent();
     RefUpdateAttribute refUpdate = new RefUpdateAttribute();
     refUpdate.refName = TEST_REF_NAME;
     refUpdate.project = TEST_PROJECT;
+    refUpdate.oldRev = ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
+    refUpdate.newRev = NEW_REV;
 
     event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;
     event.refUpdate = () -> refUpdate;
@@ -120,6 +184,24 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void shouldSkipRefUpdateEventForExcludedRef() {
+    when(refsFilter.match(any())).thenReturn(true);
+    RefUpdatedEvent event = new RefUpdatedEvent();
+    RefUpdateAttribute refUpdate = new RefUpdateAttribute();
+    refUpdate.refName = TEST_REF_NAME;
+    refUpdate.project = TEST_PROJECT;
+    refUpdate.oldRev = ObjectId.zeroId().getName();
+    refUpdate.newRev = NEW_REV;
+
+    event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;
+    event.refUpdate = () -> refUpdate;
+
+    objectUnderTest.onEvent(event);
+
+    verify(executor, never()).submit(any(Runnable.class));
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void shouldCreateProjectForProjectCreatedEvent()
       throws AuthException, PermissionBackendException {
     ProjectCreatedEvent event = new ProjectCreatedEvent();
@@ -132,6 +214,34 @@
   }
 
   @Test
+  public void shouldNotCreateProjectWhenCreateMissingRepositoriesNotSet()
+      throws AuthException, PermissionBackendException {
+    when(source.isCreateMissingRepositories()).thenReturn(false);
+
+    ProjectCreatedEvent event = new ProjectCreatedEvent();
+    event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;
+    event.projectName = TEST_PROJECT;
+
+    objectUnderTest.onEvent(event);
+
+    verify(projectInitializationAction, never()).initProject(any());
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void shouldNotCreateProjectWhenReplicationNotAllowed()
+      throws AuthException, PermissionBackendException {
+    when(source.isCreateMissingRepositories()).thenReturn(false);
+
+    ProjectCreatedEvent event = new ProjectCreatedEvent();
+    event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;
+    event.projectName = TEST_PROJECT;
+
+    objectUnderTest.onEvent(event);
+
+    verify(projectInitializationAction, never()).initProject(any());
+  }
+
+  @Test
   public void shouldScheduleAllRefsFetchForProjectCreatedEvent() {
     ProjectCreatedEvent event = new ProjectCreatedEvent();
     event.instanceId = REMOTE_INSTANCE_ID;