diff --git a/example-setup/broker/configs/replication.config.template b/example-setup/broker/configs/replication.config.template
index d81662f..d464586 100644
--- a/example-setup/broker/configs/replication.config.template
+++ b/example-setup/broker/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/broker/docker-compose.yaml b/example-setup/broker/docker-compose.yaml
index 4f7f99f..705aea6 100644
--- a/example-setup/broker/docker-compose.yaml
+++ b/example-setup/broker/docker-compose.yaml
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
       - DEBUG_PORT=5005
       - BROKER_HOST=broker
       - BROKER_PORT=9092
+      - REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP=false
     ports:
       - "8080:8080"
       - "29418:29418"
@@ -26,6 +27,7 @@
       - DEBUG_PORT=5006
       - BROKER_HOST=broker
       - BROKER_PORT=9092
+      - REPLICATE_ON_STARTUP=true
     ports:
       - "8081:8080"
       - "29419:29418"
diff --git a/example-setup/http/configs/replication.config.template b/example-setup/http/configs/replication.config.template
index 7e81055..6768146 100644
--- a/example-setup/http/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/http/docker-compose.yaml b/example-setup/http/docker-compose.yaml
index af90341..ccb6b86 100644
--- a/example-setup/http/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"