diff --git a/charts/cnpg-cluster/templates/cluster.cnpg.yaml b/charts/cnpg-cluster/templates/cluster.cnpg.yaml
index a1e84d9..f35b609 100644
--- a/charts/cnpg-cluster/templates/cluster.cnpg.yaml
+++ b/charts/cnpg-cluster/templates/cluster.cnpg.yaml
@@ -98,6 +98,9 @@ spec:
     {{- else if (and .Values.replica.enabled .Values.replica.source) }}
     pg_basebackup:
       source: {{ .Values.replica.source }}
+    {{- else if (and .Values.pg_basebackup.enabled .Values.pg_basebackup.source) }}
+    pg_basebackup:
+      source: {{ .Values.pg_basebackup.source }}
     {{- else }}
     initdb:
       database: {{ .Values.dbName }}
diff --git a/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/__snapshot__/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml.snap b/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/__snapshot__/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml.snap
index eb6d24c..2883a49 100644
--- a/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/__snapshot__/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml.snap
+++ b/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/__snapshot__/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml.snap
@@ -118,6 +118,19 @@ cluster with enabled backup and recovery:
     cluster:
       name: RELEASE-NAME-cnpg-cluster
     schedule: 1 2 3 * * 0
+cluster with pg_basebackup:
+  1: |
+    - connectionParameters:
+        dbname: app
+        host: some-host-to-replicate-from
+        user: postgres
+      name: source-cluster
+      password:
+        key: password
+        name: source-secret-for-source-replication
+  2: |
+    pg_basebackup:
+      source: source-cluster
 cluster with recovery enabled:
   1: |
     bootstrap:
diff --git a/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml b/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml
index a2a38ab..2b2ef46 100644
--- a/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml
+++ b/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/cnpg-cluster_test.yaml
@@ -103,3 +103,13 @@ tests:
       - template: cluster.cnpg.yaml
         matchSnapshot:
           path: spec.replica
+  - it: cluster with pg_basebackup
+    values:
+      - ./values/pg_basebackup.yaml
+    asserts:
+      - template: cluster.cnpg.yaml
+        matchSnapshot:
+          path: spec.externalClusters
+      - template: cluster.cnpg.yaml
+        matchSnapshot:
+          path: spec.bootstrap
diff --git a/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/values/pg_basebackup.yaml b/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/values/pg_basebackup.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c53ef99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/charts/cnpg-cluster/tests/values/pg_basebackup.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+imageName: ghcr.io/cloudnative-pg/postgis:14
+
+pg_basebackup:
+  enabled: true
+  source: source-cluster
+
+externalClusters:
+  - name: source-cluster
+    connectionParameters:
+      host: some-host-to-replicate-from
+      user: postgres
+      dbname: app
+    password:
+      name: source-secret-for-source-replication
+      key: password
diff --git a/charts/cnpg-cluster/values.yaml b/charts/cnpg-cluster/values.yaml
index 13c75d6..f448988 100644
--- a/charts/cnpg-cluster/values.yaml
+++ b/charts/cnpg-cluster/values.yaml
@@ -185,3 +185,8 @@ postInitApplicationSQLRefs:
   # secretRefs:
   # - name: post-init-sql-secret
   #   key: secret.sql
+
+#
+pg_basebackup:
+  enabled: false
+  source: