diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c
index 8b9acea9f087516df589223fab4e351e4f12f354..0ebda9ae9e04f44bd2f7c6bf22454ed2f7095499 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_basebackup.c
@@ -1569,8 +1569,8 @@ BaseBackup(void)
 {
 	PGresult   *res;
 	char	   *sysidentifier;
-	uint32		latesttli;
-	uint32		starttli;
+	TimeLineID	latesttli;
+	TimeLineID	starttli;
 	char	   *basebkp;
 	char		escaped_label[MAXPGPATH];
 	char	   *maxrate_clause = NULL;
@@ -1624,23 +1624,8 @@ BaseBackup(void)
 	/*
 	 * Run IDENTIFY_SYSTEM so we can get the timeline
 	 */
-	res = PQexec(conn, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM");
-	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
-	{
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
-				progname, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM", PQerrorMessage(conn));
+	if (!RunIdentifySystem(conn, &sysidentifier, &latesttli, NULL, NULL))
 		disconnect_and_exit(1);
-	}
-	if (PQntuples(res) != 1 || PQnfields(res) < 3)
-	{
-		fprintf(stderr,
-				_("%s: could not identify system: got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d or more fields\n"),
-				progname, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 3);
-		disconnect_and_exit(1);
-	}
-	sysidentifier = pg_strdup(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
-	latesttli = atoi(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1));
-	PQclear(res);
 
 	/*
 	 * Start the actual backup
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_receivexlog.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_receivexlog.c
index a8b9ad3c05fe71935da0c3f1cd4c45c3dafbfeed..171cf431f57a65ddb9e35d527ce345d19f451da2 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_receivexlog.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_receivexlog.c
@@ -253,13 +253,8 @@ FindStreamingStart(uint32 *tli)
 static void
 StreamLog(void)
 {
-	PGresult   *res;
-	XLogRecPtr	startpos;
-	uint32		starttli;
-	XLogRecPtr	serverpos;
-	uint32		servertli;
-	uint32		hi,
-				lo;
+	XLogRecPtr	startpos, serverpos;
+	TimeLineID	starttli, servertli;
 
 	/*
 	 * Connect in replication mode to the server
@@ -280,33 +275,12 @@ StreamLog(void)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Run IDENTIFY_SYSTEM so we can get the timeline and current xlog
-	 * position.
+	 * Identify server, obtaining start LSN position and current timeline ID
+	 * at the same time, necessary if not valid data can be found in the
+	 * existing output directory.
 	 */
-	res = PQexec(conn, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM");
-	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
-	{
-		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
-				progname, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM", PQerrorMessage(conn));
-		disconnect_and_exit(1);
-	}
-	if (PQntuples(res) != 1 || PQnfields(res) < 3)
-	{
-		fprintf(stderr,
-				_("%s: could not identify system: got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d or more fields\n"),
-				progname, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 3);
+	if (!RunIdentifySystem(conn, NULL, &servertli, &serverpos, NULL))
 		disconnect_and_exit(1);
-	}
-	servertli = atoi(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1));
-	if (sscanf(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 2), "%X/%X", &hi, &lo) != 2)
-	{
-		fprintf(stderr,
-				_("%s: could not parse transaction log location \"%s\"\n"),
-				progname, PQgetvalue(res, 0, 2));
-		disconnect_and_exit(1);
-	}
-	serverpos = ((uint64) hi) << 32 | lo;
-	PQclear(res);
 
 	/*
 	 * Figure out where to start streaming.
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_recvlogical.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_recvlogical.c
index a88ffacc06df62fb2d812c1da7e3449afad57937..c48ceccf90164597e235d64980382ef85b13baae 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_recvlogical.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/pg_recvlogical.c
@@ -596,7 +596,6 @@ sighup_handler(int signum)
 int
 main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	PGresult   *res;
 	static struct option long_options[] = {
 /* general options */
 		{"file", required_argument, NULL, 'f'},
@@ -628,6 +627,7 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 	int			option_index;
 	uint32		hi,
 				lo;
+	char	   *db_name;
 
 	progname = get_progname(argv[0]);
 	set_pglocale_pgservice(argv[0], PG_TEXTDOMAIN("pg_recvlogical"));
@@ -834,124 +834,62 @@ main(int argc, char **argv)
 #endif
 
 	/*
-	 * don't really need this but it actually helps to get more precise error
-	 * messages about authentication, required GUCs and such without starting
-	 * to loop around connection attempts lateron.
+	 * Obtain a connection to server. This is not really necessary but it
+	 * helps to get more precise error messages about authentification,
+	 * required GUC parameters and such.
 	 */
-	{
-		conn = GetConnection();
-		if (!conn)
-			/* Error message already written in GetConnection() */
-			exit(1);
+	conn = GetConnection();
+	if (!conn)
+		/* Error message already written in GetConnection() */
+		exit(1);
 
-		/*
-		 * Run IDENTIFY_SYSTEM so we can get the timeline and current xlog
-		 * position.
-		 */
-		res = PQexec(conn, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM");
-		if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
-					progname, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM", PQerrorMessage(conn));
-			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
+	/*
+	 * Run IDENTIFY_SYSTEM to make sure we connected using a database specific
+	 * replication connection.
+	 */
+	if (!RunIdentifySystem(conn, NULL, NULL, NULL, &db_name))
+		disconnect_and_exit(1);
 
-		if (PQntuples(res) != 1 || PQnfields(res) < 4)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr,
-					_("%s: could not identify system: got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d or more fields\n"),
-					progname, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 4);
-			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
-		PQclear(res);
+	if (db_name == NULL)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,
+				_("%s: failed to establish database specific replication connection\n"),
+				progname);
+		disconnect_and_exit(1);
 	}
 
-
-	/*
-	 * drop a replication slot
-	 */
+	/* Drop a replication slot. */
 	if (do_drop_slot)
 	{
-		char		query[256];
-
 		if (verbose)
 			fprintf(stderr,
 					_("%s: dropping replication slot \"%s\"\n"),
 					progname, replication_slot);
 
-		snprintf(query, sizeof(query), "DROP_REPLICATION_SLOT \"%s\"",
-				 replication_slot);
-		res = PQexec(conn, query);
-		if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_COMMAND_OK)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
-					progname, query, PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		if (!DropReplicationSlot(conn, replication_slot))
 			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
-
-		if (PQntuples(res) != 0 || PQnfields(res) != 0)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr,
-					_("%s: could not drop replication slot \"%s\": got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d fields\n"),
-					progname, replication_slot, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 0, 0);
-			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
-
-		PQclear(res);
-		disconnect_and_exit(0);
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * create a replication slot
-	 */
+	/* Create a replication slot. */
 	if (do_create_slot)
 	{
-		char		query[256];
-
 		if (verbose)
 			fprintf(stderr,
 					_("%s: creating replication slot \"%s\"\n"),
 					progname, replication_slot);
 
-		snprintf(query, sizeof(query), "CREATE_REPLICATION_SLOT \"%s\" LOGICAL \"%s\"",
-				 replication_slot, plugin);
-
-		res = PQexec(conn, query);
-		if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
-					progname, query, PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		if (!CreateReplicationSlot(conn, replication_slot, plugin,
+								   &startpos, false))
 			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
-
-		if (PQntuples(res) != 1 || PQnfields(res) != 4)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr,
-					_("%s: could not create replication slot \"%s\": got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d fields\n"),
-					progname, replication_slot, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 4);
-			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
-
-		if (sscanf(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1), "%X/%X", &hi, &lo) != 2)
-		{
-			fprintf(stderr,
-					_("%s: could not parse transaction log location \"%s\"\n"),
-					progname, PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1));
-			disconnect_and_exit(1);
-		}
-		startpos = ((uint64) hi) << 32 | lo;
-
-		replication_slot = strdup(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
-		PQclear(res);
 	}
 
-
 	if (!do_start_slot)
 		disconnect_and_exit(0);
 
+	/* Stream loop */
 	while (true)
 	{
-		StreamLog();
+		StreamLogicalLog();
 		if (time_to_abort)
 		{
 			/*
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
index 1100260c05abd83bbdc432a24d4c1d8bfbbad119..2f4bac95508cdc66a7be6e6b6cff66baa9e10362 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.c
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "receivelog.h"
 #include "streamutil.h"
 
+#include "pqexpbuffer.h"
 #include "common/fe_memutils.h"
 #include "datatype/timestamp.h"
 
@@ -227,11 +228,183 @@ GetConnection(void)
 	return tmpconn;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Run IDENTIFY_SYSTEM through a given connection and give back to caller
+ * some result information if requested:
+ * - Start LSN position
+ * - Current timeline ID
+ * - System identifier
+ * - Plugin name
+ */
+bool
+RunIdentifySystem(PGconn *conn, char **sysid, TimeLineID *starttli,
+				  XLogRecPtr *startpos, char **db_name)
+{
+	PGresult   *res;
+	uint32		hi, lo;
+
+	/* Check connection existence */
+	Assert(conn != NULL);
+
+	res = PQexec(conn, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM");
+	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
+				progname, "IDENTIFY_SYSTEM", PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		return false;
+	}
+	if (PQntuples(res) != 1 || PQnfields(res) < 3)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,
+				_("%s: could not identify system: got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d or more fields\n"),
+				progname, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 3);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/* Get system identifier */
+	if (sysid != NULL)
+		*sysid = pg_strdup(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
+
+	/* Get timeline ID to start streaming from */
+	if (starttli != NULL)
+		*starttli = atoi(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1));
+
+	/* Get LSN start position if necessary */
+	if (startpos != NULL)
+	{
+		if (sscanf(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 2), "%X/%X", &hi, &lo) != 2)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr,
+					_("%s: could not parse transaction log location \"%s\"\n"),
+					progname, PQgetvalue(res, 0, 2));
+			return false;
+		}
+		*startpos = ((uint64) hi) << 32 | lo;
+	}
+
+	/* Get database name, only available in 9.4 and newer versions */
+	if  (db_name != NULL)
+	{
+		if (PQnfields(res) < 4)
+			fprintf(stderr,
+					_("%s: could not identify system: got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d or more fields\n"),
+					progname, PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 4);
+
+		if (PQgetisnull(res, 0, 3))
+			*db_name =  NULL;
+		else
+			*db_name = pg_strdup(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 3));
+	}
+
+	PQclear(res);
+	return true;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Create a replication slot for the given connection. This function
+ * returns true in case of success as well as the start position
+ * obtained after the slot creation.
+ */
+bool
+CreateReplicationSlot(PGconn *conn, const char *slot_name, const char *plugin,
+					  XLogRecPtr *startpos, bool is_physical)
+{
+	PQExpBuffer query;
+	PGresult   *res;
+
+	query = createPQExpBuffer();
+
+	Assert((is_physical && plugin == NULL) ||
+		   (!is_physical && plugin != NULL));
+	Assert(slot_name != NULL);
+
+	/* Build query */
+	if (is_physical)
+		appendPQExpBuffer(query, "CREATE_REPLICATION_SLOT \"%s\" PHYSICAL",
+						  slot_name);
+	else
+		appendPQExpBuffer(query, "CREATE_REPLICATION_SLOT \"%s\" LOGICAL \"%s\"",
+						  slot_name, plugin);
+
+	res = PQexec(conn, query->data);
+	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
+				progname, query->data, PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	if (PQntuples(res) != 1 || PQnfields(res) != 4)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,
+				_("%s: could not create replication slot \"%s\": got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d fields\n"),
+				progname, slot_name,
+				PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 1, 4);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	/* Get LSN start position if necessary */
+	if (startpos != NULL)
+	{
+		uint32		hi, lo;
+
+		if (sscanf(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1), "%X/%X", &hi, &lo) != 2)
+		{
+			fprintf(stderr,
+					_("%s: could not parse transaction log location \"%s\"\n"),
+					progname, PQgetvalue(res, 0, 1));
+			return false;
+		}
+		*startpos = ((uint64) hi) << 32 | lo;
+	}
+
+	PQclear(res);
+	return true;
+}
+
+/*
+ * Drop a replication slot for the given connection. This function
+ * returns true in case of success.
+ */
+bool
+DropReplicationSlot(PGconn *conn, const char *slot_name)
+{
+	PQExpBuffer query;
+	PGresult   *res;
+
+	Assert(slot_name != NULL);
+
+	query = createPQExpBuffer();
+
+	/* Build query */
+	appendPQExpBuffer(query, "DROP_REPLICATION_SLOT \"%s\"",
+					  slot_name);
+	res = PQexec(conn, query->data);
+	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_COMMAND_OK)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr, _("%s: could not send replication command \"%s\": %s"),
+				progname, query->data, PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	if (PQntuples(res) != 0 || PQnfields(res) != 0)
+	{
+		fprintf(stderr,
+				_("%s: could not drop replication slot \"%s\": got %d rows and %d fields, expected %d rows and %d fields\n"),
+				progname, slot_name,
+				PQntuples(res), PQnfields(res), 0, 0);
+		return false;
+	}
+
+	PQclear(res);
+	return true;
+}
+
 
 /*
  * Frontend version of GetCurrentTimestamp(), since we are not linked with
- * backend code. The protocol always uses integer timestamps, regardless of
- * server setting.
+ * backend code. The replication protocol always uses integer timestamps,
+ * regardless of the server setting.
  */
 int64
 feGetCurrentTimestamp(void)
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.h b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.h
index 8c6691f9c8c6d318a17961484af9b7774427abf5..ac66145c359e91783060e8368b334a5e4e707096 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.h
+++ b/src/bin/pg_basebackup/streamutil.h
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@
 
 #include "libpq-fe.h"
 
+#include "access/xlogdefs.h"
+
 extern const char *progname;
 extern char *connection_string;
 extern char *dbhost;
@@ -28,6 +30,15 @@ extern PGconn *conn;
 
 extern PGconn *GetConnection(void);
 
+/* Replication commands */
+extern bool CreateReplicationSlot(PGconn *conn, const char *slot_name,
+								  const char *plugin, XLogRecPtr *startpos,
+								  bool is_physical);
+extern bool DropReplicationSlot(PGconn *conn, const char *slot_name);
+extern bool RunIdentifySystem(PGconn *conn, char **sysid,
+							  TimeLineID *starttli,
+							  XLogRecPtr *startpos,
+							  char **db_name);
 extern int64 feGetCurrentTimestamp(void);
 extern void feTimestampDifference(int64 start_time, int64 stop_time,
 					  long *secs, int *microsecs);