diff --git a/repmgr-action-node.c b/repmgr-action-node.c
index 7f26d929..74c7e1e9 100644
--- a/repmgr-action-node.c
+++ b/repmgr-action-node.c
@@ -2707,9 +2707,18 @@ do_node_control(void)
 
 	if (runtime_options.enable_wal_receiver == true)
 	{
-		wal_receiver_pid = enable_wal_receiver(conn);
+		wal_receiver_pid = enable_wal_receiver(conn, true);
+
+		PQfinish(conn);
+
+		if (wal_receiver_pid == UNKNOWN_PID)
+			exit(ERR_BAD_CONFIG);
+
+		exit(SUCCESS);
 	}
 
+	log_error(_("no option provided"));
+
 	PQfinish(conn);
 }
 
diff --git a/repmgrd-physical.c b/repmgrd-physical.c
index 2d4fc6cc..e9721568 100644
--- a/repmgrd-physical.c
+++ b/repmgrd-physical.c
@@ -2078,8 +2078,8 @@ do_primary_failover(void)
 	/* Reenable WAL receiver, if disabled and node is not the promotion candidate */
 	if (config_file_options.standby_disconnect_on_failover == true && election_result != ELECTION_WON)
 	{
-		// XXX check return value
-		enable_wal_receiver(local_conn);
+		/* adjust "wal_retrieve_retry_interval" but don't wait for WAL receiver to start */
+		enable_wal_receiver(local_conn, false);
 	}
 
 	if (election_result == ELECTION_CANCELLED)
diff --git a/sysutils.c b/sysutils.c
index a1473fe8..7aa5687c 100644
--- a/sysutils.c
+++ b/sysutils.c
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ disable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn)
 }
 
 pid_t
-enable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn)
+enable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn, bool wait_startup)
 {
 	char buf[MAXLEN];
 	int wal_retrieve_retry_interval;
@@ -326,6 +326,9 @@ enable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn)
 				 wal_retrieve_retry_interval);
 	}
 
+	if (wait_startup == false)
+		return UNKNOWN_PID;
+
 	for (i = 0; i < timeout; i++)
 	{
 		wal_receiver_pid = (pid_t)get_wal_receiver_pid(conn);
diff --git a/sysutils.h b/sysutils.h
index 4ddc3d36..6c046920 100644
--- a/sysutils.h
+++ b/sysutils.h
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ extern bool local_command_simple(const char *command, PQExpBufferData *outputbuf
 extern bool remote_command(const char *host, const char *user, const char *command, const char *ssh_options, PQExpBufferData *outputbuf);
 
 extern pid_t disable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn);
-extern pid_t enable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn);
+extern pid_t enable_wal_receiver(PGconn *conn, bool wait_startup);
 
 
 #endif							/* _SYSUTILS_H_ */