diff --git a/cmd/litestream/main.go b/cmd/litestream/main.go
index 3bb20c1a..3018815a 100644
--- a/cmd/litestream/main.go
+++ b/cmd/litestream/main.go
@@ -94,19 +94,19 @@ func (m *Main) Run(ctx context.Context, args []string) (err error) {
 
 		// Wait for signal to stop program.
 		select {
-		case err = <-c.execCh:
+		case err = <-c.runCh:
 			fmt.Println("subprocess exited, litestream shutting down")
 		case sig := <-signalCh:
 			fmt.Println("signal received, litestream shutting down")
 
-			if c.cmd != nil {
+			if c.runSignal != nil {
 				fmt.Println("sending signal to exec process")
-				if err := c.cmd.Process.Signal(sig); err != nil {
+				if err := c.runSignal(sig); err != nil {
 					return fmt.Errorf("cannot signal exec process: %w", err)
 				}
 
 				fmt.Println("waiting for exec process to close")
-				if err := <-c.execCh; err != nil && !strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "signal:") {
+				if err := <-c.runCh; err != nil && !strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "signal:") {
 					return fmt.Errorf("cannot wait for exec process: %w", err)
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/cmd/litestream/replicate.go b/cmd/litestream/replicate.go
index cd95d961..d85a88df 100644
--- a/cmd/litestream/replicate.go
+++ b/cmd/litestream/replicate.go
@@ -23,8 +23,12 @@ import (
 
 // ReplicateCommand represents a command that continuously replicates SQLite databases.
 type ReplicateCommand struct {
-	cmd    *exec.Cmd  // subcommand
-	execCh chan error // subcommand error channel
+	runSignal func(os.Signal) error // run cancel signaler
+	runCh     chan error            // run error channel
+
+	once             bool // replicate once and exit
+	forceSnapshot    bool // force snapshot to all replicas
+	enforceRetention bool // enforce retention of old snapshots
 
 	Config Config
 
@@ -34,7 +38,7 @@ type ReplicateCommand struct {
 
 func NewReplicateCommand() *ReplicateCommand {
 	return &ReplicateCommand{
-		execCh: make(chan error),
+		runCh: make(chan error),
 	}
 }
 
@@ -42,6 +46,9 @@ func NewReplicateCommand() *ReplicateCommand {
 func (c *ReplicateCommand) ParseFlags(ctx context.Context, args []string) (err error) {
 	fs := flag.NewFlagSet("litestream-replicate", flag.ContinueOnError)
 	execFlag := fs.String("exec", "", "execute subcommand")
+	onceFlag := fs.Bool("once", false, "replicate once and exit")
+	forceSnapshotFlag := fs.Bool("force-snapshot", false, "force snapshot when replicating once")
+	enforceRetentionFlag := fs.Bool("enforce-retention", false, "enforce retention of old snapshots")
 	tracePath := fs.String("trace", "", "trace path")
 	configPath, noExpandEnv := registerConfigFlag(fs)
 	fs.Usage = c.Usage
@@ -90,6 +97,22 @@ func (c *ReplicateCommand) ParseFlags(ctx context.Context, args []string) (err e
 		litestream.Tracef = log.New(f, "", log.LstdFlags|log.Lmicroseconds|log.LUTC|log.Lshortfile).Printf
 	}
 
+	// Once is mutually exclusive with exec
+	c.once = *onceFlag
+	if c.once && c.Config.Exec != "" {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot specify -once flag with exec")
+	}
+
+	c.forceSnapshot = *forceSnapshotFlag
+	if !c.once && c.forceSnapshot {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot specify -force-snapshot flag without -once")
+	}
+
+	c.enforceRetention = *enforceRetentionFlag
+	if !c.once && c.enforceRetention {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot specify -enforce-retention flag without -once")
+	}
+
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -109,6 +132,14 @@ func (c *ReplicateCommand) Run() (err error) {
 			return err
 		}
 
+		// Disable monitors if we're running once.
+		if c.once {
+			db.MonitorInterval = 0
+			for _, r := range db.Replicas {
+				r.MonitorEnabled = false
+			}
+		}
+
 		// Open database & attach to program.
 		if err := db.Open(); err != nil {
 			return err
@@ -162,14 +193,65 @@ func (c *ReplicateCommand) Run() (err error) {
 			return fmt.Errorf("cannot parse exec command: %w", err)
 		}
 
-		c.cmd = exec.Command(execArgs[0], execArgs[1:]...)
-		c.cmd.Env = os.Environ()
-		c.cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
-		c.cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
-		if err := c.cmd.Start(); err != nil {
+		cmd := exec.Command(execArgs[0], execArgs[1:]...)
+		cmd.Env = os.Environ()
+		cmd.Stdout = os.Stdout
+		cmd.Stderr = os.Stderr
+		if err := cmd.Start(); err != nil {
 			return fmt.Errorf("cannot start exec command: %w", err)
 		}
-		go func() { c.execCh <- c.cmd.Wait() }()
+		c.runSignal = cmd.Process.Signal
+		go func() { c.runCh <- cmd.Wait() }()
+	} else if c.once {
+		// Run replication once for each replica with cancel.
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		c.runSignal = func(s os.Signal) error {
+			cancel()
+			return nil
+		}
+
+		go func() {
+			var err error
+
+			defer func() {
+				cancel()
+				c.runCh <- err
+			}()
+
+			for _, db := range c.DBs {
+				if c.forceSnapshot {
+					// Force next index with RESTART checkpoint.
+					db.MaxCheckpointPageN = 1
+				}
+
+				if err = db.Sync(ctx); err != nil {
+					return
+				}
+
+				// Prevent checkpointing on Close()
+				db.MinCheckpointPageN = 0
+				db.MaxCheckpointPageN = 0
+				db.TruncatePageN = 0
+				db.CheckpointInterval = 0
+
+				for _, r := range db.Replicas {
+					if c.forceSnapshot {
+						_, err = r.Snapshot(ctx)
+					} else {
+						err = r.Sync(ctx)
+					}
+					if err != nil {
+						return
+					}
+
+					if c.enforceRetention {
+						if err = r.EnforceRetention(ctx); err != nil {
+							return
+						}
+					}
+				}
+			}
+		}()
 	}
 
 	return nil
@@ -212,6 +294,15 @@ Arguments:
 	    Executes a subcommand. Litestream will exit when the child
 	    process exits. Useful for simple process management.
 
+	-once
+	    Execute replication once and exit.
+
+	-force-snapshot
+	    When replicating once, force taking a snapshot to all replicas.
+
+	-enforce-retention
+	    When replicating once, enforce rentention of old snapshots.
+
 	-no-expand-env
 	    Disables environment variable expansion in configuration file.
 
diff --git a/db.go b/db.go
index 99cb294e..d5869209 100644
--- a/db.go
+++ b/db.go
@@ -776,7 +776,7 @@ func (db *DB) Sync(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 		checkpoint, checkpointMode = true, CheckpointModeTruncate
 	} else if db.MaxCheckpointPageN > 0 && newWALSize >= calcWALSize(db.pageSize, db.MaxCheckpointPageN) {
 		checkpoint, checkpointMode = true, CheckpointModeRestart
-	} else if newWALSize >= calcWALSize(db.pageSize, db.MinCheckpointPageN) {
+	} else if db.MinCheckpointPageN > 0 && newWALSize >= calcWALSize(db.pageSize, db.MinCheckpointPageN) {
 		checkpoint = true
 	} else if db.CheckpointInterval > 0 && !info.dbModTime.IsZero() && time.Since(info.dbModTime) > db.CheckpointInterval && newWALSize > calcWALSize(db.pageSize, 1) {
 		checkpoint = true