Worker refuses to start without pg_hba.conf

main.go

@@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ func main() {
 			initDonePath := filepath.Join(targetDir, PostgresInitDoneFileName)
 			if _, err := os.Stat(initDonePath); err != nil && !os.IsNotExist(err) {
 				log.Fatal("Failed to access Postgres data directory")
-			} else if err != nil {
+			} else {
+				// Note: pg_auto_failure refuses to start without pg_hba.conf
 				log.WithFields(log.Fields{"path": targetDir}).Info("Postgres data dir is not initialized")
 				if state.hbaConfPath != "" {
 					go func() {
@@ -212,9 +213,10 @@ func main() {
 					}()
 				}
 
-				// Propagate the replication password
+				if err != nil {
+					// Database initialization as the storage is empty so propagate the replication password (in case this is a secondary)
 					// Note: There is no option to pass the replication password and even pg_autoctl create without --run already
-				//	assumes it is present. Neither pg_autoctl config set works at this stage
+					//	assumes it is present. Neither pg_autoctl config set works at this stage. So use PGPASSWORD
 					replEnvPassword := "PGPASSWORD=" + state.replicationPassword
 					replSet := false
 					initEnv := innerEnv
@@ -245,6 +247,7 @@ func main() {
 						log.WithError(err).Fatal("Failed to set password of user pgautofailover_replicator in the configuration")
 					}
 				}
+			}
 
 			innerArgs = append(innerArgs, "--run")
 			log.Info("Starting a worker node.")