diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,5 +1,12 @@
 # Changelog
 
+## [0.5.1.0] - 2026-09-14
+
+### Changed
+
+* `pg_basebackup` takes its checkpoint immediately rather than spreading it
+  out. Starting a standby goes from about 13.5 seconds to about 0.17.
+
 ## [0.5.0.0] - 2026-09-13
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/Test/Syd/Persistent/Postgresql.hs b/src/Test/Syd/Persistent/Postgresql.hs
--- a/src/Test/Syd/Persistent/Postgresql.hs
+++ b/src/Test/Syd/Persistent/Postgresql.hs
@@ -241,6 +241,11 @@
             -- the copy a standby rather than a second copy of the data.
             "--write-recovery-conf",
             "--wal-method=stream",
+            -- Take the checkpoint now rather than spreading it out. The
+            -- default spreads it over the checkpoint interval, which is a wait
+            -- proportional to how busy the server is, and this server is busy:
+            -- a suite is running against it.
+            "--checkpoint=fast",
             -- Never dropped, and a physical slot with nothing attached to it
             -- makes a server keep its write-ahead log forever. Harmless here
             -- only because the server this slot is on is torn down moments
diff --git a/sydtest-persistent-postgresql.cabal b/sydtest-persistent-postgresql.cabal
--- a/sydtest-persistent-postgresql.cabal
+++ b/sydtest-persistent-postgresql.cabal
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 -- see: https://github.com/sol/hpack
 
 name:           sydtest-persistent-postgresql
-version:        0.5.0.0
+version:        0.5.1.0
 synopsis:       An persistent-postgresql companion library for sydtest
 category:       Testing
 homepage:       https://github.com/NorfairKing/sydtest#readme