diff --git a/cmd/litestream/main.go b/cmd/litestream/main.go
index 5e6c3ec..5f7671c 100644
--- a/cmd/litestream/main.go
+++ b/cmd/litestream/main.go
@@ -243,6 +243,7 @@ type ReplicaConfig struct {
 	Retention              time.Duration `yaml:"retention"`
 	RetentionCheckInterval time.Duration `yaml:"retention-check-interval"`
 	SyncInterval           time.Duration `yaml:"sync-interval"` // s3 only
+	SnapshotInterval       time.Duration `yaml:"snapshot-interval"`
 	ValidationInterval     time.Duration `yaml:"validation-interval"`
 
 	// S3 settings
@@ -304,6 +305,9 @@ func newFileReplicaFromConfig(c *ReplicaConfig, db *litestream.DB) (_ *litestrea
 	if v := c.RetentionCheckInterval; v > 0 {
 		r.RetentionCheckInterval = v
 	}
+	if v := c.SnapshotInterval; v > 0 {
+		r.SnapshotInterval = v
+	}
 	if v := c.ValidationInterval; v > 0 {
 		r.ValidationInterval = v
 	}
@@ -372,6 +376,9 @@ func newS3ReplicaFromConfig(c *ReplicaConfig, db *litestream.DB) (_ *s3.Replica,
 	if v := c.SyncInterval; v > 0 {
 		r.SyncInterval = v
 	}
+	if v := c.SnapshotInterval; v > 0 {
+		r.SnapshotInterval = v
+	}
 	if v := c.ValidationInterval; v > 0 {
 		r.ValidationInterval = v
 	}
diff --git a/litestream.go b/litestream.go
index edca37a..22d4cd1 100644
--- a/litestream.go
+++ b/litestream.go
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ const (
 
 // Litestream errors.
 var (
+	ErrNoGeneration     = errors.New("no generation available")
 	ErrNoSnapshots      = errors.New("no snapshots available")
 	ErrChecksumMismatch = errors.New("invalid replica, checksum mismatch")
 )
diff --git a/replica.go b/replica.go
index 6ae8f3b..1023eec 100644
--- a/replica.go
+++ b/replica.go
@@ -98,8 +98,11 @@ type FileReplica struct {
 	walIndexGauge      prometheus.Gauge
 	walOffsetGauge     prometheus.Gauge
 
+	// Frequency to create new snapshots.
+	SnapshotInterval time.Duration
+
 	// Time to keep snapshots and related WAL files.
-	// Database is snapshotted after interval and older WAL files are discarded.
+	// Database is snapshotted after interval, if needed, and older WAL files are discarded.
 	Retention time.Duration
 
 	// Time between checks for retention.
@@ -402,9 +405,10 @@ func (r *FileReplica) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 	ctx, r.cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
 	// Start goroutine to replicate data.
-	r.wg.Add(3)
+	r.wg.Add(4)
 	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.monitor(ctx) }()
 	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.retainer(ctx) }()
+	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.snapshotter(ctx) }()
 	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.validator(ctx) }()
 }
 
@@ -446,7 +450,18 @@ func (r *FileReplica) monitor(ctx context.Context) {
 
 // retainer runs in a separate goroutine and handles retention.
 func (r *FileReplica) retainer(ctx context.Context) {
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(r.RetentionCheckInterval)
+	// Disable retention enforcement if retention period is non-positive.
+	if r.Retention <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Ensure check interval is not longer than retention period.
+	checkInterval := r.RetentionCheckInterval
+	if checkInterval > r.Retention {
+		checkInterval = r.Retention
+	}
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(checkInterval)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 
 	for {
@@ -462,6 +477,28 @@ func (r *FileReplica) retainer(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
+// snapshotter runs in a separate goroutine and handles snapshotting.
+func (r *FileReplica) snapshotter(ctx context.Context) {
+	if r.SnapshotInterval <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(r.SnapshotInterval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			if err := r.Snapshot(ctx); err != nil && err != ErrNoGeneration {
+				log.Printf("%s(%s): snapshotter error: %s", r.db.Path(), r.Name(), err)
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // validator runs in a separate goroutine and handles periodic validation.
 func (r *FileReplica) validator(ctx context.Context) {
 	// Initialize counters since validation occurs infrequently.
@@ -531,6 +568,18 @@ func (r *FileReplica) CalcPos(ctx context.Context, generation string) (pos Pos,
 	return pos, nil
 }
 
+// Snapshot copies the entire database to the replica path.
+func (r *FileReplica) Snapshot(ctx context.Context) error {
+	// Find current position of database.
+	pos, err := r.db.Pos()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot determine current db generation: %w", err)
+	} else if pos.IsZero() {
+		return ErrNoGeneration
+	}
+	return r.snapshot(ctx, pos.Generation, pos.Index)
+}
+
 // snapshot copies the entire database to the replica path.
 func (r *FileReplica) snapshot(ctx context.Context, generation string, index int) error {
 	// Acquire a read lock on the database during snapshot to prevent checkpoints.
@@ -557,7 +606,7 @@ func (r *FileReplica) snapshot(ctx context.Context, generation string, index int
 		return err
 	}
 
-	log.Printf("%s(%s): snapshot: creating %s/%08x t=%s", r.db.Path(), r.Name(), generation, index, time.Since(startTime))
+	log.Printf("%s(%s): snapshot: creating %s/%08x t=%s", r.db.Path(), r.Name(), generation, index, time.Since(startTime).Truncate(time.Millisecond))
 	return nil
 }
 
diff --git a/s3/s3.go b/s3/s3.go
index e9eb01b..d1e3b4d 100644
--- a/s3/s3.go
+++ b/s3/s3.go
@@ -80,6 +80,9 @@ type Replica struct {
 	// Time between syncs with the shadow WAL.
 	SyncInterval time.Duration
 
+	// Frequency to create new snapshots.
+	SnapshotInterval time.Duration
+
 	// Time to keep snapshots and related WAL files.
 	// Database is snapshotted after interval and older WAL files are discarded.
 	Retention time.Duration
@@ -427,9 +430,10 @@ func (r *Replica) Start(ctx context.Context) {
 	ctx, r.cancel = context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
 	// Start goroutines to manage replica data.
-	r.wg.Add(3)
+	r.wg.Add(4)
 	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.monitor(ctx) }()
 	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.retainer(ctx) }()
+	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.snapshotter(ctx) }()
 	go func() { defer r.wg.Done(); r.validator(ctx) }()
 }
 
@@ -479,7 +483,18 @@ func (r *Replica) monitor(ctx context.Context) {
 
 // retainer runs in a separate goroutine and handles retention.
 func (r *Replica) retainer(ctx context.Context) {
-	ticker := time.NewTicker(r.RetentionCheckInterval)
+	// Disable retention enforcement if retention period is non-positive.
+	if r.Retention <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	// Ensure check interval is not longer than retention period.
+	checkInterval := r.RetentionCheckInterval
+	if checkInterval > r.Retention {
+		checkInterval = r.Retention
+	}
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(checkInterval)
 	defer ticker.Stop()
 
 	for {
@@ -495,6 +510,28 @@ func (r *Replica) retainer(ctx context.Context) {
 	}
 }
 
+// snapshotter runs in a separate goroutine and handles snapshotting.
+func (r *Replica) snapshotter(ctx context.Context) {
+	if r.SnapshotInterval <= 0 {
+		return
+	}
+
+	ticker := time.NewTicker(r.SnapshotInterval)
+	defer ticker.Stop()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-ticker.C:
+			if err := r.Snapshot(ctx); err != nil && err != litestream.ErrNoGeneration {
+				log.Printf("%s(%s): snapshotter error: %s", r.db.Path(), r.Name(), err)
+				continue
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
+
 // validator runs in a separate goroutine and handles periodic validation.
 func (r *Replica) validator(ctx context.Context) {
 	// Initialize counters since validation occurs infrequently.
@@ -572,6 +609,18 @@ func (r *Replica) CalcPos(ctx context.Context, generation string) (pos litestrea
 	return pos, nil
 }
 
+// Snapshot copies the entire database to the replica path.
+func (r *Replica) Snapshot(ctx context.Context) error {
+	// Find current position of database.
+	pos, err := r.db.Pos()
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("cannot determine current db generation: %w", err)
+	} else if pos.IsZero() {
+		return litestream.ErrNoGeneration
+	}
+	return r.snapshot(ctx, pos.Generation, pos.Index)
+}
+
 // snapshot copies the entire database to the replica path.
 func (r *Replica) snapshot(ctx context.Context, generation string, index int) error {
 	// Acquire a read lock on the database during snapshot to prevent checkpoints.
@@ -620,7 +669,7 @@ func (r *Replica) snapshot(ctx context.Context, generation string, index int) er
 	r.putOperationTotalCounter.Inc()
 	r.putOperationBytesCounter.Add(float64(fi.Size()))
 
-	log.Printf("%s(%s): snapshot: creating %s/%08x t=%s", r.db.Path(), r.Name(), generation, index, time.Since(startTime))
+	log.Printf("%s(%s): snapshot: creating %s/%08x t=%s", r.db.Path(), r.Name(), generation, index, time.Since(startTime).Truncate(time.Millisecond))
 
 	return nil
 }