A database replication system comprises a plurality of replica data nodes and a master data node. The master data node is configured with an acknowledgement requirement that comprises an acknowledgement threshold that is less than a total number of data nodes in a plurality of data nodes. The master data node is configured to send, to the plurality of replica data nodes, a transaction log record that includes an update to data in the master database that has not been committed to the master database, receive acknowledgements of the transaction log records and based on a determination that the received acknowledgements of the transaction log record meet the acknowledgement requirement, set the transaction log record as a master node last acknowledged transaction log record in a master node transaction log. The last acknowledged transaction log record can be used to control recovery.