diff --git a/CHANGES/+remote-policy.feature b/CHANGES/+remote-policy.feature
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..712da8f4e85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/CHANGES/+remote-policy.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Added `UpstreamPulp.remote_policy` so remotes created during replication can use `on_demand` or `streamed` instead of defaulting to `immediate`.
diff --git a/docs/user/guides/replication.md b/docs/user/guides/replication.md
index a8b627e3e42..7bf07c3a4c6 100644
--- a/docs/user/guides/replication.md
+++ b/docs/user/guides/replication.md
@@ -48,6 +48,7 @@ pulp upstream-pulp create \
 | `tls_validation` | Whether to verify the upstream server's TLS certificate. Defaults to `True`. |
 | `q_select` | A filter expression to select which upstream distributions to replicate. See [Filtering Distributions](#filtering-distributions-with-q_select). |
 | `policy` | Controls how replication manages local objects. One of `all`, `labeled`, or `nodelete`. See [Replication Policies](#replication-policies). Defaults to `all`. |
+| `remote_policy` | Download policy for remotes created during replication. One of `immediate`, `on_demand`, or `streamed`. Distinct from `policy`. When unset, remotes use Pulp's default (`immediate`). |
 
 ## Running Replication
 
@@ -151,7 +152,8 @@ pulp upstream-pulp replicate --upstream-pulp "my-upstream"
 ## Replication Policies
 
 The `policy` field controls how replication handles local objects, particularly when upstream
-distributions are removed or no longer match a `q_select` filter.
+distributions are removed or no longer match a `q_select` filter. It is not the same as a remote's
+download policy (`immediate`, `on_demand`, or `streamed`); set that with `remote_policy`.
 
 ### `all` (default)
 
diff --git a/pulpcore/app/migrations/0160_upstreampulp_remote_policy.py b/pulpcore/app/migrations/0160_upstreampulp_remote_policy.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..e319f3d2151
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pulpcore/app/migrations/0160_upstreampulp_remote_policy.py
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+from django.db import migrations, models
+
+
+class Migration(migrations.Migration):
+
+    dependencies = [
+        ("core", "0159_alter_contentartifact_relative_path_and_more"),
+    ]
+
+    operations = [
+        migrations.AddField(
+            model_name="upstreampulp",
+            name="remote_policy",
+            field=models.TextField(
+                choices=[
+                    ("immediate", "When syncing, download all metadata and content now."),
+                    (
+                        "on_demand",
+                        "When syncing, download metadata, but do not download content now. "
+                        "Instead, download content as clients request it, and save it in Pulp "
+                        "to be served for future client requests.",
+                    ),
+                    (
+                        "streamed",
+                        "When syncing, download metadata, but do not download content now. "
+                        "Instead,download content as clients request it, but never save it in "
+                        "Pulp. This causes future requests for that same content to have to be "
+                        "downloaded again.",
+                    ),
+                ],
+                null=True,
+            ),
+        ),
+    ]
diff --git a/pulpcore/app/models/replica.py b/pulpcore/app/models/replica.py
index 29b32c4d5c0..4bbd7fa73a4 100644
--- a/pulpcore/app/models/replica.py
+++ b/pulpcore/app/models/replica.py
@@ -11,6 +11,8 @@
 from pulpcore.app.util import get_domain_pk
 from pulpcore.plugin.models import AutoAddObjPermsMixin, BaseModel, EncryptedTextField
 
+from .repository import Remote
+
 
 class UpstreamPulp(BaseModel, AutoAddObjPermsMixin):
     ALL = "all"
@@ -59,6 +61,7 @@ class UpstreamPulp(BaseModel, AutoAddObjPermsMixin):
     sock_read_timeout = models.FloatField(
         null=True, validators=[MinValueValidator(0.0, "Timeout must be >= 0")]
     )
+    remote_policy = models.TextField(choices=Remote.POLICY_CHOICES, null=True)
 
     q_select = models.TextField(null=True)
     policy = models.TextField(choices=POLICY_CHOICES, default=ALL)
diff --git a/pulpcore/app/serializers/replica.py b/pulpcore/app/serializers/replica.py
index 7d13425865f..e130ac8afee 100644
--- a/pulpcore/app/serializers/replica.py
+++ b/pulpcore/app/serializers/replica.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 from rest_framework import serializers
 from rest_framework.validators import UniqueValidator
 
-from pulpcore.app.models import UpstreamPulp
+from pulpcore.app.models import Remote, UpstreamPulp
 from pulpcore.app.serializers import (
     HiddenFieldsMixin,
     IdentityField,
@@ -122,6 +122,16 @@ class UpstreamPulpSerializer(ModelSerializer, HiddenFieldsMixin):
         ),
         min_value=0.0,
     )
+    remote_policy = serializers.ChoiceField(
+        choices=Remote.POLICY_CHOICES,
+        help_text=_(
+            "Download policy for remotes created during replication. One of 'immediate', "
+            "'on_demand', or 'streamed'. Distinct from 'policy', which controls how replicate "
+            "manages local objects. Defaults to the Remote default ('immediate') when unset."
+        ),
+        required=False,
+        allow_null=True,
+    )
 
     pulp_last_updated = serializers.DateTimeField(
         help_text="Timestamp of the most recent update of the remote.", read_only=True
@@ -178,6 +188,7 @@ class Meta:
             "connect_timeout",
             "sock_connect_timeout",
             "sock_read_timeout",
+            "remote_policy",
             "pulp_last_updated",
             "hidden_fields",
             "q_select",
diff --git a/pulpcore/app/tasks/replica.py b/pulpcore/app/tasks/replica.py
index 19de2bd60ed..e2bb50295d8 100644
--- a/pulpcore/app/tasks/replica.py
+++ b/pulpcore/app/tasks/replica.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 from pulp_glue.common.exceptions import PulpException as GluePulpException
 
 from pulpcore.app.apps import PulpAppConfig, pulp_plugin_configs
-from pulpcore.app.models import Distribution, Repository, Task, TaskGroup, UpstreamPulp
+from pulpcore.app.models import Distribution, Remote, Repository, Task, TaskGroup, UpstreamPulp
 from pulpcore.app.replica import ReplicaContext, distros_lock_uri
 from pulpcore.constants import TASK_STATES
 from pulpcore.exceptions import ExternalServiceError
@@ -52,6 +52,24 @@ def _ssl_temp_files(server):
                 pass
 
 
+def _build_remote_settings(server):
+    """Build fields copied onto remotes created during replication."""
+    remote_settings = {
+        "ca_cert": server.ca_cert,
+        "tls_validation": server.tls_validation,
+        "client_cert": server.client_cert,
+        "client_key": server.client_key,
+        "download_concurrency": server.download_concurrency,
+        "max_retries": server.max_retries,
+        "total_timeout": server.total_timeout,
+        "connect_timeout": server.connect_timeout,
+        "sock_connect_timeout": server.sock_connect_timeout,
+        "sock_read_timeout": server.sock_read_timeout,
+    }
+    remote_settings["policy"] = server.remote_policy or Remote.IMMEDIATE
+    return remote_settings
+
+
 def replicate_distributions(server_pk, q_select=None, **kwargs):
     server = UpstreamPulp.objects.get(pk=server_pk)
     with _ssl_temp_files(server) as ssl_files:
@@ -75,18 +93,7 @@ def replicate_distributions(server_pk, q_select=None, **kwargs):
             }
         )
 
-        remote_settings = {
-            "ca_cert": server.ca_cert,
-            "tls_validation": server.tls_validation,
-            "client_cert": server.client_cert,
-            "client_key": server.client_key,
-            "download_concurrency": server.download_concurrency,
-            "max_retries": server.max_retries,
-            "total_timeout": server.total_timeout,
-            "connect_timeout": server.connect_timeout,
-            "sock_connect_timeout": server.sock_connect_timeout,
-            "sock_read_timeout": server.sock_read_timeout,
-        }
+        remote_settings = _build_remote_settings(server)
         try:
             task_group = TaskGroup.current()
             supported_replicators = []
diff --git a/pulpcore/tests/functional/api/test_replication.py b/pulpcore/tests/functional/api/test_replication.py
index f208a4be082..914fa1974fa 100644
--- a/pulpcore/tests/functional/api/test_replication.py
+++ b/pulpcore/tests/functional/api/test_replication.py
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ def test_replication_remote_settings_propagation(
     assert remote.sock_read_timeout == 45.0
     assert remote.download_concurrency == 5
     assert remote.max_retries == 7
+    assert remote.policy == "immediate"
 
     # Update all settings and re-replicate to verify propagation on update
     pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.partial_update(
@@ -281,6 +282,95 @@ def test_replication_remote_settings_propagation(
     assert remote.max_retries == 2
 
 
+@pytest.mark.parallel
+def test_replication_remote_policy(
+    domain_factory,
+    bindings_cfg,
+    pulpcore_bindings,
+    file_bindings,
+    monitor_task,
+    monitor_task_group,
+    pulp_settings,
+    gen_object_with_cleanup,
+    file_distribution_factory,
+    file_publication_factory,
+    file_repository_factory,
+    tmp_path,
+    add_domain_objects_to_cleanup,
+):
+    """Remotes created by replicate() inherit UpstreamPulp.remote_policy when set."""
+    source_domain = domain_factory()
+    add_domain_objects_to_cleanup(source_domain)
+
+    repository = file_repository_factory(pulp_domain=source_domain.name)
+    file_path = tmp_path / "file.txt"
+    file_path.write_text("DEADBEEF")
+    monitor_task(
+        file_bindings.ContentFilesApi.create(
+            file=str(file_path),
+            relative_path="file.txt",
+            repository=repository.pulp_href,
+            pulp_domain=source_domain.name,
+        ).task
+    )
+    publication = file_publication_factory(
+        pulp_domain=source_domain.name, repository=repository.pulp_href
+    )
+    file_distribution_factory(pulp_domain=source_domain.name, publication=publication.pulp_href)
+
+    replica_domain = domain_factory()
+    add_domain_objects_to_cleanup(replica_domain)
+
+    upstream_pulp_body = {
+        "name": str(uuid.uuid4()),
+        "base_url": bindings_cfg.host,
+        "api_root": pulp_settings.API_ROOT,
+        "domain": source_domain.name,
+        "username": bindings_cfg.username,
+        "password": bindings_cfg.password,
+        "remote_policy": "on_demand",
+    }
+    upstream_pulp = gen_object_with_cleanup(
+        pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi, upstream_pulp_body, pulp_domain=replica_domain.name
+    )
+
+    response = pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.replicate(
+        upstream_pulp.pulp_href, pulpcore_bindings.module.UpstreamPulpReplicate()
+    )
+    monitor_task_group(response.task_group)
+
+    result = file_bindings.RemotesFileApi.list(pulp_domain=replica_domain.name)
+    assert result.count == 1
+    remote = result.results[0]
+    assert remote.policy == "on_demand"
+
+    pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.partial_update(
+        upstream_pulp.pulp_href, {"remote_policy": "streamed"}
+    )
+    response = pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.replicate(
+        upstream_pulp.pulp_href, pulpcore_bindings.module.UpstreamPulpReplicate()
+    )
+    monitor_task_group(response.task_group)
+
+    remote = file_bindings.RemotesFileApi.list(pulp_domain=replica_domain.name).results[0]
+    assert remote.policy == "streamed"
+
+    # Model class needed: raw dict {"remote_policy": None} is dropped by the client.
+    pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.partial_update(
+        upstream_pulp.pulp_href,
+        pulpcore_bindings.module.PatchedUpstreamPulp(remote_policy=None),
+    )
+    upstream_pulp = pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.read(upstream_pulp.pulp_href)
+    assert upstream_pulp.remote_policy is None
+    response = pulpcore_bindings.UpstreamPulpsApi.replicate(
+        upstream_pulp.pulp_href, pulpcore_bindings.module.UpstreamPulpReplicate()
+    )
+    monitor_task_group(response.task_group)
+
+    remote = file_bindings.RemotesFileApi.list(pulp_domain=replica_domain.name).results[0]
+    assert remote.policy == "immediate"
+
+
 @pytest.mark.parallel
 def test_replication_with_repo_based_distribution(
     domain_factory,
diff --git a/pulpcore/tests/unit/test_replica.py b/pulpcore/tests/unit/test_replica.py
index 8a7c550281e..a07574e7396 100644
--- a/pulpcore/tests/unit/test_replica.py
+++ b/pulpcore/tests/unit/test_replica.py
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
 
 import pytest
 
+from pulpcore.app.models import Remote
 from pulpcore.app.tasks import replica
-from pulpcore.app.tasks.replica import _ssl_temp_files
+from pulpcore.app.tasks.replica import _build_remote_settings, _ssl_temp_files
 
 
 def test_ssl_temp_files_keep_all_certs_until_context_exits(tmp_path, monkeypatch):
@@ -76,6 +77,7 @@ def test_replicate_distributions_sets_verify_ssl(
         connect_timeout=5,
         sock_connect_timeout=5,
         sock_read_timeout=5,
+        remote_policy=None,
         q_select=None,
         pulp_domain_id="domain-id",
         pk="server-pk",
@@ -118,3 +120,35 @@ def fake_from_config(config):
         assert isinstance(captured["config"]["verify_ssl"], str)
     else:
         assert captured["config"]["verify_ssl"] is False
+
+
+def _fake_server(**overrides):
+    base = {
+        "ca_cert": "api-ca",
+        "tls_validation": True,
+        "client_cert": "api-cert",
+        "client_key": "api-key",
+        "download_concurrency": 10,
+        "max_retries": 3,
+        "total_timeout": 30,
+        "connect_timeout": 5,
+        "sock_connect_timeout": 5,
+        "sock_read_timeout": 5,
+        "remote_policy": None,
+    }
+    base.update(overrides)
+    return SimpleNamespace(**base)
+
+
+def test_build_remote_settings_defaults_to_immediate_when_unset():
+    settings = _build_remote_settings(_fake_server())
+
+    assert settings["policy"] == Remote.IMMEDIATE
+    assert settings["ca_cert"] == "api-ca"
+    assert settings["download_concurrency"] == 10
+
+
+def test_build_remote_settings_includes_policy_when_set():
+    settings = _build_remote_settings(_fake_server(remote_policy="on_demand"))
+
+    assert settings["policy"] == "on_demand"