diff --git a/api/target.go b/api/target.go
index c89f1a3fd..1c78b915d 100644
--- a/api/target.go
+++ b/api/target.go
@@ -190,14 +190,14 @@ func (t *TargetAPI) Post() {
 		t.CustomAbort(http.StatusConflict, "name is already used")
 	}
 
-	ta, err = dao.GetRepTargetByConnInfo(target.URL, target.Username)
+	ta, err = dao.GetRepTargetByEndpoint(target.URL)
 	if err != nil {
-		log.Errorf("failed to get target [ %s %s ]: %v", target.URL, target.Username, err)
+		log.Errorf("failed to get target [ %s ]: %v", target.URL, err)
 		t.CustomAbort(http.StatusInternalServerError, http.StatusText(http.StatusInternalServerError))
 	}
 
 	if ta != nil {
-		t.CustomAbort(http.StatusConflict, "the connection information[ endpoint, username ] is conflict with other target")
+		t.CustomAbort(http.StatusConflict, fmt.Sprintf("the target whose endpoint is %s already exists", target.URL))
 	}
 
 	if len(target.Password) != 0 {
@@ -260,15 +260,15 @@ func (t *TargetAPI) Put() {
 		}
 	}
 
-	if target.URL != originalTarget.URL || target.Username != originalTarget.Username {
-		ta, err := dao.GetRepTargetByConnInfo(target.URL, target.Username)
+	if target.URL != originalTarget.URL {
+		ta, err := dao.GetRepTargetByEndpoint(target.URL)
 		if err != nil {
-			log.Errorf("failed to get target [ %s %s ]: %v", target.URL, target.Username, err)
+			log.Errorf("failed to get target [ %s ]: %v", target.URL, err)
 			t.CustomAbort(http.StatusInternalServerError, http.StatusText(http.StatusInternalServerError))
 		}
 
 		if ta != nil {
-			t.CustomAbort(http.StatusConflict, "the connection information[ endpoint, username ] is conflict with other target")
+			t.CustomAbort(http.StatusConflict, fmt.Sprintf("the target whose endpoint is %s already exists", target.URL))
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/dao/dao_test.go b/dao/dao_test.go
index 699224700..3d375927d 100644
--- a/dao/dao_test.go
+++ b/dao/dao_test.go
@@ -855,6 +855,22 @@ func TestGetRepTargetByName(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 }
 
+func TestGetRepTargetByEndpoint(t *testing.T) {
+	target, err := GetRepTarget(targetID)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to get target %d: %v", targetID, err)
+	}
+
+	target2, err := GetRepTargetByEndpoint(target.URL)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("failed to get target %s: %v", target.URL, err)
+	}
+
+	if target.URL != target2.URL {
+		t.Errorf("unexpected target URL: %s, expected: %s", target2.URL, target.URL)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestUpdateRepTarget(t *testing.T) {
 	target := &models.RepTarget{
 		Name:     "name",
diff --git a/dao/replication_job.go b/dao/replication_job.go
index adc47391c..1c5a31cbc 100644
--- a/dao/replication_job.go
+++ b/dao/replication_job.go
@@ -53,14 +53,13 @@ func GetRepTargetByName(name string) (*models.RepTarget, error) {
 	return &t, err
 }
 
-// GetRepTargetByConnInfo ...
-func GetRepTargetByConnInfo(endpoint, username string) (*models.RepTarget, error) {
+// GetRepTargetByEndpoint ...
+func GetRepTargetByEndpoint(endpoint string) (*models.RepTarget, error) {
 	o := GetOrmer()
 	t := models.RepTarget{
-		URL:      endpoint,
-		Username: username,
+		URL: endpoint,
 	}
-	err := o.Read(&t, "URL", "Username")
+	err := o.Read(&t, "URL")
 	if err == orm.ErrNoRows {
 		return nil, nil
 	}
diff --git a/job/replication/transfer.go b/job/replication/transfer.go
index 8ac3015bd..506f35477 100644
--- a/job/replication/transfer.go
+++ b/job/replication/transfer.go
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/docker/distribution"
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/manifest/schema1"
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/manifest/schema2"
+	"github.com/vmware/harbor/dao"
 	"github.com/vmware/harbor/models"
 	"github.com/vmware/harbor/utils/log"
 	"github.com/vmware/harbor/utils/registry"
@@ -192,7 +193,13 @@ enter:
 		return "", err
 	}
 	if !exist {
-		err := c.createProject()
+		project, err := dao.GetProjectByName(c.project)
+		if err != nil {
+			c.logger.Errorf("an error occurred while getting project %s on %s: %v", c.project, c.srcURL, err)
+			return "", err
+		}
+
+		err = c.createProject(project.Public == 1)
 		if err != nil {
 			// other job may be also doing the same thing when the current job
 			// is creating project, so when the response code is 409, re-check
@@ -286,13 +293,13 @@ func (c *Checker) projectExist() (exist, canWrite bool, err error) {
 	return
 }
 
-func (c *Checker) createProject() error {
-	// TODO handle publicity of project
+func (c *Checker) createProject(isPublic bool) error {
 	project := struct {
 		ProjectName string `json:"project_name"`
 		Public      bool   `json:"public"`
 	}{
 		ProjectName: c.project,
+		Public:      isPublic,
 	}
 
 	data, err := json.Marshal(project)
@@ -495,8 +502,8 @@ func (m *ManifestPusher) enter() (string, error) {
 	} else {
 		m.logger.Infof("manifest of %s:%s exists on source registry %s, continue manifest pushing", name, tag, m.srcURL)
 
-		_, manifestExist, err := m.dstClient.ManifestExist(m.digest)
-		if manifestExist {
+		digest, manifestExist, err := m.dstClient.ManifestExist(tag)
+		if manifestExist && digest == m.digest {
 			m.logger.Infof("manifest of %s:%s exists on destination registry %s, skip manifest pushing", name, tag, m.dstURL)
 
 			m.tags = m.tags[1:]