diff --git a/src/controller/replication/model/model.go b/src/controller/replication/model/model.go
index 6821640a4cc..a257687a72a 100644
--- a/src/controller/replication/model/model.go
+++ b/src/controller/replication/model/model.go
@@ -108,6 +108,13 @@ func (p *Policy) Validate() error {
 				return errors.New(nil).WithCode(errors.BadRequestCode).
 					WithMessage("invalid cron string for scheduled trigger: %s", p.Trigger.Settings.Cron)
 			}
+			cronParts := strings.Split(p.Trigger.Settings.Cron, " ")
+			if cronParts[0] != "0" {
+				return errors.New(nil).WithCode(errors.BadRequestCode).WithMessage("the 1st field (indicating Seconds of time) of the cron setting must be 0")
+			}
+			if cronParts[1] == "*" {
+				return errors.New(nil).WithCode(errors.BadRequestCode).WithMessage("* is not allowed for the Minutes field of the cron setting of replication policy")
+			}
 		default:
 			return errors.New(nil).WithCode(errors.BadRequestCode).
 				WithMessage("invalid trigger type")
diff --git a/src/controller/replication/model/model_test.go b/src/controller/replication/model/model_test.go
index c396b99174e..fa84ca0cca6 100644
--- a/src/controller/replication/model/model_test.go
+++ b/src/controller/replication/model/model_test.go
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 	err = policy.Validate()
 	assert.True(errors.IsErr(err, errors.BadRequestCode))
 
-	// pass
+	// invalid cron: the 1st field (indicating Seconds of time) of the cron setting must be 0
 	policy = &Policy{
 		Name: "policy01",
 		SrcRegistry: &model.Registry{
@@ -226,5 +226,63 @@ func TestValidate(t *testing.T) {
 		},
 	}
 	err = policy.Validate()
+	assert.True(errors.IsErr(err, errors.BadRequestCode))
+
+	// invalid cron: * is not allowed for the Minutes field of the cron setting of replication policy
+	policy = &Policy{
+		Name: "policy01",
+		SrcRegistry: &model.Registry{
+			ID: 0,
+		},
+		DestRegistry: &model.Registry{
+			ID: 1,
+		},
+		Filters: []*model.Filter{
+			{
+				Type:  model.FilterTypeResource,
+				Value: "image",
+			},
+			{
+				Type:  model.FilterTypeName,
+				Value: "library/**",
+			},
+		},
+		Trigger: &model.Trigger{
+			Type: model.TriggerTypeScheduled,
+			Settings: &model.TriggerSettings{
+				Cron: "0 * * * * *",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	err = policy.Validate()
+	assert.True(errors.IsErr(err, errors.BadRequestCode))
+
+	// pass
+	policy = &Policy{
+		Name: "policy01",
+		SrcRegistry: &model.Registry{
+			ID: 0,
+		},
+		DestRegistry: &model.Registry{
+			ID: 1,
+		},
+		Filters: []*model.Filter{
+			{
+				Type:  model.FilterTypeResource,
+				Value: "image",
+			},
+			{
+				Type:  model.FilterTypeName,
+				Value: "library/**",
+			},
+		},
+		Trigger: &model.Trigger{
+			Type: model.TriggerTypeScheduled,
+			Settings: &model.TriggerSettings{
+				Cron: "0 0 * * * *",
+			},
+		},
+	}
+	err = policy.Validate()
 	assert.Nil(err)
 }
diff --git a/src/controller/replication/policy_test.go b/src/controller/replication/policy_test.go
index cde3a8af192..f10a2d4be88 100644
--- a/src/controller/replication/policy_test.go
+++ b/src/controller/replication/policy_test.go
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ func (r *replicationTestSuite) TestCreatePolicy() {
 		Trigger: &model.Trigger{
 			Type: model.TriggerTypeScheduled,
 			Settings: &model.TriggerSettings{
-				Cron: "0 * * * * *",
+				Cron: "0 0 * * * *",
 			},
 		},
 		Enabled: true,
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ func (r *replicationTestSuite) TestUpdatePolicy() {
 		Trigger: &model.Trigger{
 			Type: model.TriggerTypeScheduled,
 			Settings: &model.TriggerSettings{
-				Cron: "0 * * * * *",
+				Cron: "0 0 * * * *",
 			},
 		},
 		Enabled: true,