diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
index b6fd332f196..90c7c4528e8 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
@@ -304,12 +304,13 @@ static bool FatalError = false; /* T if recovering from backend crash */
  *
  * When the startup process is ready to start archive recovery, it signals the
  * postmaster, and we switch to PM_RECOVERY state. The background writer and
- * checkpointer are launched, while the startup process continues applying WAL.
- * If Hot Standby is enabled, then, after reaching a consistent point in WAL
- * redo, startup process signals us again, and we switch to PM_HOT_STANDBY
- * state and begin accepting connections to perform read-only queries.  When
- * archive recovery is finished, the startup process exits with exit code 0
- * and we switch to PM_RUN state.
+ * checkpointer are already running (as these are launched during PM_STARTUP),
+ * and the startup process continues applying WAL.  If Hot Standby is enabled,
+ * then, after reaching a consistent point in WAL redo, startup process
+ * signals us again, and we switch to PM_HOT_STANDBY state and begin accepting
+ * connections to perform read-only queries.  When archive recovery is
+ * finished, the startup process exits with exit code 0 and we switch to
+ * PM_RUN state.
  *
  * Normal child backends can only be launched when we are in PM_RUN or
  * PM_HOT_STANDBY state.  (connsAllowed can also restrict launching.)
@@ -2305,29 +2306,13 @@ process_pm_child_exit(void)
 			}
 
 			/*
-			 * Unexpected exit of startup process (including FATAL exit)
-			 * during PM_STARTUP is treated as catastrophic. There are no
-			 * other processes running yet, so we can just exit.
-			 */
-			if (pmState == PM_STARTUP &&
-				StartupStatus != STARTUP_SIGNALED &&
-				!EXIT_STATUS_0(exitstatus))
-			{
-				LogChildExit(LOG, _("startup process"),
-							 pid, exitstatus);
-				ereport(LOG,
-						(errmsg("aborting startup due to startup process failure")));
-				ExitPostmaster(1);
-			}
-
-			/*
-			 * After PM_STARTUP, any unexpected exit (including FATAL exit) of
-			 * the startup process is catastrophic, so kill other children,
-			 * and set StartupStatus so we don't try to reinitialize after
-			 * they're gone.  Exception: if StartupStatus is STARTUP_SIGNALED,
-			 * then we previously sent the startup process a SIGQUIT; so
-			 * that's probably the reason it died, and we do want to try to
-			 * restart in that case.
+			 * Any unexpected exit (including FATAL exit) of the startup
+			 * process is catastrophic, so kill other children, and set
+			 * StartupStatus so we don't try to reinitialize after they're
+			 * gone.  Exception: if StartupStatus is STARTUP_SIGNALED, then we
+			 * previously sent the startup process a SIGQUIT; so that's
+			 * probably the reason it died, and we do want to try to restart
+			 * in that case.
 			 *
 			 * This stanza also handles the case where we sent a SIGQUIT
 			 * during PM_STARTUP due to some dead-end child crashing: in that
@@ -2780,12 +2765,9 @@ HandleFatalError(QuitSignalReason reason, bool consider_sigabrt)
 			/* shouldn't have any children */
 			Assert(false);
 			break;
-		case PM_STARTUP:
-			/* should have been handled in process_pm_child_exit */
-			Assert(false);
-			break;
 
 			/* wait for children to die */
+		case PM_STARTUP:
 		case PM_RECOVERY:
 		case PM_HOT_STANDBY:
 		case PM_RUN: