diff --git a/src/backend/access/gist/gistget.c b/src/backend/access/gist/gistget.c
index 4d7c100d737..e8a1e456287 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/gist/gistget.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/gist/gistget.c
@@ -409,10 +409,12 @@ gistScanPage(IndexScanDesc scan, GISTSearchItem *pageItem,
 		MemoryContextReset(so->pageDataCxt);
 
 	/*
-	 * We save the LSN of the page as we read it, so that we know whether it
-	 * is safe to apply LP_DEAD hints to the page later. This allows us to
-	 * drop the pin for MVCC scans, which allows vacuum to avoid blocking.
+	 * Save the current page's block number for a possible gistkillitems()
+	 * call later.  We also save its LSN, so that we know whether it is safe
+	 * to apply the LP_DEAD hints to the page later.  This allows us to drop
+	 * the pin for MVCC scans, which allows vacuum to avoid blocking.
 	 */
+	so->curBlkno = pageItem->blkno;
 	so->curPageLSN = BufferGetLSNAtomic(buffer);
 
 	/*
@@ -730,9 +732,6 @@ gistgettuple(IndexScanDesc scan, ScanDirection dir)
 
 				CHECK_FOR_INTERRUPTS();
 
-				/* save current item BlockNumber for next gistkillitems() call */
-				so->curBlkno = item->blkno;
-
 				/*
 				 * While scanning a leaf page, ItemPointers of matching heap
 				 * tuples are stored in so->pageData.  If there are any on
diff --git a/src/test/modules/index/expected/killtuples.out b/src/test/modules/index/expected/killtuples.out
index a3db2c40936..1d944b493c2 100644
--- a/src/test/modules/index/expected/killtuples.out
+++ b/src/test/modules/index/expected/killtuples.out
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ step flush: SELECT FROM pg_stat_force_next_flush();
 step result: SELECT ((heap_blks_read + heap_blks_hit - counter.heap_accesses) > 0) AS has_new_heap_accesses FROM counter, pg_statio_all_tables WHERE relname = 'kill_prior_tuple';
 has_new_heap_accesses
 ---------------------
-t                    
+f                    
 (1 row)
 
 step drop_table: DROP TABLE IF EXISTS kill_prior_tuple;
diff --git a/src/test/modules/index/specs/killtuples.spec b/src/test/modules/index/specs/killtuples.spec
index 3b98ff9f76d..59e58adf610 100644
--- a/src/test/modules/index/specs/killtuples.spec
+++ b/src/test/modules/index/specs/killtuples.spec
@@ -96,7 +96,8 @@ permutation
   measure access flush result
   drop_table drop_ext_btree_gist
 
-# Test gist, but with fewer rows - shows that killitems doesn't work anymore!
+# Test gist, but with fewer rows (tests for an old bug where
+# gistkillitems didn't remove items on the root page)
 permutation
   create_table fill_10 create_ext_btree_gist create_gist flush
   disable_seq disable_bitmap