diff --git a/src/backend/commands/foreigncmds.c b/src/backend/commands/foreigncmds.c
index 1899d36c3b4..5960046ee4a 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/foreigncmds.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/foreigncmds.c
@@ -744,6 +744,11 @@ AlterForeignDataWrapper(AlterFdwStmt *stmt)
 		ereport(WARNING,
 				(errmsg("changing the foreign-data wrapper handler can change behavior of existing foreign tables")));
 	}
+	else
+	{
+		/* handler unchanged */
+		fdwhandler = fdwForm->fdwhandler;
+	}
 
 	if (validator_given)
 	{
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/foreign_data.out b/src/test/regress/expected/foreign_data.out
index c9381bd260f..b1239c7c6c7 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/foreign_data.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/foreign_data.out
@@ -96,6 +96,13 @@ ERROR:  function invalid_fdw_handler must return type fdw_handler
 CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw HANDLER test_fdw_handler HANDLER invalid_fdw_handler;  -- ERROR
 ERROR:  conflicting or redundant options
 CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw HANDLER test_fdw_handler;
+-- should preserve dependency on test_fdw_handler
+ALTER FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw VALIDATOR postgresql_fdw_validator;
+WARNING:  changing the foreign-data wrapper validator can cause the options for dependent objects to become invalid
+DROP FUNCTION test_fdw_handler(); -- ERROR
+ERROR:  cannot drop function test_fdw_handler() because other objects depend on it
+DETAIL:  foreign-data wrapper test_fdw depends on function test_fdw_handler()
+HINT:  Use DROP ... CASCADE to drop the dependent objects too.
 DROP FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw;
 -- ALTER FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER
 ALTER FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER foo;                             -- ERROR
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/foreign_data.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/foreign_data.sql
index f6c7a446542..4128d6f83b7 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/foreign_data.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/foreign_data.sql
@@ -56,6 +56,11 @@ CREATE FUNCTION invalid_fdw_handler() RETURNS int LANGUAGE SQL AS 'SELECT 1;';
 CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw HANDLER invalid_fdw_handler;  -- ERROR
 CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw HANDLER test_fdw_handler HANDLER invalid_fdw_handler;  -- ERROR
 CREATE FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw HANDLER test_fdw_handler;
+
+-- should preserve dependency on test_fdw_handler
+ALTER FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw VALIDATOR postgresql_fdw_validator;
+DROP FUNCTION test_fdw_handler(); -- ERROR
+
 DROP FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER test_fdw;
 
 -- ALTER FOREIGN DATA WRAPPER