diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 8ae41bb781..419ec7d3d8 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -5914,8 +5914,13 @@ recoveryStopsBefore(XLogReaderState *record)
 		stopsHere = (recordXid == recoveryTargetXid);
 	}
 
-	if (recoveryTarget == RECOVERY_TARGET_TIME &&
-		getRecordTimestamp(record, &recordXtime))
+	/*
+	 * Note: we must fetch recordXtime regardless of recoveryTarget setting.
+	 * We don't expect getRecordTimestamp ever to fail, since we already know
+	 * this is a commit or abort record; but test its result anyway.
+	 */
+	if (getRecordTimestamp(record, &recordXtime) &&
+		recoveryTarget == RECOVERY_TARGET_TIME)
 	{
 		/*
 		 * There can be many transactions that share the same commit time, so