diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c b/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c
index 73fac1ba81..599203c96c 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c
@@ -573,10 +573,9 @@ CompleteCommitTsInitialization(void)
 	 * any leftover data.
 	 *
 	 * Conversely, we activate the module if the feature is enabled.  This is
-	 * not necessary in a master system because we already did it earlier, but
-	 * if we're in a standby server that got promoted which had the feature
-	 * enabled and was following a master that had the feature disabled, this
-	 * is where we turn it on locally.
+	 * necessary for primary and standby as the activation depends on the
+	 * control file contents at the beginning of recovery or when a
+	 * XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE is replayed.
 	 */
 	if (!track_commit_timestamp)
 		DeactivateCommitTs();
@@ -586,7 +585,7 @@ CompleteCommitTsInitialization(void)
 
 /*
  * Activate or deactivate CommitTs' upon reception of a XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE
- * XLog record in a standby.
+ * XLog record during recovery.
  */
 void
 CommitTsParameterChange(bool newvalue, bool oldvalue)
diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 986e8195a3..9331306cba 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -6775,11 +6775,12 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 	StartupMultiXact();
 
 	/*
-	 * Ditto commit timestamps.  In a standby, we do it if setting is enabled
-	 * in ControlFile; in a master we base the decision on the GUC itself.
+	 * Ditto for commit timestamps.  Activate the facility if the setting is
+	 * enabled in the control file, as there should be no tracking of commit
+	 * timestamps done when the setting was disabled.  This facility can be
+	 * started or stopped when replaying a XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE record.
 	 */
-	if (ArchiveRecoveryRequested ?
-		ControlFile->track_commit_timestamp : track_commit_timestamp)
+	if (ControlFile->track_commit_timestamp)
 		StartupCommitTs();
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/test/modules/commit_ts/t/004_restart.pl b/src/test/modules/commit_ts/t/004_restart.pl
index daf42d3a02..241b0b08dc 100644
--- a/src/test/modules/commit_ts/t/004_restart.pl
+++ b/src/test/modules/commit_ts/t/004_restart.pl
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Testing of commit timestamps preservation across clean restarts
+# Testing of commit timestamps preservation across restarts
 use strict;
 use warnings;
 use PostgresNode;
@@ -71,12 +71,36 @@ is($after_restart_ts, $before_restart_ts,
 	'timestamps before and after restart are equal');
 
 # Now disable commit timestamps
-
 $node_master->append_conf('postgresql.conf', 'track_commit_timestamp = off');
-
 $node_master->stop('fast');
+
+# Start the server, which generates a XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE record where
+# the parameter change is registered.
 $node_master->start;
 
+# Now restart again the server so as no XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE record are
+# replayed with the follow-up immediate shutdown.
+$node_master->restart;
+
+# Move commit timestamps across page boundaries.  Things should still
+# be able to work across restarts with those transactions committed while
+# track_commit_timestamp is disabled.
+$node_master->safe_psql('postgres',
+qq(CREATE PROCEDURE consume_xid(cnt int)
+AS \$\$
+DECLARE
+    i int;
+    BEGIN
+        FOR i in 1..cnt LOOP
+            EXECUTE 'SELECT txid_current()';
+            COMMIT;
+        END LOOP;
+    END;
+\$\$
+LANGUAGE plpgsql;
+));
+$node_master->safe_psql('postgres', 'CALL consume_xid(2000)');
+
 ($ret, $stdout, $stderr) = $node_master->psql('postgres',
 	qq[SELECT pg_xact_commit_timestamp('$xid');]);
 is($ret, 3, 'no commit timestamp from enable tx when cts disabled');
@@ -106,10 +130,12 @@ like(
 # Re-enable, restart and ensure we can still get the old timestamps
 $node_master->append_conf('postgresql.conf', 'track_commit_timestamp = on');
 
-$node_master->stop('fast');
+# An immediate shutdown is used here.  At next startup recovery will
+# replay transactions which committed when track_commit_timestamp was
+# disabled, and the facility should be able to work properly.
+$node_master->stop('immediate');
 $node_master->start;
 
-
 my $after_enable_ts = $node_master->safe_psql('postgres',
 	qq[SELECT pg_xact_commit_timestamp('$xid');]);
 is($after_enable_ts, '', 'timestamp of enabled tx null after re-enable');