diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index d08b38213b..39c58d00fe 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -66,8 +66,8 @@ extern uint32 bootstrap_data_checksum_version;
 /* File path names (all relative to $PGDATA) */
 #define RECOVERY_COMMAND_FILE	"recovery.conf"
 #define RECOVERY_COMMAND_DONE	"recovery.done"
-#define PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE "promote"
-#define FAST_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE "fast_promote"
+#define PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE		"promote"
+#define FALLBACK_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE "fallback_promote"
 
 
 /* User-settable parameters */
@@ -11082,19 +11082,20 @@ CheckForStandbyTrigger(void)
 	{
 		/*
 		 * In 9.1 and 9.2 the postmaster unlinked the promote file inside the
-		 * signal handler. We now leave the file in place and let the Startup
-		 * process do the unlink. This allows Startup to know whether we're
-		 * doing fast or normal promotion. Fast promotion takes precedence.
+		 * signal handler. It now leaves the file in place and lets the
+		 * Startup process do the unlink. This allows Startup to know whether
+		 * it should create a full checkpoint before starting up (fallback
+		 * mode). Fast promotion takes precedence.
 		 */
-		if (stat(FAST_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0)
+		if (stat(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0)
 		{
-			unlink(FAST_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
 			unlink(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
+			unlink(FALLBACK_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
 			fast_promote = true;
 		}
-		else if (stat(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0)
+		else if (stat(FALLBACK_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0)
 		{
-			unlink(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
+			unlink(FALLBACK_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
 			fast_promote = false;
 		}
 
@@ -11130,7 +11131,7 @@ CheckPromoteSignal(void)
 	struct stat stat_buf;
 
 	if (stat(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0 ||
-		stat(FAST_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0)
+		stat(FALLBACK_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE, &stat_buf) == 0)
 		return true;
 
 	return false;
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c b/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
index ff3e359898..cf50481b74 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
@@ -1099,12 +1099,11 @@ do_promote(void)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * For 9.3 onwards, use fast promotion as the default option. Promotion
+	 * For 9.3 onwards, "fast" promotion is performed. Promotion
 	 * with a full checkpoint is still possible by writing a file called
-	 * "promote", e.g. snprintf(promote_file, MAXPGPATH, "%s/promote",
-	 * pg_data);
+	 * "fallback_promote" instead of "promote"
 	 */
-	snprintf(promote_file, MAXPGPATH, "%s/fast_promote", pg_data);
+	snprintf(promote_file, MAXPGPATH, "%s/promote", pg_data);
 
 	if ((prmfile = fopen(promote_file, "w")) == NULL)
 	{