diff --git a/src/backend/replication/slot.c b/src/backend/replication/slot.c
index f286918f69..3506b77cc7 100644
--- a/src/backend/replication/slot.c
+++ b/src/backend/replication/slot.c
@@ -1140,7 +1140,7 @@ CheckSlotRequirements(void)
 void
 CheckSlotPermissions(void)
 {
-	if (!superuser() && !has_rolreplication(GetUserId()))
+	if (!has_rolreplication(GetUserId()))
 		ereport(ERROR,
 				(errcode(ERRCODE_INSUFFICIENT_PRIVILEGE),
 				 errmsg("must be superuser or replication role to use replication slots")));
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c b/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
index 7eb7fe87f6..a604432126 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
@@ -709,6 +709,10 @@ has_rolreplication(Oid roleid)
 	bool		result = false;
 	HeapTuple	utup;
 
+	/* Superusers bypass all permission checking. */
+	if (superuser_arg(roleid))
+		return true;
+
 	utup = SearchSysCache1(AUTHOID, ObjectIdGetDatum(roleid));
 	if (HeapTupleIsValid(utup))
 	{
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/init/postinit.c b/src/backend/utils/init/postinit.c
index b0e20cc635..3026317bfc 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/init/postinit.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/init/postinit.c
@@ -962,7 +962,7 @@ InitPostgres(const char *in_dbname, Oid dboid,
 	{
 		Assert(!bootstrap);
 
-		if (!superuser() && !has_rolreplication(GetUserId()))
+		if (!has_rolreplication(GetUserId()))
 			ereport(FATAL,
 					(errcode(ERRCODE_INSUFFICIENT_PRIVILEGE),
 					 errmsg("must be superuser or replication role to start walsender")));