diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/pgarch.c b/src/backend/postmaster/pgarch.c
index 844b9d1b0e..0dcf609f19 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/pgarch.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/pgarch.c
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 #include <fcntl.h>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <time.h>
+#include <sys/stat.h>
 #include <sys/time.h>
 #include <sys/wait.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -59,8 +60,18 @@
 #define PGARCH_RESTART_INTERVAL 10	/* How often to attempt to restart a
 									 * failed archiver; in seconds. */
 
+/*
+ * Maximum number of retries allowed when attempting to archive a WAL
+ * file.
+ */
 #define NUM_ARCHIVE_RETRIES 3
 
+/*
+ * Maximum number of retries allowed when attempting to remove an
+ * orphan archive status file.
+ */
+#define NUM_ORPHAN_CLEANUP_RETRIES 3
+
 
 /* ----------
  * Local data
@@ -424,9 +435,13 @@ pgarch_ArchiverCopyLoop(void)
 	while (pgarch_readyXlog(xlog))
 	{
 		int			failures = 0;
+		int			failures_orphan = 0;
 
 		for (;;)
 		{
+			struct stat stat_buf;
+			char		pathname[MAXPGPATH];
+
 			/*
 			 * Do not initiate any more archive commands after receiving
 			 * SIGTERM, nor after the postmaster has died unexpectedly. The
@@ -456,6 +471,46 @@ pgarch_ArchiverCopyLoop(void)
 				return;
 			}
 
+			/*
+			 * Since archive status files are not removed in a durable manner,
+			 * a system crash could leave behind .ready files for WAL segments
+			 * that have already been recycled or removed.  In this case,
+			 * simply remove the orphan status file and move on.  unlink() is
+			 * used here as even on subsequent crashes the same orphan files
+			 * would get removed, so there is no need to worry about
+			 * durability.
+			 */
+			snprintf(pathname, MAXPGPATH, XLOGDIR "/%s", xlog);
+			if (stat(pathname, &stat_buf) != 0 && errno == ENOENT)
+			{
+				char		xlogready[MAXPGPATH];
+
+				StatusFilePath(xlogready, xlog, ".ready");
+				if (unlink(xlogready) == 0)
+				{
+					ereport(WARNING,
+							(errmsg("removed orphan archive status file \"%s\"",
+									xlogready)));
+
+					/* leave loop and move to the next status file */
+					break;
+				}
+
+				if (++failures_orphan >= NUM_ORPHAN_CLEANUP_RETRIES)
+				{
+					ereport(WARNING,
+							(errmsg("removal of orphan archive status file \"%s\" failed too many times, will try again later",
+									xlogready)));
+
+					/* give up cleanup of orphan status files */
+					return;
+				}
+
+				/* wait a bit before retrying */
+				pg_usleep(1000000L);
+				continue;
+			}
+
 			if (pgarch_archiveXlog(xlog))
 			{
 				/* successful */