diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
index 8caa62ad0e..f24a091ef8 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
@@ -1975,7 +1975,7 @@ ConnCreate(int serverFd)
 		if (port->sock >= 0)
 			StreamClose(port->sock);
 		ConnFree(port);
-		port = NULL;
+		return NULL;
 	}
 	else
 	{