diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlogarchive.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlogarchive.c
index f911e8c3a6..fcc87ff44f 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlogarchive.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlogarchive.c
@@ -154,9 +154,6 @@ RestoreArchivedFile(char *path, const char *xlogfname,
 	xlogRestoreCmd = BuildRestoreCommand(recoveryRestoreCommand,
 										 xlogpath, xlogfname,
 										 lastRestartPointFname);
-	if (xlogRestoreCmd == NULL)
-		elog(ERROR, "could not build restore command \"%s\"",
-			 recoveryRestoreCommand);
 
 	ereport(DEBUG3,
 			(errmsg_internal("executing restore command \"%s\"",
diff --git a/src/common/archive.c b/src/common/archive.c
index de42e914f7..641a58ee88 100644
--- a/src/common/archive.c
+++ b/src/common/archive.c
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@
  * The result is a palloc'd string for the restore command built.  The
  * caller is responsible for freeing it.  If any of the required arguments
  * is NULL and that the corresponding alias is found in the command given
- * by the caller, then NULL is returned.
+ * by the caller, then an error is thrown.
  */
 char *
 BuildRestoreCommand(const char *restoreCommand,