diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index d3c3710251..ce6d561d5b 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1996-2010, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
- * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c,v 1.388 2010/04/02 21:50:40 sriggs Exp $
+ * $PostgreSQL: pgsql/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c,v 1.389 2010/04/06 17:51:58 sriggs Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -5092,15 +5092,16 @@ readRecoveryCommandFile(void)
 	if (StandbyMode)
 	{
 		if (PrimaryConnInfo == NULL && recoveryRestoreCommand == NULL)
-			ereport(FATAL,
+			ereport(WARNING,
 					(errmsg("recovery command file \"%s\" specified neither primary_conninfo nor restore_command",
-							RECOVERY_COMMAND_FILE)));
+							RECOVERY_COMMAND_FILE),
+					 errhint("The database server will regularly poll the pg_xlog subdirectory to check for files placed there.")));
 	}
 	else
 	{
 		if (recoveryRestoreCommand == NULL)
 			ereport(FATAL,
-					(errmsg("recovery command file \"%s\" did not specify restore_command nor standby_mode",
+					(errmsg("recovery command file \"%s\" must specify restore_command when standby mode is not enabled",
 							RECOVERY_COMMAND_FILE)));
 	}