diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 127bc5888f..152d4ede37 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -11587,6 +11587,16 @@ CheckForStandbyTrigger(void)
 	return false;
 }
 
+/*
+ * Remove the files signaling a standby promotion request.
+ */
+void
+RemovePromoteSignalFiles(void)
+{
+	unlink(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
+	unlink(FALLBACK_PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
+}
+
 /*
  * Check to see if a promote request has arrived. Should be
  * called by postmaster after receiving SIGUSR1.
diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
index 1818f7ce46..baa43b203f 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
@@ -1175,6 +1175,27 @@ PostmasterMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	 */
 	RemovePgTempFiles();
 
+	/*
+	 * Forcibly remove the files signaling a standby promotion
+	 * request. Otherwise, the existence of those files triggers
+	 * a promotion too early, whether a user wants that or not.
+	 *
+	 * This removal of files is usually unnecessary because they
+	 * can exist only during a few moments during a standby
+	 * promotion. However there is a race condition: if pg_ctl promote
+	 * is executed and creates the files during a promotion,
+	 * the files can stay around even after the server is brought up
+	 * to new master. Then, if new standby starts by using the backup
+	 * taken from that master, the files can exist at the server
+	 * startup and should be removed in order to avoid an unexpected
+	 * promotion.
+	 *
+	 * Note that promotion signal files need to be removed before
+	 * the startup process is invoked. Because, after that, they can
+	 * be used by postmaster's SIGUSR1 signal handler.
+	 */
+	RemovePromoteSignalFiles();
+
 	/*
 	 * If enabled, start up syslogger collection subprocess
 	 */
diff --git a/src/include/access/xlog.h b/src/include/access/xlog.h
index 6dacee2fbb..790ca66f8a 100644
--- a/src/include/access/xlog.h
+++ b/src/include/access/xlog.h
@@ -261,6 +261,7 @@ extern XLogRecPtr GetRedoRecPtr(void);
 extern XLogRecPtr GetInsertRecPtr(void);
 extern XLogRecPtr GetFlushRecPtr(void);
 extern void GetNextXidAndEpoch(TransactionId *xid, uint32 *epoch);
+extern void RemovePromoteSignalFiles(void);
 
 extern bool CheckPromoteSignal(void);
 extern void WakeupRecovery(void);