diff --git a/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c b/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c
index e2f177515d..07c93b4737 100644
--- a/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c
+++ b/src/backend/nodes/outfuncs.c
@@ -1954,14 +1954,30 @@ _outProjectSetPath(StringInfo str, const ProjectSetPath *node)
 	WRITE_NODE_FIELD(subpath);
 }
 
+static void
+_outSortPathInfo(StringInfo str, const SortPath *node)
+{
+	_outPathInfo(str, (const Path *) node);
+
+	WRITE_NODE_FIELD(subpath);
+}
+
 static void
 _outSortPath(StringInfo str, const SortPath *node)
 {
 	WRITE_NODE_TYPE("SORTPATH");
 
-	_outPathInfo(str, (const Path *) node);
+	_outSortPathInfo(str, node);
+}
 
-	WRITE_NODE_FIELD(subpath);
+static void
+_outIncrementalSortPath(StringInfo str, const IncrementalSortPath *node)
+{
+	WRITE_NODE_TYPE("INCREMENTALSORTPATH");
+
+	_outSortPathInfo(str, (const SortPath *) node);
+
+	WRITE_INT_FIELD(nPresortedCols);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -4058,6 +4074,9 @@ outNode(StringInfo str, const void *obj)
 			case T_SortPath:
 				_outSortPath(str, obj);
 				break;
+			case T_IncrementalSortPath:
+				_outIncrementalSortPath(str, obj);
+				break;
 			case T_GroupPath:
 				_outGroupPath(str, obj);
 				break;
diff --git a/src/backend/optimizer/README b/src/backend/optimizer/README
index d174b8cb73..efb52858c8 100644
--- a/src/backend/optimizer/README
+++ b/src/backend/optimizer/README
@@ -387,6 +387,7 @@ RelOptInfo      - a relation or joined relations
   ProjectionPath - a Result plan node with child (used for projection)
   ProjectSetPath - a ProjectSet plan node applied to some sub-path
   SortPath      - a Sort plan node applied to some sub-path
+  IncrementalSortPath - an IncrementalSort plan node applied to some sub-path
   GroupPath     - a Group plan node applied to some sub-path
   UpperUniquePath - a Unique plan node applied to some sub-path
   AggPath       - an Agg plan node applied to some sub-path
diff --git a/src/backend/optimizer/util/pathnode.c b/src/backend/optimizer/util/pathnode.c
index c1fc866cbf..5778f80c01 100644
--- a/src/backend/optimizer/util/pathnode.c
+++ b/src/backend/optimizer/util/pathnode.c
@@ -2798,7 +2798,7 @@ create_set_projection_path(PlannerInfo *root,
  * 'limit_tuples' is the estimated bound on the number of output tuples,
  *		or -1 if no LIMIT or couldn't estimate
  */
-SortPath *
+IncrementalSortPath *
 create_incremental_sort_path(PlannerInfo *root,
 							 RelOptInfo *rel,
 							 Path *subpath,
@@ -2834,7 +2834,7 @@ create_incremental_sort_path(PlannerInfo *root,
 
 	sort->nPresortedCols = presorted_keys;
 
-	return pathnode;
+	return sort;
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/include/nodes/pathnodes.h b/src/include/nodes/pathnodes.h
index 8d1ad3339f..10f0a149e9 100644
--- a/src/include/nodes/pathnodes.h
+++ b/src/include/nodes/pathnodes.h
@@ -1650,7 +1650,10 @@ typedef struct SortPath
 } SortPath;
 
 /*
- * IncrementalSortPath
+ * IncrementalSortPath represents an incremental sort step
+ *
+ * This is like a regular sort, except some leading key columns are assumed
+ * to be ordered already.
  */
 typedef struct IncrementalSortPath
 {
diff --git a/src/include/optimizer/pathnode.h b/src/include/optimizer/pathnode.h
index 715a24ad29..3bd7072ae8 100644
--- a/src/include/optimizer/pathnode.h
+++ b/src/include/optimizer/pathnode.h
@@ -184,17 +184,17 @@ extern ProjectSetPath *create_set_projection_path(PlannerInfo *root,
 												  RelOptInfo *rel,
 												  Path *subpath,
 												  PathTarget *target);
-extern SortPath *create_incremental_sort_path(PlannerInfo *root,
-											  RelOptInfo *rel,
-											  Path *subpath,
-											  List *pathkeys,
-											  int presorted_keys,
-											  double limit_tuples);
 extern SortPath *create_sort_path(PlannerInfo *root,
 								  RelOptInfo *rel,
 								  Path *subpath,
 								  List *pathkeys,
 								  double limit_tuples);
+extern IncrementalSortPath *create_incremental_sort_path(PlannerInfo *root,
+														 RelOptInfo *rel,
+														 Path *subpath,
+														 List *pathkeys,
+														 int presorted_keys,
+														 double limit_tuples);
 extern GroupPath *create_group_path(PlannerInfo *root,
 									RelOptInfo *rel,
 									Path *subpath,