diff --git a/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c b/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c
index 4be0dee4de..82bb9cb33b 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c
@@ -1184,7 +1184,12 @@ heap_rescan(TableScanDesc sscan, ScanKey key, bool set_params,
 		scan->rs_vmbuffer = InvalidBuffer;
 	}
 
-	Assert(scan->rs_empty_tuples_pending == 0);
+	/*
+	 * Reset rs_empty_tuples_pending, a field only used by bitmap heap scan,
+	 * to avoid incorrectly emitting NULL-filled tuples from a previous scan
+	 * on rescan.
+	 */
+	scan->rs_empty_tuples_pending = 0;
 
 	/*
 	 * The read stream is reset on rescan. This must be done before
@@ -1216,8 +1221,6 @@ heap_endscan(TableScanDesc sscan)
 	if (BufferIsValid(scan->rs_vmbuffer))
 		ReleaseBuffer(scan->rs_vmbuffer);
 
-	Assert(scan->rs_empty_tuples_pending == 0);
-
 	/*
 	 * Must free the read stream before freeing the BufferAccessStrategy.
 	 */
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/join.out b/src/test/regress/expected/join.out
index 0246d56aea..6b16c3a676 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/join.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/join.out
@@ -7924,3 +7924,39 @@ where exists (select 1 from j3
 (13 rows)
 
 drop table j3;
+-- Exercise the "skip fetch" Bitmap Heap Scan optimization when candidate
+-- tuples are discarded. This may occur when:
+--   1. A join doesn't require all inner tuples to be scanned for each outer
+--      tuple, and
+--   2. The inner side is scanned using a bitmap heap scan, and
+--   3. The bitmap heap scan is eligible for the "skip fetch" optimization.
+--      This optimization is usable when no data from the underlying table is
+--      needed. Use a temp table so it is only visible to this backend and
+--      vacuum may reliably mark all blocks in the table all visible in the
+--      visibility map.
+CREATE TEMP TABLE skip_fetch (a INT, b INT) WITH (fillfactor=10);
+INSERT INTO skip_fetch SELECT i % 3, i FROM generate_series(0,30) i;
+CREATE INDEX ON skip_fetch(a);
+VACUUM (ANALYZE) skip_fetch;
+SET enable_indexonlyscan = off;
+SET enable_seqscan = off;
+EXPLAIN (COSTS OFF)
+SELECT t1.a FROM skip_fetch t1 LEFT JOIN skip_fetch t2 ON t2.a = 1 WHERE t2.a IS NULL;
+                       QUERY PLAN                        
+---------------------------------------------------------
+ Nested Loop Anti Join
+   ->  Seq Scan on skip_fetch t1
+   ->  Materialize
+         ->  Bitmap Heap Scan on skip_fetch t2
+               Recheck Cond: (a = 1)
+               ->  Bitmap Index Scan on skip_fetch_a_idx
+                     Index Cond: (a = 1)
+(7 rows)
+
+SELECT t1.a FROM skip_fetch t1 LEFT JOIN skip_fetch t2 ON t2.a = 1 WHERE t2.a IS NULL;
+ a 
+---
+(0 rows)
+
+RESET enable_indexonlyscan;
+RESET enable_seqscan;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/join.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/join.sql
index 923e7c5549..8bfe3b7ba6 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/join.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/join.sql
@@ -2904,3 +2904,27 @@ where exists (select 1 from j3
       and t1.unique1 < 1;
 
 drop table j3;
+
+-- Exercise the "skip fetch" Bitmap Heap Scan optimization when candidate
+-- tuples are discarded. This may occur when:
+--   1. A join doesn't require all inner tuples to be scanned for each outer
+--      tuple, and
+--   2. The inner side is scanned using a bitmap heap scan, and
+--   3. The bitmap heap scan is eligible for the "skip fetch" optimization.
+--      This optimization is usable when no data from the underlying table is
+--      needed. Use a temp table so it is only visible to this backend and
+--      vacuum may reliably mark all blocks in the table all visible in the
+--      visibility map.
+CREATE TEMP TABLE skip_fetch (a INT, b INT) WITH (fillfactor=10);
+INSERT INTO skip_fetch SELECT i % 3, i FROM generate_series(0,30) i;
+CREATE INDEX ON skip_fetch(a);
+VACUUM (ANALYZE) skip_fetch;
+
+SET enable_indexonlyscan = off;
+SET enable_seqscan = off;
+EXPLAIN (COSTS OFF)
+SELECT t1.a FROM skip_fetch t1 LEFT JOIN skip_fetch t2 ON t2.a = 1 WHERE t2.a IS NULL;
+SELECT t1.a FROM skip_fetch t1 LEFT JOIN skip_fetch t2 ON t2.a = 1 WHERE t2.a IS NULL;
+
+RESET enable_indexonlyscan;
+RESET enable_seqscan;