diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 5abaeb005b..7375a78ffc 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -9701,6 +9701,7 @@ void
 UpdateFullPageWrites(void)
 {
 	XLogCtlInsert *Insert = &XLogCtl->Insert;
+	bool		recoveryInProgress;
 
 	/*
 	 * Do nothing if full_page_writes has not been changed.
@@ -9712,6 +9713,13 @@ UpdateFullPageWrites(void)
 	if (fullPageWrites == Insert->fullPageWrites)
 		return;
 
+	/*
+	 * Perform this outside critical section so that the WAL insert
+	 * initialization done by RecoveryInProgress() doesn't trigger an
+	 * assertion failure.
+	 */
+	recoveryInProgress = RecoveryInProgress();
+
 	START_CRIT_SECTION();
 
 	/*
@@ -9732,7 +9740,7 @@ UpdateFullPageWrites(void)
 	 * Write an XLOG_FPW_CHANGE record. This allows us to keep track of
 	 * full_page_writes during archive recovery, if required.
 	 */
-	if (XLogStandbyInfoActive() && !RecoveryInProgress())
+	if (XLogStandbyInfoActive() && !recoveryInProgress)
 	{
 		XLogBeginInsert();
 		XLogRegisterData((char *) (&fullPageWrites), sizeof(bool));