diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 0f09add784..aaa8ef423c 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -6070,11 +6070,17 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 		/*
 		 * Set backupStartPoint if we're starting recovery from a base backup.
 		 *
-		 * Set backupEndPoint and use minRecoveryPoint as the backup end
+		 * Also set backupEndPoint and use minRecoveryPoint as the backup end
 		 * location if we're starting recovery from a base backup which was
-		 * taken from the standby. In this case, the database system status in
-		 * pg_control must indicate DB_IN_ARCHIVE_RECOVERY. If not, which
-		 * means that backup is corrupted, so we cancel recovery.
+		 * taken from a standby. In this case, the database system status in
+		 * pg_control must indicate that the database was already in
+		 * recovery. Usually that will be DB_IN_ARCHIVE_RECOVERY but also can
+		 * be DB_SHUTDOWNED_IN_RECOVERY if recovery previously was interrupted
+		 * before reaching this point; e.g. because restore_command or
+		 * primary_conninfo were faulty.
+		 *
+		 * Any other state indicates that the backup somehow became corrupted
+		 * and we can't sensibly continue with recovery.
 		 */
 		if (haveBackupLabel)
 		{
@@ -6083,7 +6089,8 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 
 			if (backupFromStandby)
 			{
-				if (dbstate_at_startup != DB_IN_ARCHIVE_RECOVERY)
+				if (dbstate_at_startup != DB_IN_ARCHIVE_RECOVERY &&
+					dbstate_at_startup != DB_SHUTDOWNED_IN_RECOVERY)
 					ereport(FATAL,
 							(errmsg("backup_label contains data inconsistent with control file"),
 							 errhint("This means that the backup is corrupted and you will "