diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c b/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c
index 11424c2257..e460efd8fb 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/commit_ts.c
@@ -572,10 +572,9 @@ CompleteCommitTsInitialization(void)
 	 * any leftover data.
 	 *
 	 * Conversely, we activate the module if the feature is enabled.  This is
-	 * not necessary in a master system because we already did it earlier, but
-	 * if we're in a standby server that got promoted which had the feature
-	 * enabled and was following a master that had the feature disabled, this
-	 * is where we turn it on locally.
+	 * necessary for primary and standby as the activation depends on the
+	 * control file contents at the beginning of recovery or when a
+	 * XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE is replayed.
 	 */
 	if (!track_commit_timestamp)
 		DeactivateCommitTs();
@@ -585,7 +584,7 @@ CompleteCommitTsInitialization(void)
 
 /*
  * Activate or deactivate CommitTs' upon reception of a XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE
- * XLog record in a standby.
+ * XLog record during recovery.
  */
 void
 CommitTsParameterChange(bool newvalue, bool oldvalue)
diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 2ac5185646..969d1c6c46 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -6467,11 +6467,12 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 	StartupMultiXact();
 
 	/*
-	 * Ditto commit timestamps.  In a standby, we do it if setting is enabled
-	 * in ControlFile; in a master we base the decision on the GUC itself.
+	 * Ditto for commit timestamps.  Activate the facility if the setting is
+	 * enabled in the control file, as there should be no tracking of commit
+	 * timestamps done when the setting was disabled.  This facility can be
+	 * started or stopped when replaying a XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE record.
 	 */
-	if (ArchiveRecoveryRequested ?
-		ControlFile->track_commit_timestamp : track_commit_timestamp)
+	if (ControlFile->track_commit_timestamp)
 		StartupCommitTs();
 
 	/*