diff --git a/src/backend/access/table/tableamapi.c b/src/backend/access/table/tableamapi.c
index 34e6a4f20d..fdd7e64ada 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/table/tableamapi.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/table/tableamapi.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@
 #include "catalog/pg_am.h"
 #include "catalog/pg_proc.h"
 #include "commands/defrem.h"
+#include "miscadmin.h"
 #include "utils/fmgroids.h"
 #include "utils/memutils.h"
 #include "utils/syscache.h"
@@ -119,10 +120,11 @@ check_default_table_access_method(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, we cannot do database access so
-	 * cannot verify the name.  Must accept the value on faith.
+	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, or not connected to a database, we
+	 * cannot do the catalog access necessary to verify the method.  Must
+	 * accept the value on faith.
 	 */
-	if (IsTransactionState())
+	if (IsTransactionState() && MyDatabaseId != InvalidOid)
 	{
 		if (!OidIsValid(get_table_am_oid(*newval, true)))
 		{
diff --git a/src/backend/commands/tablespace.c b/src/backend/commands/tablespace.c
index 87fab52d83..5e43867e6f 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/tablespace.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/tablespace.c
@@ -1069,10 +1069,11 @@ bool
 check_default_tablespace(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
 {
 	/*
-	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, we cannot do database access so
-	 * cannot verify the name.  Must accept the value on faith.
+	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, or connected to a database, we
+	 * cannot do the catalog accesses necessary to verify the name.  Must
+	 * accept the value on faith.
 	 */
-	if (IsTransactionState())
+	if (IsTransactionState() && MyDatabaseId != InvalidOid)
 	{
 		if (**newval != '\0' &&
 			!OidIsValid(get_tablespace_oid(*newval, true)))
@@ -1190,11 +1191,12 @@ check_temp_tablespaces(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, we cannot do database access so
-	 * cannot verify the individual names.  Must accept the list on faith.
+	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, or connected to a database, we
+	 * cannot do the catalog accesses necessary to verify the name.  Must
+	 * accept the value on faith.
 	 * Fortunately, there's then also no need to pass the data to fd.c.
 	 */
-	if (IsTransactionState())
+	if (IsTransactionState() && MyDatabaseId != InvalidOid)
 	{
 		temp_tablespaces_extra *myextra;
 		Oid		   *tblSpcs;
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/cache/ts_cache.c b/src/backend/utils/cache/ts_cache.c
index 0545efc75b..68c04d87d5 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/cache/ts_cache.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/cache/ts_cache.c
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@
 #include "catalog/pg_ts_parser.h"
 #include "catalog/pg_ts_template.h"
 #include "commands/defrem.h"
+#include "miscadmin.h"
 #include "tsearch/ts_cache.h"
 #include "utils/builtins.h"
 #include "utils/catcache.h"
@@ -590,10 +591,11 @@ bool
 check_TSCurrentConfig(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
 {
 	/*
-	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, we cannot do database access so
-	 * cannot verify the config name.  Must accept it on faith.
+	 * If we aren't inside a transaction, or connected to a database, we
+	 * cannot do the catalog accesses necessary to verify the config name.
+	 * Must accept it on faith.
 	 */
-	if (IsTransactionState())
+	if (IsTransactionState() && MyDatabaseId != InvalidOid)
 	{
 		Oid			cfgId;
 		HeapTuple	tuple;