diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
index 8a748f9d9c1..b478eb716c5 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/postmaster.c
@@ -292,12 +292,13 @@ static bool FatalError = false; /* T if recovering from backend crash */
  *
  * When the startup process is ready to start archive recovery, it signals the
  * postmaster, and we switch to PM_RECOVERY state. The background writer and
- * checkpointer are launched, while the startup process continues applying WAL.
- * If Hot Standby is enabled, then, after reaching a consistent point in WAL
- * redo, startup process signals us again, and we switch to PM_HOT_STANDBY
- * state and begin accepting connections to perform read-only queries.  When
- * archive recovery is finished, the startup process exits with exit code 0
- * and we switch to PM_RUN state.
+ * checkpointer are already running (as these are launched during PM_STARTUP),
+ * and the startup process continues applying WAL.  If Hot Standby is enabled,
+ * then, after reaching a consistent point in WAL redo, startup process
+ * signals us again, and we switch to PM_HOT_STANDBY state and begin accepting
+ * connections to perform read-only queries.  When archive recovery is
+ * finished, the startup process exits with exit code 0 and we switch to
+ * PM_RUN state.
  *
  * Normal child backends can only be launched when we are in PM_RUN or
  * PM_HOT_STANDBY state.  (connsAllowed can also restrict launching.)
@@ -3037,29 +3038,13 @@ reaper(SIGNAL_ARGS)
 			}
 
 			/*
-			 * Unexpected exit of startup process (including FATAL exit)
-			 * during PM_STARTUP is treated as catastrophic. There are no
-			 * other processes running yet, so we can just exit.
-			 */
-			if (pmState == PM_STARTUP &&
-				StartupStatus != STARTUP_SIGNALED &&
-				!EXIT_STATUS_0(exitstatus))
-			{
-				LogChildExit(LOG, _("startup process"),
-							 pid, exitstatus);
-				ereport(LOG,
-						(errmsg("aborting startup due to startup process failure")));
-				ExitPostmaster(1);
-			}
-
-			/*
-			 * After PM_STARTUP, any unexpected exit (including FATAL exit) of
-			 * the startup process is catastrophic, so kill other children,
-			 * and set StartupStatus so we don't try to reinitialize after
-			 * they're gone.  Exception: if StartupStatus is STARTUP_SIGNALED,
-			 * then we previously sent the startup process a SIGQUIT; so
-			 * that's probably the reason it died, and we do want to try to
-			 * restart in that case.
+			 * Any unexpected exit (including FATAL exit) of the startup
+			 * process is catastrophic, so kill other children, and set
+			 * StartupStatus so we don't try to reinitialize after they're
+			 * gone.  Exception: if StartupStatus is STARTUP_SIGNALED, then we
+			 * previously sent the startup process a SIGQUIT; so that's
+			 * probably the reason it died, and we do want to try to restart
+			 * in that case.
 			 *
 			 * This stanza also handles the case where we sent a SIGQUIT
 			 * during PM_STARTUP due to some dead_end child crashing: in that
@@ -3706,7 +3691,8 @@ HandleChildCrash(int pid, int exitstatus, const char *procname)
 		FatalError = true;
 
 	/* We now transit into a state of waiting for children to die */
-	if (pmState == PM_RECOVERY ||
+	if (pmState == PM_STARTUP ||
+		pmState == PM_RECOVERY ||
 		pmState == PM_HOT_STANDBY ||
 		pmState == PM_RUN ||
 		pmState == PM_STOP_BACKENDS ||