diff --git a/contrib/pageinspect/brinfuncs.c b/contrib/pageinspect/brinfuncs.c
index 22621d584fa..525c82600f1 100644
--- a/contrib/pageinspect/brinfuncs.c
+++ b/contrib/pageinspect/brinfuncs.c
@@ -117,6 +117,8 @@ verify_brin_page(bytea *raw_page, uint16 type, const char *strtype)
 	return page;
 }
 
+/* Number of output arguments (columns) for brin_page_items() */
+#define BRIN_PAGE_ITEMS_COLS_V1_12		8
 
 /*
  * Extract all item values from a BRIN index page
@@ -153,6 +155,20 @@ brin_page_items(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 				 errmsg("\"%s\" is not a %s index",
 						RelationGetRelationName(indexRel), "BRIN")));
 
+	/*
+	 * We need a kluge here to detect API versions prior to 1.12.  Earlier
+	 * versions don't have the "empty" flag as o
+	 *
+	 * In principle we could skip the 'empty' flag and build the tuple with
+	 * the old tuple descriptor, but functions like bt_meta() already error
+	 * out in this case, so follow that precedent.
+	 */
+	if (rsinfo->setDesc->natts < BRIN_PAGE_ITEMS_COLS_V1_12)
+		ereport(ERROR,
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_INVALID_FUNCTION_DEFINITION),
+				 errmsg("function has wrong number of declared columns"),
+				 errhint("To resolve the problem, update the \"pageinspect\" extension to the latest version.")));
+
 	bdesc = brin_build_desc(indexRel);
 
 	/* minimally verify the page we got */
diff --git a/contrib/pageinspect/expected/oldextversions.out b/contrib/pageinspect/expected/oldextversions.out
index f5c4b61bd79..c0abd7ab3ca 100644
--- a/contrib/pageinspect/expected/oldextversions.out
+++ b/contrib/pageinspect/expected/oldextversions.out
@@ -52,5 +52,20 @@ SELECT pagesize, version FROM page_header(get_raw_page('test1', 0));
      8192 |       4
 (1 row)
 
+DROP TABLE test1;
+-- brin_page_items got a new OUT parameter in 1.12
+CREATE TABLE test1 (a int, b text);
+INSERT INTO test1 VALUES (1, 'one');
+CREATE INDEX test1_a_idx ON test1 USING brin (a);
+SELECT * FROM brin_page_items(get_raw_page('test1_a_idx', 2), 'test1_a_idx');
+ERROR:  function has wrong number of declared columns
+HINT:  To resolve the problem, update the "pageinspect" extension to the latest version.
+ALTER EXTENSION pageinspect UPDATE TO '1.12';
+SELECT * FROM brin_page_items(get_raw_page('test1_a_idx', 2), 'test1_a_idx');
+ itemoffset | blknum | attnum | allnulls | hasnulls | placeholder | empty |  value   
+------------+--------+--------+----------+----------+-------------+-------+----------
+          1 |      0 |      1 | f        | f        | f           | f     | {1 .. 1}
+(1 row)
+
 DROP TABLE test1;
 DROP EXTENSION pageinspect;
diff --git a/contrib/pageinspect/sql/oldextversions.sql b/contrib/pageinspect/sql/oldextversions.sql
index 9f953492c23..b5342d3397d 100644
--- a/contrib/pageinspect/sql/oldextversions.sql
+++ b/contrib/pageinspect/sql/oldextversions.sql
@@ -22,5 +22,18 @@ ALTER EXTENSION pageinspect UPDATE TO '1.9';
 \df page_header
 SELECT pagesize, version FROM page_header(get_raw_page('test1', 0));
 
+DROP TABLE test1;
+
+-- brin_page_items got a new OUT parameter in 1.12
+CREATE TABLE test1 (a int, b text);
+INSERT INTO test1 VALUES (1, 'one');
+CREATE INDEX test1_a_idx ON test1 USING brin (a);
+
+SELECT * FROM brin_page_items(get_raw_page('test1_a_idx', 2), 'test1_a_idx');
+
+ALTER EXTENSION pageinspect UPDATE TO '1.12';
+
+SELECT * FROM brin_page_items(get_raw_page('test1_a_idx', 2), 'test1_a_idx');
+
 DROP TABLE test1;
 DROP EXTENSION pageinspect;