diff --git a/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c b/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
new file mode 100644
index 775d71f..7b7c141
*** a/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
--- b/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
*************** CreateLockFile(const char *filename, boo
*** 765,770 ****
--- 765,772 ----
  					 errmsg("could not read lock file \"%s\": %m",
  							filename)));
  		close(fd);
+ 		if (len == 0)
+ 			elog(FATAL, "lock file \"%s\" is empty", DIRECTORY_LOCK_FILE);
  
  		buffer[len] = '\0';
  		encoded_pid = atoi(buffer);