diff --git a/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c b/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
index 65f9fb4c0a..9bc44b2de4 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
@@ -519,8 +519,21 @@ start_postmaster(void)
 		comspec = "CMD";
 
 	if (log_file != NULL)
+	{
+		/* Check the log file availability to prevent CMD.EXE failing with
+		 * ERROR_SHARING_VIOLATION, e.g. when the log file is still opened
+		 * by the previous server shell.
+		 */
+		FILE *fd = fopen(log_file, "a");
+		if (!fd) {
+			write_stderr(_("%s: could not access log file \"%s\": %s\n"),
+						 progname, log_file, strerror(errno));
+			exit(1);
+		}
+		fclose(fd);
 		snprintf(cmd, MAXPGPATH, "\"%s\" /C \"\"%s\" %s%s < \"%s\" >> \"%s\" 2>&1\"",
 				 comspec, exec_path, pgdata_opt, post_opts, DEVNULL, log_file);
+	}
 	else
 		snprintf(cmd, MAXPGPATH, "\"%s\" /C \"\"%s\" %s%s < \"%s\" 2>&1\"",
 				 comspec, exec_path, pgdata_opt, post_opts, DEVNULL);