diff --git a/src/backend/utils/cache/catcache.c b/src/backend/utils/cache/catcache.c
index 7fc205a..7863105 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/cache/catcache.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/cache/catcache.c
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "access/sysattr.h"
 #include "access/tuptoaster.h"
 #include "access/valid.h"
+#include "access/xact.h"
 #include "catalog/pg_operator.h"
 #include "catalog/pg_type.h"
 #include "miscadmin.h"
@@ -1069,6 +1070,9 @@ SearchCatCache(CatCache *cache,
 	SysScanDesc scandesc;
 	HeapTuple	ntp;
 
+	/* Make sure we're in a xact, even if this ends up being a cache hit */
+	Assert(IsTransactionState());
+
 	/*
 	 * one-time startup overhead for each cache
 	 */