diff --git a/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtpage.c b/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtpage.c
index beef089ba8..e6fe4ba90e 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtpage.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtpage.c
@@ -1714,7 +1714,7 @@ _bt_unlink_halfdead_page(Relation rel, Buffer leafbuf, bool *rightsib_empty)
 	 * parent in the branch.  Set 'target' and 'buf' to reference the page
 	 * actually being unlinked.
 	 */
-	if (ItemPointerIsValid(leafhikey))
+	if (ItemPointerGetBlockNumberNoCheck(leafhikey) != InvalidBlockNumber)
 	{
 		target = ItemPointerGetBlockNumberNoCheck(leafhikey);
 		Assert(target != leafblkno);