diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlogutils.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlogutils.c
index 10a663bae6..0bc63f48da 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlogutils.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlogutils.c
@@ -522,6 +522,44 @@ XLogReadBufferExtended(RelFileNode rnode, ForkNumber forknum,
 	return buffer;
 }
 
+/*
+ * XLogMakePGDirectory
+ *
+ * There is a possibility that WAL replay causes a creation of the same
+ * directory left by the previous crash. Issuing ERROR prevents the caller
+ * from continuing recovery.
+ *
+ * To prevent that case, this function issues WARNING instead of ERROR on
+ * error if consistency is not reached yet.
+ */
+int
+XLogMakePGDirectory(const char *directoryName)
+{
+	int ret;
+
+	ret = MakePGDirectory(directoryName);
+
+	if (ret != 0)
+	{
+		int elevel = ERROR;
+
+		/*
+		 * We might get error trying to create existing directory that is to
+		 * be removed just after.  Don't issue ERROR in the case. Recovery
+		 * will stop if we again failed after reaching consistency.
+		 */
+		if (InRecovery && !reachedConsistency)
+			elevel = WARNING;
+
+		ereport(elevel,
+				(errcode_for_file_access(),
+				 errmsg("could not create directory \"%s\": %m", directoryName)));
+		return ret;
+	}
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /*
  * Struct actually returned by XLogFakeRelcacheEntry, though the declared
  * return type is Relation.
diff --git a/src/backend/storage/file/copydir.c b/src/backend/storage/file/copydir.c
index 30f6200a86..0216270dd3 100644
--- a/src/backend/storage/file/copydir.c
+++ b/src/backend/storage/file/copydir.c
@@ -22,11 +22,11 @@
 #include <unistd.h>
 #include <sys/stat.h>
 
+#include "access/xlogutils.h"
 #include "storage/copydir.h"
 #include "storage/fd.h"
 #include "miscadmin.h"
 #include "pgstat.h"
-
 /*
  * copydir: copy a directory
  *
@@ -41,10 +41,12 @@ copydir(char *fromdir, char *todir, bool recurse)
 	char		fromfile[MAXPGPATH * 2];
 	char		tofile[MAXPGPATH * 2];
 
-	if (MakePGDirectory(todir) != 0)
-		ereport(ERROR,
-				(errcode_for_file_access(),
-				 errmsg("could not create directory \"%s\": %m", todir)));
+	/*
+	 * We might have to skip copydir to continue recovery. See the function
+	 * for details.
+	 */
+	if (XLogMakePGDirectory(todir) != 0)
+		return;
 
 	xldir = AllocateDir(fromdir);
 
diff --git a/src/include/access/xlogutils.h b/src/include/access/xlogutils.h
index 0ab5ba62f5..46a7596315 100644
--- a/src/include/access/xlogutils.h
+++ b/src/include/access/xlogutils.h
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ extern XLogRedoAction XLogReadBufferForRedoExtended(XLogReaderState *record,
 
 extern Buffer XLogReadBufferExtended(RelFileNode rnode, ForkNumber forknum,
 					   BlockNumber blkno, ReadBufferMode mode);
+extern int XLogMakePGDirectory(const char *directoryName);
 
 extern Relation CreateFakeRelcacheEntry(RelFileNode rnode);
 extern void FreeFakeRelcacheEntry(Relation fakerel);