diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 6c69eb6dd7..6d3c3f7c92 100644
*** a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
--- b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
***************
*** 5378,5383 **** readRecoverySignalFile(void)
--- 5378,5388 ----
  static void
  validateRecoveryParameters(void)
  {
+ 	if (!ArchiveRecoveryRequested && recoveryTarget != RECOVERY_TARGET_UNSET)
+ 		ereport(FATAL,
+ 				(errmsg("recovery target cannot be specified for crash recovery"),
+ 				 errdetail("recovery_target, recovery_target_lsn, recovery_target_name, recovery_target_time, recovery_target_xid may be set when archive recovery or standby mode is requested.")));
+ 
  	if (!ArchiveRecoveryRequested)
  		return;