diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 3813eadfb4..5ab09917c7 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ static void validateRecoveryParameters(void);
 static void exitArchiveRecovery(TimeLineID endTLI, XLogRecPtr endOfLog);
 static bool recoveryStopsBefore(XLogReaderState *record);
 static bool recoveryStopsAfter(XLogReaderState *record);
-static void recoveryPausesHere(void);
+static void recoveryPausesHere(bool isRecoveryTargetAction);
 static bool recoveryApplyDelay(XLogReaderState *record);
 static void SetLatestXTime(TimestampTz xtime);
 static void SetCurrentChunkStartTime(TimestampTz xtime);
@@ -5912,20 +5912,28 @@ recoveryStopsAfter(XLogReaderState *record)
  * anyone cares about server power consumption in.
  */
 static void
-recoveryPausesHere(void)
+recoveryPausesHere(bool isRecoveryTargetAction)
 {
 	/* Don't pause unless users can connect! */
 	if (!LocalHotStandbyActive)
 		return;
 
-	ereport(LOG,
-			(errmsg("recovery has paused"),
-			 errhint("Execute pg_wal_replay_resume() to continue.")));
+	if (isRecoveryTargetAction)
+		ereport(LOG,
+				(errmsg("recovery has paused"),
+				errhint("Execute pg_wal_replay_resume() to promote.")));
+	else
+		ereport(LOG,
+				(errmsg("recovery has paused"),
+				errhint("Execute pg_wal_replay_resume() to continue.")));
 
 	while (RecoveryIsPaused())
 	{
 		pg_usleep(1000000L);	/* 1000 ms */
 		HandleStartupProcInterrupts();
+		/* handle promote requests */
+		if (isRecoveryTargetAction && CheckForStandbyTrigger())
+			SetRecoveryPause(false);
 	}
 }
 
@@ -7096,7 +7104,7 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 				 * adding another spinlock cycle to prevent that.
 				 */
 				if (((volatile XLogCtlData *) XLogCtl)->recoveryPause)
-					recoveryPausesHere();
+					recoveryPausesHere(false);
 
 				/*
 				 * Have we reached our recovery target?
@@ -7121,7 +7129,7 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 					 * work.
 					 */
 					if (((volatile XLogCtlData *) XLogCtl)->recoveryPause)
-						recoveryPausesHere();
+						recoveryPausesHere(false);
 				}
 
 				/* Setup error traceback support for ereport() */
@@ -7295,7 +7303,7 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 
 					case RECOVERY_TARGET_ACTION_PAUSE:
 						SetRecoveryPause(true);
-						recoveryPausesHere();
+						recoveryPausesHere(true);
 
 						/* drop into promote */