diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 61754312e2..9b384d5ae6 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -6422,6 +6422,8 @@ StartupXLOG(void)
 		ControlFile->state != DB_SHUTDOWNED_IN_RECOVERY)
 	{
 		RemoveTempXlogFiles();
+		ereport(LOG,
+				(errmsg("syncing data directory")));
 		SyncDataDirectory();
 	}