diff --git a/src/backend/optimizer/util/appendinfo.c b/src/backend/optimizer/util/appendinfo.c
index af46f581ac..6e88fe6175 100644
--- a/src/backend/optimizer/util/appendinfo.c
+++ b/src/backend/optimizer/util/appendinfo.c
@@ -752,7 +752,8 @@ find_appinfos_by_relids(PlannerInfo *root, Relids relids, int *nappinfos)
  *
  * The Var must be equal(), aside from varno, to any other row-identity
  * column with the same rowid_name.  Thus, for example, "wholerow"
- * row identities had better use vartype == RECORDOID.
+ * row identities had better use vartype == RECORDOID, except in the cases
+ * where it is clear that there will be only one target relation.
  *
  * rtindex is currently redundant with rowid_var->varno, but we specify
  * it as a separate parameter in case this is ever generalized to support
@@ -846,6 +847,36 @@ add_row_identity_var(PlannerInfo *root, Var *orig_var,
 	root->processed_tlist = lappend(root->processed_tlist, tle);
 }
 
+/*
+ * add_row_identity_var_wholerow
+ *		Wrapper over add_row_identity_var() to register a "wholerow"
+ *		row-identity column
+ *
+ * This has been made into a function unlike for other row-identity Vars,
+ * because the vartype that must be assigned to the Var differs based on
+ * whether it's being added for the root or for a child target relation.
+ * FDWs should call this for example instead of making the Var by themselves.
+ */
+void
+add_row_identity_var_wholerow(PlannerInfo *root, Index rtindex,
+							  Relation target_relation)
+{
+	Var	   *var;
+	Oid		wholerow_type;
+
+	if (rtindex == root->parse->resultRelation)
+		wholerow_type = RelationGetForm(target_relation)->reltype;
+	else
+		wholerow_type = RECORDOID;
+	var = makeVar(rtindex,
+				  InvalidAttrNumber,
+				  wholerow_type,
+				  -1,
+				  InvalidOid,
+				  0);
+	add_row_identity_var(root, var, rtindex, "wholerow");
+}
+
 /*
  * add_row_identity_columns
  *
@@ -909,15 +940,7 @@ add_row_identity_columns(PlannerInfo *root, Index rtindex,
 			(target_relation->trigdesc &&
 			 (target_relation->trigdesc->trig_delete_after_row ||
 			  target_relation->trigdesc->trig_delete_before_row)))
-		{
-			var = makeVar(rtindex,
-						  InvalidAttrNumber,
-						  RECORDOID,
-						  -1,
-						  InvalidOid,
-						  0);
-			add_row_identity_var(root, var, rtindex, "wholerow");
-		}
+			add_row_identity_var_wholerow(root, rtindex, target_relation);
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/src/include/optimizer/appendinfo.h b/src/include/optimizer/appendinfo.h
index 39d04d9cc0..97442a4ee1 100644
--- a/src/include/optimizer/appendinfo.h
+++ b/src/include/optimizer/appendinfo.h
@@ -42,6 +42,8 @@ extern AppendRelInfo **find_appinfos_by_relids(PlannerInfo *root,
 											   Relids relids, int *nappinfos);
 extern void add_row_identity_var(PlannerInfo *root, Var *rowid_var,
 								 Index rtindex, const char *rowid_name);
+extern void add_row_identity_var_wholerow(PlannerInfo *root, Index rtindex,
+							  Relation target_relation);
 extern void add_row_identity_columns(PlannerInfo *root, Index rtindex,
 									 RangeTblEntry *target_rte,
 									 Relation target_relation);