*** a/src/backend/libpq/be-secure.c
--- b/src/backend/libpq/be-secure.c
***************
*** 36,42 ****
  #include "tcop/tcopprot.h"
  #include "utils/memutils.h"
  #include "storage/proc.h"
! 
  
  char	   *ssl_cert_file;
  char	   *ssl_key_file;
--- 36,42 ----
  #include "tcop/tcopprot.h"
  #include "utils/memutils.h"
  #include "storage/proc.h"
! #include "storage/ipc.h"
  
  char	   *ssl_cert_file;
  char	   *ssl_key_file;
***************
*** 144,152 **** retry:
  		Assert(waitfor);
  
  		w = WaitLatchOrSocket(MyLatch,
! 							  WL_LATCH_SET | waitfor,
  							  port->sock, 0);
  
  		/* Handle interrupt. */
  		if (w & WL_LATCH_SET)
  		{
--- 144,174 ----
  		Assert(waitfor);
  
  		w = WaitLatchOrSocket(MyLatch,
! 							  WL_LATCH_SET | WL_POSTMASTER_DEATH | waitfor,
  							  port->sock, 0);
  
+ 		/*
+ 		 * If the postmaster has died, it's not safe to continue running,
+ 		 * because it is the postmaster's job to kill us if some other backend
+ 		 * exists uncleanly.  Moreover, we won't run very well in this state;
+ 		 * helper processes like walwriter and the bgwriter will exit, so
+ 		 * performance may be poor.  Finally, if we don't exit, pg_ctl will
+ 		 * be unable to restart the postmaster without manual intervention,
+ 		 * so no new connections can be accepted.  Exiting clears the deck
+ 		 * for a postmaster restart.
+ 		 *
+ 		 * (Note that we only make this check when we would otherwise sleep
+ 		 * on our latch.  We might still continue running for a while if the
+ 		 * postmaster is killed in mid-query, or even through multiple queries
+ 		 * if we never have to wait for read.  We don't want to burn too many
+ 		 * cycles checking for this very rare condition, and this shouuld cause
+ 		 * us to exit quickly in most cases.)
+ 		 */
+ 		if (w & WL_POSTMASTER_DEATH)
+ 			ereport(FATAL,
+ 					(errcode(ERRCODE_ADMIN_SHUTDOWN),
+ 					errmsg("terminating connection due to unexpected postmaster exit")));
+ 
  		/* Handle interrupt. */
  		if (w & WL_LATCH_SET)
  		{
***************
*** 223,231 **** retry:
  		Assert(waitfor);
  
  		w = WaitLatchOrSocket(MyLatch,
! 							  WL_LATCH_SET | waitfor,
  							  port->sock, 0);
  
  		/* Handle interrupt. */
  		if (w & WL_LATCH_SET)
  		{
--- 245,259 ----
  		Assert(waitfor);
  
  		w = WaitLatchOrSocket(MyLatch,
! 							  WL_LATCH_SET | WL_POSTMASTER_DEATH | waitfor,
  							  port->sock, 0);
  
+ 		/* See comments in secure_read. */
+ 		if (w & WL_POSTMASTER_DEATH)
+ 			ereport(FATAL,
+ 					(errcode(ERRCODE_ADMIN_SHUTDOWN),
+ 					errmsg("terminating connection due to unexpected postmaster exit")));
+ 
  		/* Handle interrupt. */
  		if (w & WL_LATCH_SET)
  		{
*** a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-exec.c
--- b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-exec.c
***************
*** 1567,1573 **** pqHandleSendFailure(PGconn *conn)
  	 * our side of the socket --- that's just what we want here.
  	 */
  	while (pqReadData(conn) > 0)
! 		 /* loop until no more data readable */ ;
  
  	/*
  	 * Parse any available input messages.  Since we are in PGASYNC_IDLE
--- 1567,1583 ----
  	 * our side of the socket --- that's just what we want here.
  	 */
  	while (pqReadData(conn) > 0)
! 	{
! 		/* There is a possiblity that this failure handler is called incase
! 		 * server side backend has already closed the connection and hence
! 		 * query can not be processed. But before the connection was closed,
! 		 * some data (mostly error message) have been sent on this connection
! 		 * channel but client did not get opportunity to process same as it was
! 		 * busy waiting for new command from application.
! 		 * So instead of ignoring available data, process them.
! 		 */
! 		parseInput(conn);
! 	}
  
  	/*
  	 * Parse any available input messages.  Since we are in PGASYNC_IDLE