diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlogfuncs.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlogfuncs.c
index 5044ff0643..45a70668b1 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlogfuncs.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlogfuncs.c
@@ -711,10 +711,10 @@ pg_promote(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	/* signal the postmaster */
 	if (kill(PostmasterPid, SIGUSR1) != 0)
 	{
-		ereport(WARNING,
-				(errmsg("failed to send signal to postmaster: %m")));
 		(void) unlink(PROMOTE_SIGNAL_FILE);
-		PG_RETURN_BOOL(false);
+		ereport(ERROR,
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_SYSTEM_ERROR),
+				 errmsg("failed to send signal to postmaster: %m")));
 	}
 
 	/* return immediately if waiting was not requested */
@@ -744,7 +744,10 @@ pg_promote(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 		 * necessity for manual cleanup of all postmaster children.
 		 */
 		if (rc & WL_POSTMASTER_DEATH)
-			PG_RETURN_BOOL(false);
+			ereport(FATAL,
+					(errcode(ERRCODE_ADMIN_SHUTDOWN),
+					 errmsg("terminating connection due to unexpected postmaster exit"),
+					 errcontext("while waiting on promotion")));
 	}
 
 	ereport(WARNING,