diff --git a/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c b/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
index 723f513d8b..9b32941a76 100644
--- a/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
+++ b/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
@@ -1325,7 +1325,6 @@ pg_stat_get_wal_receiver(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	state = WalRcv->walRcvState;
 	receive_start_lsn = WalRcv->receiveStart;
 	receive_start_tli = WalRcv->receiveStartTLI;
-	written_lsn = pg_atomic_read_u64(&WalRcv->writtenUpto);
 	flushed_lsn = WalRcv->flushedUpto;
 	received_tli = WalRcv->receivedTLI;
 	last_send_time = WalRcv->lastMsgSendTime;
@@ -1345,6 +1344,19 @@ pg_stat_get_wal_receiver(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	if (pid == 0 || !ready_to_display)
 		PG_RETURN_NULL();
 
+	/*
+	 * We reach here if WAL receiver is ready to display (i.e.,
+	 * ready_to_display == true). In this case we can ensure that the atomic
+	 * variable "writtenUpto" has already been initialized by WAL receiver, so
+	 * we can safely read it here.
+	 *
+	 * Read "writtenUpto" without holding a spinlock. So it may not be
+	 * consistent with other WAL receiver's shared variables protected by a
+	 * spinlock. This is OK because that variable is used only for
+	 * informational purpose and should not be used for data integrity checks.
+	 */
+	written_lsn = pg_atomic_read_u64(&WalRcv->writtenUpto);
+
 	/* determine result type */
 	if (get_call_result_type(fcinfo, NULL, &tupdesc) != TYPEFUNC_COMPOSITE)
 		elog(ERROR, "return type must be a row type");
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/sysviews.out b/src/test/regress/expected/sysviews.out
index 81bdacf59d..6d048e309c 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/sysviews.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/sysviews.out
@@ -83,6 +83,13 @@ select count(*) = 1 as ok from pg_stat_wal;
  t
 (1 row)
 
+-- We expect no walreceiver running in this test
+select count(*) = 0 as ok from pg_stat_wal_receiver;
+ ok 
+----
+ t
+(1 row)
+
 -- This is to record the prevailing planner enable_foo settings during
 -- a regression test run.
 select name, setting from pg_settings where name like 'enable%';
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/sysviews.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/sysviews.sql
index b9b875bc6a..dc8c9a3ac2 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/sysviews.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/sysviews.sql
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@ select count(*) >= 0 as ok from pg_prepared_xacts;
 -- There must be only one record
 select count(*) = 1 as ok from pg_stat_wal;
 
+-- We expect no walreceiver running in this test
+select count(*) = 0 as ok from pg_stat_wal_receiver;
+
 -- This is to record the prevailing planner enable_foo settings during
 -- a regression test run.
 select name, setting from pg_settings where name like 'enable%';