diff --git a/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c b/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c
index ba11bcd99e..f6cca1cb1d 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/heap/heapam.c
@@ -1530,10 +1530,14 @@ heap_getnextslot_tidrange(TableScanDesc sscan, ScanDirection direction,
  * must unpin the buffer when done with the tuple.
  *
  * If the tuple is not found (ie, item number references a deleted slot),
- * then tuple->t_data is set to NULL and false is returned.
+ * then tuple->t_data is set to NULL, *userbuf is set to InvalidBuffer,
+ * and false is returned.
  *
- * If the tuple is found but fails the time qual check, then false is returned
- * but tuple->t_data is left pointing to the tuple.
+ * If the tuple is found but fails the time qual check, then the behavior
+ * depends on the keep_buf parameter.  If keep_buf is false, the results
+ * are the same as for the tuple-not-found case.  If keep_buf is true,
+ * then tuple->t_data and *userbuf are returned as for the success case,
+ * and again the caller must unpin the buffer; but false is returned.
  *
  * heap_fetch does not follow HOT chains: only the exact TID requested will
  * be fetched.
@@ -1551,7 +1555,8 @@ bool
 heap_fetch(Relation relation,
 		   Snapshot snapshot,
 		   HeapTuple tuple,
-		   Buffer *userbuf)
+		   Buffer *userbuf,
+		   bool keep_buf)
 {
 	ItemPointer tid = &(tuple->t_self);
 	ItemId		lp;
@@ -1634,9 +1639,15 @@ heap_fetch(Relation relation,
 		return true;
 	}
 
-	/* Tuple failed time qual */
-	ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
-	*userbuf = InvalidBuffer;
+	/* Tuple failed time qual, but maybe caller wants to see it anyway. */
+	if (keep_buf)
+		*userbuf = buffer;
+	else
+	{
+		ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
+		*userbuf = InvalidBuffer;
+		tuple->t_data = NULL;
+	}
 
 	return false;
 }
@@ -1659,8 +1670,7 @@ heap_fetch(Relation relation,
  * are vacuumable, false if not.
  *
  * Unlike heap_fetch, the caller must already have pin and (at least) share
- * lock on the buffer; it is still pinned/locked at exit.  Also unlike
- * heap_fetch, we do not report any pgstats count; caller may do so if wanted.
+ * lock on the buffer; it is still pinned/locked at exit.
  */
 bool
 heap_hot_search_buffer(ItemPointer tid, Relation relation, Buffer buffer,
@@ -5379,7 +5389,7 @@ heap_lock_updated_tuple_rec(Relation rel, ItemPointer tid, TransactionId xid,
 		block = ItemPointerGetBlockNumber(&tupid);
 		ItemPointerCopy(&tupid, &(mytup.t_self));
 
-		if (!heap_fetch(rel, SnapshotAny, &mytup, &buf))
+		if (!heap_fetch(rel, SnapshotAny, &mytup, &buf, false))
 		{
 			/*
 			 * if we fail to find the updated version of the tuple, it's
diff --git a/src/backend/access/heap/heapam_handler.c b/src/backend/access/heap/heapam_handler.c
index 666b6205a7..444f027149 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/heap/heapam_handler.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/heap/heapam_handler.c
@@ -188,7 +188,7 @@ heapam_fetch_row_version(Relation relation,
 	Assert(TTS_IS_BUFFERTUPLE(slot));
 
 	bslot->base.tupdata.t_self = *tid;
-	if (heap_fetch(relation, snapshot, &bslot->base.tupdata, &buffer))
+	if (heap_fetch(relation, snapshot, &bslot->base.tupdata, &buffer, false))
 	{
 		/* store in slot, transferring existing pin */
 		ExecStorePinnedBufferHeapTuple(&bslot->base.tupdata, slot, buffer);
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ tuple_lock_retry:
 							 errmsg("tuple to be locked was already moved to another partition due to concurrent update")));
 
 				tuple->t_self = *tid;
-				if (heap_fetch(relation, &SnapshotDirty, tuple, &buffer))
+				if (heap_fetch(relation, &SnapshotDirty, tuple, &buffer, true))
 				{
 					/*
 					 * If xmin isn't what we're expecting, the slot must have
@@ -500,6 +500,7 @@ tuple_lock_retry:
 				 */
 				if (tuple->t_data == NULL)
 				{
+					Assert(!BufferIsValid(buffer));
 					return TM_Deleted;
 				}
 
@@ -509,8 +510,7 @@ tuple_lock_retry:
 				if (!TransactionIdEquals(HeapTupleHeaderGetXmin(tuple->t_data),
 										 priorXmax))
 				{
-					if (BufferIsValid(buffer))
-						ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
+					ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
 					return TM_Deleted;
 				}
 
@@ -526,13 +526,12 @@ tuple_lock_retry:
 				 *
 				 * As above, it should be safe to examine xmax and t_ctid
 				 * without the buffer content lock, because they can't be
-				 * changing.
+				 * changing.  We'd better hold a buffer pin though.
 				 */
 				if (ItemPointerEquals(&tuple->t_self, &tuple->t_data->t_ctid))
 				{
 					/* deleted, so forget about it */
-					if (BufferIsValid(buffer))
-						ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
+					ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
 					return TM_Deleted;
 				}
 
@@ -540,8 +539,7 @@ tuple_lock_retry:
 				*tid = tuple->t_data->t_ctid;
 				/* updated row should have xmin matching this xmax */
 				priorXmax = HeapTupleHeaderGetUpdateXid(tuple->t_data);
-				if (BufferIsValid(buffer))
-					ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
+				ReleaseBuffer(buffer);
 				/* loop back to fetch next in chain */
 			}
 		}
diff --git a/src/include/access/heapam.h b/src/include/access/heapam.h
index 4403f01e13..5d7f7fd800 100644
--- a/src/include/access/heapam.h
+++ b/src/include/access/heapam.h
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ extern bool heap_getnextslot_tidrange(TableScanDesc sscan,
 									  ScanDirection direction,
 									  TupleTableSlot *slot);
 extern bool heap_fetch(Relation relation, Snapshot snapshot,
-					   HeapTuple tuple, Buffer *userbuf);
+					   HeapTuple tuple, Buffer *userbuf, bool keep_buf);
 extern bool heap_hot_search_buffer(ItemPointer tid, Relation relation,
 								   Buffer buffer, Snapshot snapshot, HeapTuple heapTuple,
 								   bool *all_dead, bool first_call);