*** a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_exec.c
--- b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_exec.c
***************
*** 3256,3261 **** exec_prepare_plan(PLpgSQL_execstate *estate,
--- 3256,3291 ----
  	exec_simple_check_plan(expr);
  }
  
+ /*
+  * exec_check_execsql_targetlist:  Check that the target list of a query with
+  * INTO matches the number of INTO targets.
+  */
+ static void
+ exec_check_execsql_targetlist(PLpgSQL_stmt_execsql *stmt,
+ 							  List *targetList)
+ {
+ 	int fnum;
+ 	int target_columns;
+ 
+ 	/* no need to check if it's a record */
+ 	if (stmt->row == NULL)
+ 		return;
+ 
+ 	target_columns = 0;
+ 	for (fnum = 0; fnum < stmt->row->nfields; fnum++)
+ 	{
+ 		if (stmt->row->varnos[fnum] < 0)
+ 			continue;
+ 		target_columns++;
+ 	}
+ 
+ 	if (list_length(targetList) != target_columns)
+ 		ereport(ERROR,
+ 				(errcode(ERRCODE_SYNTAX_ERROR),
+ 				 errmsg("the number of targets in INTO does not match the number of columns returned by the query"),
+ 				 errdetail("the query returns %d columns, but the target expects %d",
+ 					 list_length(targetList), target_columns)));
+ }
  
  /* ----------
   * exec_stmt_execsql			Execute an SQL statement (possibly with INTO).
***************
*** 3295,3301 **** exec_stmt_execsql(PLpgSQL_execstate *estate,
--- 3325,3336 ----
  					if (q->commandType == CMD_INSERT ||
  						q->commandType == CMD_UPDATE ||
  						q->commandType == CMD_DELETE)
+ 					{
+ 						exec_check_execsql_targetlist(stmt, q->returningList);
  						stmt->mod_stmt = true;
+ 					}
+ 					else
+ 						exec_check_execsql_targetlist(stmt, q->targetList);
  				}
  			}
  		}