From 1bac5f552a25aca3aa2ef1d404f7cdf7788c34d8 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Peter Eisentraut
Date: Mon, 1 May 2017 12:10:17 -0400
Subject: pg_ctl: Make failure to complete operation a nonzero exit

If an operation being waited for does not complete within the timeout,
then exit with a nonzero exit status.  This was previously handled
inconsistently.
---
 doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_ctl-ref.sgml | 7 +++++++
 src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c          | 8 ++++++--
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_ctl-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_ctl-ref.sgml
index 71e52c4c35..12fa011c4e 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_ctl-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/pg_ctl-ref.sgml
@@ -412,6 +412,13 @@ PostgreSQL documentation
         <command>pg_ctl</command> returns an exit code based on the
         success of the startup or shutdown.
        </para>
+
+       <para>
+        If the operation does not complete within the timeout (see
+        option <option>-t</option>), then <command>pg_ctl</command> exits with
+        a nonzero exit status.  But note that the operation might continue in
+        the background and eventually succeed.
+       </para>
       </listitem>
      </varlistentry>
 
diff --git a/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c b/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
index 0c65196bda..4e02c4cea1 100644
--- a/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
+++ b/src/bin/pg_ctl/pg_ctl.c
@@ -840,7 +840,9 @@ do_start(void)
 				break;
 			case POSTMASTER_STILL_STARTING:
 				print_msg(_(" stopped waiting\n"));
-				print_msg(_("server is still starting up\n"));
+				write_stderr(_("%s: server did not start in time\n"),
+							 progname);
+				exit(1);
 				break;
 			case POSTMASTER_FAILED:
 				print_msg(_(" stopped waiting\n"));
@@ -1166,7 +1168,9 @@ do_promote(void)
 		else
 		{
 			print_msg(_(" stopped waiting\n"));
-			print_msg(_("server is still promoting\n"));
+			write_stderr(_("%s: server did not promote in time\n"),
+						 progname);
+			exit(1);
 		}
 	}
 	else
-- 
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