diff --git a/src/backend/tcop/pquery.c b/src/backend/tcop/pquery.c
index a3c27d9d74..a9e1056057 100644
--- a/src/backend/tcop/pquery.c
+++ b/src/backend/tcop/pquery.c
@@ -1472,9 +1472,8 @@ PortalRunFetch(Portal portal,
  * DoPortalRunFetch
  *		Guts of PortalRunFetch --- the portal context is already set up
  *
- * count <= 0 is interpreted as a no-op: the destination gets started up
- * and shut down, but nothing else happens.  Also, count == FETCH_ALL is
- * interpreted as "all rows".  (cf FetchStmt.howMany)
+ * Here, count < 0 typically reverses the direction.  Also, count == FETCH_ALL
+ * is interpreted as "all rows".  (cf FetchStmt.howMany)
  *
  * Returns number of rows processed (suitable for use in result tag)
  */
@@ -1491,6 +1490,15 @@ DoPortalRunFetch(Portal portal,
 		   portal->strategy == PORTAL_ONE_MOD_WITH ||
 		   portal->strategy == PORTAL_UTIL_SELECT);
 
+	/*
+	 * Note: we disallow backwards fetch (including re-fetch of current row)
+	 * for NO SCROLL cursors, but we interpret that very loosely: you can use
+	 * any of the FetchDirection options, so long as the end result is to move
+	 * forwards by at least one row.  Currently it's sufficient to check for
+	 * NO SCROLL in DoPortalRewind() and in the forward == false path in
+	 * PortalRunSelect(); but someday we might prefer to account for that
+	 * restriction explicitly here.
+	 */
 	switch (fdirection)
 	{
 		case FETCH_FORWARD:
@@ -1668,6 +1676,19 @@ DoPortalRewind(Portal portal)
 {
 	QueryDesc  *queryDesc;
 
+	/*
+	 * No work is needed if we've not advanced the cursor (and we don't want
+	 * to throw a NO SCROLL error in this case).
+	 */
+	if (portal->atStart && !portal->atEnd)
+		return;
+
+	if (portal->cursorOptions & CURSOR_OPT_NO_SCROLL)
+		ereport(ERROR,
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_OBJECT_NOT_IN_PREREQUISITE_STATE),
+				 errmsg("cursor can only scan forward"),
+				 errhint("Declare it with SCROLL option to enable backward scan.")));
+
 	/* Rewind holdStore, if we have one */
 	if (portal->holdStore)
 	{
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/portals.out b/src/test/regress/expected/portals.out
index 42dc637fd4..d98c58d303 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/portals.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/portals.out
@@ -715,6 +715,24 @@ FETCH BACKWARD 1 FROM foo24; -- should fail
 ERROR:  cursor can only scan forward
 HINT:  Declare it with SCROLL option to enable backward scan.
 END;
+BEGIN;
+DECLARE foo24 NO SCROLL CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM tenk1 ORDER BY unique2;
+FETCH 1 FROM foo24;
+ unique1 | unique2 | two | four | ten | twenty | hundred | thousand | twothousand | fivethous | tenthous | odd | even | stringu1 | stringu2 | string4 
+---------+---------+-----+------+-----+--------+---------+----------+-------------+-----------+----------+-----+------+----------+----------+---------
+    8800 |       0 |   0 |    0 |   0 |      0 |       0 |      800 |         800 |      3800 |     8800 |   0 |    1 | MAAAAA   | AAAAAA   | AAAAxx
+(1 row)
+
+FETCH ABSOLUTE 2 FROM foo24; -- allowed
+ unique1 | unique2 | two | four | ten | twenty | hundred | thousand | twothousand | fivethous | tenthous | odd | even | stringu1 | stringu2 | string4 
+---------+---------+-----+------+-----+--------+---------+----------+-------------+-----------+----------+-----+------+----------+----------+---------
+    1891 |       1 |   1 |    3 |   1 |     11 |      91 |      891 |        1891 |      1891 |     1891 | 182 |  183 | TUAAAA   | BAAAAA   | HHHHxx
+(1 row)
+
+FETCH ABSOLUTE 1 FROM foo24; -- should fail
+ERROR:  cursor can only scan forward
+HINT:  Declare it with SCROLL option to enable backward scan.
+END;
 --
 -- Cursors outside transaction blocks
 --
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/tablesample.out b/src/test/regress/expected/tablesample.out
index 078358d226..60bb4e8e3e 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/tablesample.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/tablesample.out
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ View definition:
 
 -- check a sampled query doesn't affect cursor in progress
 BEGIN;
-DECLARE tablesample_cur CURSOR FOR
+DECLARE tablesample_cur SCROLL CURSOR FOR
   SELECT id FROM test_tablesample TABLESAMPLE SYSTEM (50) REPEATABLE (0);
 FETCH FIRST FROM tablesample_cur;
  id 
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/portals.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/portals.sql
index bf1dff884d..2a098a43b9 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/portals.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/portals.sql
@@ -190,6 +190,18 @@ FETCH BACKWARD 1 FROM foo24; -- should fail
 
 END;
 
+BEGIN;
+
+DECLARE foo24 NO SCROLL CURSOR FOR SELECT * FROM tenk1 ORDER BY unique2;
+
+FETCH 1 FROM foo24;
+
+FETCH ABSOLUTE 2 FROM foo24; -- allowed
+
+FETCH ABSOLUTE 1 FROM foo24; -- should fail
+
+END;
+
 --
 -- Cursors outside transaction blocks
 --
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/tablesample.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/tablesample.sql
index c39fe4b750..aa17994277 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/tablesample.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/tablesample.sql
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ CREATE VIEW test_tablesample_v2 AS
 
 -- check a sampled query doesn't affect cursor in progress
 BEGIN;
-DECLARE tablesample_cur CURSOR FOR
+DECLARE tablesample_cur SCROLL CURSOR FOR
   SELECT id FROM test_tablesample TABLESAMPLE SYSTEM (50) REPEATABLE (0);
 
 FETCH FIRST FROM tablesample_cur;