diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml
index 14f35d37f6..e0ab7cd555 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/libpq.sgml
@@ -5707,8 +5707,8 @@ int PQrequestCancel(PGconn *conn);
        <structname>PGconn</structname> object, and in case of failure stores the
        error message in the <structname>PGconn</structname> object (whence it can
        be retrieved by <xref linkend="libpq-PQerrorMessage"/>).  Although
-       the functionality is the same, this approach creates hazards for
-       multiple-thread programs and signal handlers, since it is possible
+       the functionality is the same, this approach is not safe within
+       multiple-thread programs or signal handlers, since it is possible
        that overwriting the <structname>PGconn</structname>'s error message will
        mess up the operation currently in progress on the connection.
       </para>
diff --git a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
index 5fc16be849..9e75abd304 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-connect.c
@@ -4394,14 +4394,17 @@ PQfreeCancel(PGcancel *cancel)
 
 
 /*
- * PQcancel and PQrequestCancel: attempt to request cancellation of the
- * current operation.
+ * PQcancel: request query cancel
  *
  * The return value is true if the cancel request was successfully
  * dispatched, false if not (in which case an error message is available).
  * Note: successful dispatch is no guarantee that there will be any effect at
  * the backend.  The application must read the operation result as usual.
  *
+ * On failure, an error message is stored in *errbuf, which must be of size
+ * errbufsize (recommended size is 256 bytes).  *errbuf is not changed on
+ * success return.
+ *
  * CAUTION: we want this routine to be safely callable from a signal handler
  * (for example, an application might want to call it in a SIGINT handler).
  * This means we cannot use any C library routine that might be non-reentrant.
@@ -4409,13 +4412,9 @@ PQfreeCancel(PGcancel *cancel)
  * just as dangerous.  We avoid sprintf here for that reason.  Building up
  * error messages with strcpy/strcat is tedious but should be quite safe.
  * We also save/restore errno in case the signal handler support doesn't.
- *
- * internal_cancel() is an internal helper function to make code-sharing
- * between the two versions of the cancel function possible.
  */
-static int
-internal_cancel(SockAddr *raddr, int be_pid, int be_key,
-				char *errbuf, int errbufsize)
+int
+PQcancel(PGcancel *cancel, char *errbuf, int errbufsize)
 {
 	int			save_errno = SOCK_ERRNO;
 	pgsocket	tmpsock = PGINVALID_SOCKET;
@@ -4427,18 +4426,26 @@ internal_cancel(SockAddr *raddr, int be_pid, int be_key,
 		CancelRequestPacket cp;
 	}			crp;
 
+	if (!cancel)
+	{
+		strlcpy(errbuf, "PQcancel() -- no cancel object supplied", errbufsize);
+		/* strlcpy probably doesn't change errno, but be paranoid */
+		SOCK_ERRNO_SET(save_errno);
+		return false;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * We need to open a temporary connection to the postmaster. Do this with
 	 * only kernel calls.
 	 */
-	if ((tmpsock = socket(raddr->addr.ss_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) == PGINVALID_SOCKET)
+	if ((tmpsock = socket(cancel->raddr.addr.ss_family, SOCK_STREAM, 0)) == PGINVALID_SOCKET)
 	{
 		strlcpy(errbuf, "PQcancel() -- socket() failed: ", errbufsize);
 		goto cancel_errReturn;
 	}
 retry3:
-	if (connect(tmpsock, (struct sockaddr *) &raddr->addr,
-				raddr->salen) < 0)
+	if (connect(tmpsock, (struct sockaddr *) &cancel->raddr.addr,
+				cancel->raddr.salen) < 0)
 	{
 		if (SOCK_ERRNO == EINTR)
 			/* Interrupted system call - we'll just try again */
@@ -4455,8 +4462,8 @@ retry3:
 
 	crp.packetlen = pg_hton32((uint32) sizeof(crp));
 	crp.cp.cancelRequestCode = (MsgType) pg_hton32(CANCEL_REQUEST_CODE);
-	crp.cp.backendPID = pg_hton32(be_pid);
-	crp.cp.cancelAuthCode = pg_hton32(be_key);
+	crp.cp.backendPID = pg_hton32(cancel->be_pid);
+	crp.cp.cancelAuthCode = pg_hton32(cancel->be_key);
 
 retry4:
 	if (send(tmpsock, (char *) &crp, sizeof(crp), 0) != (int) sizeof(crp))
@@ -4508,27 +4515,6 @@ cancel_errReturn:
 	return false;
 }
 
-/*
- * PQcancel: request query cancel
- *
- * Returns true if able to send the cancel request, false if not.
- *
- * On failure, an error message is stored in *errbuf, which must be of size
- * errbufsize (recommended size is 256 bytes).  *errbuf is not changed on
- * success return.
- */
-int
-PQcancel(PGcancel *cancel, char *errbuf, int errbufsize)
-{
-	if (!cancel)
-	{
-		strlcpy(errbuf, "PQcancel() -- no cancel object supplied", errbufsize);
-		return false;
-	}
-
-	return internal_cancel(&cancel->raddr, cancel->be_pid, cancel->be_key,
-						   errbuf, errbufsize);
-}
 
 /*
  * PQrequestCancel: old, not thread-safe function for requesting query cancel
@@ -4546,6 +4532,7 @@ int
 PQrequestCancel(PGconn *conn)
 {
 	int			r;
+	PGcancel   *cancel;
 
 	/* Check we have an open connection */
 	if (!conn)
@@ -4561,8 +4548,19 @@ PQrequestCancel(PGconn *conn)
 		return false;
 	}
 
-	r = internal_cancel(&conn->raddr, conn->be_pid, conn->be_key,
-						conn->errorMessage.data, conn->errorMessage.maxlen);
+	cancel = PQgetCancel(conn);
+	if (cancel)
+	{
+		r = PQcancel(cancel, conn->errorMessage.data,
+					 conn->errorMessage.maxlen);
+		PQfreeCancel(cancel);
+	}
+	else
+	{
+		strlcpy(conn->errorMessage.data, "out of memory",
+				conn->errorMessage.maxlen);
+		r = false;
+	}
 
 	if (!r)
 		conn->errorMessage.len = strlen(conn->errorMessage.data);