diff --git a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-exec.c b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-exec.c
index ec62550e38..b530c51ccd 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-exec.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-exec.c
@@ -2109,19 +2109,19 @@ PQgetResult(PGconn *conn)
 			break;
 
 		case PGASYNC_READY:
+			res = pqPrepareAsyncResult(conn);
 
 			/*
-			 * For any query type other than simple query protocol, we advance
-			 * the command queue here.  This is because for simple query
-			 * protocol we can get the READY state multiple times before the
-			 * command is actually complete, since the command string can
-			 * contain many queries.  In simple query protocol, the queue
-			 * advance is done by fe-protocol3 when it receives ReadyForQuery.
+			 * When an error has occurred, we consume one command from the
+			 * queue for each result we return.  (Normally, the command would
+			 * be consumed as each result is read from the server.)
 			 */
 			if (conn->cmd_queue_head &&
-				conn->cmd_queue_head->queryclass != PGQUERY_SIMPLE)
+				(conn->error_result ||
+				 (conn->result != NULL &&
+				  conn->result->resultStatus == PGRES_FATAL_ERROR)))
 				pqCommandQueueAdvance(conn);
-			res = pqPrepareAsyncResult(conn);
+
 			if (conn->pipelineStatus != PQ_PIPELINE_OFF)
 			{
 				/*
diff --git a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-protocol3.c b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-protocol3.c
index 8ab6a88416..2ed74aa0f1 100644
--- a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-protocol3.c
+++ b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-protocol3.c
@@ -205,6 +205,10 @@ pqParseInput3(PGconn *conn)
 							pqSaveErrorResult(conn);
 						}
 					}
+					if (conn->cmd_queue_head &&
+						conn->cmd_queue_head->queryclass != PGQUERY_SIMPLE)
+						pqCommandQueueAdvance(conn);
+
 					if (conn->result)
 						strlcpy(conn->result->cmdStatus, conn->workBuffer.data,
 								CMDSTATUS_LEN);
@@ -231,6 +235,7 @@ pqParseInput3(PGconn *conn)
 						else
 						{
 							conn->pipelineStatus = PQ_PIPELINE_ON;
+							pqCommandQueueAdvance(conn);
 							conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
 						}
 					}
@@ -257,6 +262,7 @@ pqParseInput3(PGconn *conn)
 							pqSaveErrorResult(conn);
 						}
 					}
+					/* XXX should we advance the command queue here? */
 					conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
 					break;
 				case '1':		/* Parse Complete */
@@ -274,6 +280,7 @@ pqParseInput3(PGconn *conn)
 								pqSaveErrorResult(conn);
 							}
 						}
+						pqCommandQueueAdvance(conn);
 						conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
 					}
 					break;
@@ -324,6 +331,10 @@ pqParseInput3(PGconn *conn)
 						 * really possible with the current backend.) We stop
 						 * parsing until the application accepts the current
 						 * result.
+						 *
+						 * Note that we must have already read one 'T' message
+						 * previously for the same command, so we do not
+						 * advance the command queue here.
 						 */
 						conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
 						return;
@@ -355,6 +366,7 @@ pqParseInput3(PGconn *conn)
 							}
 						}
 						conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
+						pqCommandQueueAdvance(conn);
 					}
 					break;
 				case 't':		/* Parameter Description */
@@ -593,14 +605,20 @@ getRowDescriptions(PGconn *conn, int msgLength)
 	/*
 	 * If we're doing a Describe, we're done, and ready to pass the result
 	 * back to the client.
+	 *
+	 * XXX this coding here is a bit suspicious ...
 	 */
-	if ((!conn->cmd_queue_head) ||
-		(conn->cmd_queue_head &&
-		 conn->cmd_queue_head->queryclass == PGQUERY_DESCRIBE))
+	if (!conn->cmd_queue_head)
 	{
 		conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
 		return 0;
 	}
+	else if (conn->cmd_queue_head->queryclass == PGQUERY_DESCRIBE)
+	{
+		conn->asyncStatus = PGASYNC_READY;
+		pqCommandQueueAdvance(conn);
+		return 0;
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * We could perform additional setup for the new result set here, but for