diff --git a/contrib/postgres_fdw/postgres_fdw.c b/contrib/postgres_fdw/postgres_fdw.c
index adfdb91cc20..1c0a1d25dcc 100644
--- a/contrib/postgres_fdw/postgres_fdw.c
+++ b/contrib/postgres_fdw/postgres_fdw.c
@@ -596,6 +596,7 @@ static bool fetch_remote_statistics(Relation relation,
 									const char *local_schemaname,
 									const char *local_relname,
 									ForeignTable *table,
+									ForeignServer *server,
 									RemoteStatsResults *remstats,
 									RemoteAttributeMapping **p_remattrmap,
 									int *p_attrcnt);
@@ -5763,7 +5764,7 @@ postgresImportForeignStatistics(Relation relation, List *va_cols, int elevel)
 	starttime = GetCurrentTimestamp();
 
 	ok = fetch_remote_statistics(relation, va_cols,
-								 schemaname, relname, table,
+								 schemaname, relname, table, server,
 								 &remstats, &remattrmap, &attrcnt);
 
 	if (ok)
@@ -5796,6 +5797,7 @@ fetch_remote_statistics(Relation relation,
 						const char *local_schemaname,
 						const char *local_relname,
 						ForeignTable *table,
+						ForeignServer *server,
 						RemoteStatsResults *remstats,
 						RemoteAttributeMapping **p_remattrmap,
 						int *p_attrcnt)
@@ -5912,6 +5914,19 @@ fetch_remote_statistics(Relation relation,
 		/* Try to get attribute stats if needed. */
 		if (attrcnt > 0)
 		{
+			/*
+			 * The fetch_attstats query sends COLLATE "C" to the remote
+			 * server; if it hasn't got it, fallback to sampling.
+			 */
+			if (server_version_num < 90100)
+			{
+				ereport(WARNING,
+						errmsg("could not import statistics for foreign table \"%s.%s\" --- foreign server \"%s\" is too old to support attribute statistics import",
+							   local_schemaname, local_relname,
+							   server->servername));
+				goto fetch_cleanup;
+			}
+
 			/* Fetch attribute stats. */
 			remstats->att = attstats = fetch_attstats(conn,
 													  server_version_num,
@@ -5987,6 +6002,9 @@ fetch_attstats(PGconn *conn, int server_version_num,
 	StringInfoData sql;
 	PGresult   *res;
 
+	/* The caller guaranttees the remote server is v9.1 or later. */
+	Assert(server_version_num >= 90100);
+
 	initStringInfo(&sql);
 	appendStringInfoString(&sql,
 						   "SELECT DISTINCT ON (attname COLLATE \"C\") attname,"
@@ -6030,18 +6048,11 @@ fetch_attstats(PGconn *conn, int server_version_num,
 					 column_list);
 
 	/*
-	 * inherited is supported since Postgres 9.0
-	 *
-	 * Note that this is okay because for now, we support the case where the
-	 * remote table is partitioned, but not the case where it is inherited
-	 * (see fetch_remote_statistics()).
+	 * inherited and COLLATE are supported since Postgres 9.0 and 9.1,
+	 * respectively.
 	 */
-	if (server_version_num >= 90000)
-		appendStringInfoString(&sql,
-							   " ORDER BY attname COLLATE \"C\", inherited DESC");
-	else
-		appendStringInfoString(&sql,
-							   " ORDER BY attname COLLATE \"C\"");
+	appendStringInfoString(&sql,
+						   " ORDER BY attname COLLATE \"C\", inherited DESC");
 
 	res = pgfdw_exec_query(conn, sql.data, NULL);
 	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/postgres-fdw.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/postgres-fdw.sgml
index 80f79c017d6..fe4e6478e28 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/postgres-fdw.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/postgres-fdw.sgml
@@ -370,14 +370,15 @@ OPTIONS (ADD password_required 'false');
       <para>
        This option, which can be specified for a foreign table or a foreign
        server, determines if <command>ANALYZE</command> on a foreign table
-       will instead attempt to fetch the existing statistics for the foreign
-       table on the remote server, and import those statistics directly to
-       the local server.  If the attempt failed, statistics are collected by
-       row sampling on the foreign table.
+       will instead attempt to fetch the existing statistics for the remote
+       table, and import those statistics directly to the local server
+       (without applying the foreign table columns'
+       <literal>n_distinct</literal> option).  If the attempt failed,
+       statistics are collected by row sampling on the foreign table.
        This option is only useful if the remote table is one that can have
        regular statistics (tables, not inherited, and materialized views).
        When using this option, <emphasis>it is the user's responsibility
-       </emphasis> to ensure that the existing statistics for the foreign
+       </emphasis> to ensure that the existing statistics for the remote
        table are up-to-date.
        The default is <literal>false</literal>.
       </para>