diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 261652a..9915731 100644
*** a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
--- b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
*************** $endif
*** 3801,3808 ****
        If the query results do not fit on the screen, they are piped
        through this command.  Typical values are
        <literal>more</literal> or <literal>less</literal>.  The default
!       is platform-dependent.  The use of the pager can be disabled by
!       using the <command>\pset</command> command.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
--- 3801,3809 ----
        If the query results do not fit on the screen, they are piped
        through this command.  Typical values are
        <literal>more</literal> or <literal>less</literal>.  The default
!       is platform-dependent.  Use of the pager can be disabled by setting
!       <envar>PAGER</envar> to empty, or by using pager-related options of
!       the <command>\pset</command> command.
       </para>
      </listitem>
     </varlistentry>
diff --git a/src/fe_utils/print.c b/src/fe_utils/print.c
index 1ec74f1..5c5d285 100644
*** a/src/fe_utils/print.c
--- b/src/fe_utils/print.c
*************** PageOutput(int lines, const printTableOp
*** 2874,2879 ****
--- 2874,2885 ----
  			pagerprog = getenv("PAGER");
  			if (!pagerprog)
  				pagerprog = DEFAULT_PAGER;
+ 			else
+ 			{
+ 				/* if PAGER is empty or all-white-space, don't use pager */
+ 				if (strspn(pagerprog, " \t\r\n") == strlen(pagerprog))
+ 					return stdout;
+ 			}
  			disable_sigpipe_trap();
  			pagerpipe = popen(pagerprog, "w");
  			if (pagerpipe)
diff --git a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-print.c b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-print.c
index c33dc42..e596a51 100644
*** a/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-print.c
--- b/src/interfaces/libpq/fe-print.c
*************** PQprint(FILE *fout, const PGresult *res,
*** 166,173 ****
  			screen_size.ws_col = 80;
  #endif
  			pagerenv = getenv("PAGER");
  			if (pagerenv != NULL &&
! 				pagerenv[0] != '\0' &&
  				!po->html3 &&
  				((po->expanded &&
  				  nTups * (nFields + 1) >= screen_size.ws_row) ||
--- 166,174 ----
  			screen_size.ws_col = 80;
  #endif
  			pagerenv = getenv("PAGER");
+ 			/* if PAGER is unset, empty or all-white-space, don't use pager */
  			if (pagerenv != NULL &&
! 				strspn(pagerenv, " \t\r\n") != strlen(pagerenv) &&
  				!po->html3 &&
  				((po->expanded &&
  				  nTups * (nFields + 1) >= screen_size.ws_row) ||