diff --git a/src/backend/optimizer/plan/planner.c b/src/backend/optimizer/plan/planner.c
index b2239728cf..7207ae043e 100644
--- a/src/backend/optimizer/plan/planner.c
+++ b/src/backend/optimizer/plan/planner.c
@@ -1592,6 +1592,12 @@ inheritance_planner(PlannerInfo *root)
 	 */
 	if (subpaths == NIL)
 	{
+		/* Set the empty result plan's targetlist appropriately. */
+		List   *tlist;
+
+		tlist = preprocess_targetlist(root);
+		root->processed_tlist = tlist;
+		final_rel->reltarget = create_pathtarget(root, tlist);
 		set_dummy_rel_pathlist(final_rel);
 		return;
 	}
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/inherit.out b/src/test/regress/expected/inherit.out
index f259d07535..2036afb34a 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/inherit.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/inherit.out
@@ -2033,3 +2033,30 @@ select min(a), max(a) from parted_minmax where b = '12345';
 (1 row)
 
 drop table parted_minmax;
+-- check that the generated targetlist is correct even if modifying
+-- an empty set (all inheritance children excluded)
+create table empty_modify_inh_tlist (a int);
+create table empty_modify_inh_tlist1 () inherits (empty_modify_inh_tlist);
+create or replace function test_empty_modify_inh_tlist (p boolean) returns setof empty_modify_inh_tlist
+  language 'plpgsql' as $body$
+    begin
+      return query update empty_modify_inh_tlist set a = a + 1 where p returning *;
+    end;
+$body$;
+insert into empty_modify_inh_tlist values (1);
+insert into empty_modify_inh_tlist1 values (2);
+select * from test_empty_modify_inh_tlist(true);
+ a 
+---
+ 2
+ 3
+(2 rows)
+
+select * from test_empty_modify_inh_tlist(false);
+ a 
+---
+(0 rows)
+
+drop function test_empty_modify_inh_tlist;
+drop table empty_modify_inh_tlist cascade;
+NOTICE:  drop cascades to table empty_modify_inh_tlist1
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/inherit.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/inherit.sql
index 425052c1f4..78abd69077 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/inherit.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/inherit.sql
@@ -711,3 +711,20 @@ insert into parted_minmax values (1,'12345');
 explain (costs off) select min(a), max(a) from parted_minmax where b = '12345';
 select min(a), max(a) from parted_minmax where b = '12345';
 drop table parted_minmax;
+
+-- check that the generated targetlist is correct even if modifying
+-- an empty set (all inheritance children excluded)
+create table empty_modify_inh_tlist (a int);
+create table empty_modify_inh_tlist1 () inherits (empty_modify_inh_tlist);
+create or replace function test_empty_modify_inh_tlist (p boolean) returns setof empty_modify_inh_tlist
+  language 'plpgsql' as $body$
+    begin
+      return query update empty_modify_inh_tlist set a = a + 1 where p returning *;
+    end;
+$body$;
+insert into empty_modify_inh_tlist values (1);
+insert into empty_modify_inh_tlist1 values (2);
+select * from test_empty_modify_inh_tlist(true);
+select * from test_empty_modify_inh_tlist(false);
+drop function test_empty_modify_inh_tlist;
+drop table empty_modify_inh_tlist cascade;