diff --git a/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtinsert.c b/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtinsert.c
index a70b64d964..7bcce3460e 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtinsert.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/nbtree/nbtinsert.c
@@ -1599,11 +1599,14 @@ _bt_split(Relation rel, BTScanInsert itup_key, Buffer buf, Buffer cbuf,
 	else
 	{
 		/* existing item at firstrightoff becomes firstright */
-		itemid = PageGetItemId(origpage, firstrightoff);
-		itemsz = ItemIdGetLength(itemid);
-		firstright = (IndexTuple) PageGetItem(origpage, itemid);
+	    itemid = PageGetItemId(origpage, firstrightoff);
+	    itemsz = ItemIdGetLength(itemid);
 		if (firstrightoff == origpagepostingoff)
 			firstright = nposting;
+		else
+		{
+		    firstright = (IndexTuple) PageGetItem(origpage, itemid);
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (isleaf)
@@ -1623,10 +1626,13 @@ _bt_split(Relation rel, BTScanInsert itup_key, Buffer buf, Buffer cbuf,
 			/* existing item before firstrightoff becomes lastleft */
 			lastleftoff = OffsetNumberPrev(firstrightoff);
 			Assert(lastleftoff >= P_FIRSTDATAKEY(oopaque));
-			itemid = PageGetItemId(origpage, lastleftoff);
-			lastleft = (IndexTuple) PageGetItem(origpage, itemid);
 			if (lastleftoff == origpagepostingoff)
 				lastleft = nposting;
+			else
+			{
+			    itemid = PageGetItemId(origpage, lastleftoff);
+			    lastleft = (IndexTuple) PageGetItem(origpage, itemid);
+			}
 		}
 
 		lefthighkey = _bt_truncate(rel, lastleft, firstright, itup_key);