diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/timeline.c b/src/backend/access/transam/timeline.c
index e6a29d9a9b7..517ab023a3a 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/timeline.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/timeline.c
@@ -441,12 +441,8 @@ writeTimeLineHistory(TimeLineID newTLI, TimeLineID parentTLI,
 	 * Now move the completed history file into place with its final name.
 	 */
 	TLHistoryFilePath(path, newTLI);
-
-	/*
-	 * Perform the rename using link if available, paranoidly trying to avoid
-	 * overwriting an existing file (there shouldn't be one).
-	 */
-	durable_rename_excl(tmppath, path, ERROR);
+	Assert(access(path, F_OK) != 0 && errno == ENOENT);
+	durable_rename(tmppath, path, ERROR);
 
 	/* The history file can be archived immediately. */
 	if (XLogArchivingActive())
@@ -516,15 +512,11 @@ writeTimeLineHistoryFile(TimeLineID tli, char *content, int size)
 				 errmsg("could not close file \"%s\": %m", tmppath)));
 
 	/*
-	 * Now move the completed history file into place with its final name.
+	 * Now move the completed history file into place with its final name,
+	 * replacing any existing file with the same name.
 	 */
 	TLHistoryFilePath(path, tli);
-
-	/*
-	 * Perform the rename using link if available, paranoidly trying to avoid
-	 * overwriting an existing file (there shouldn't be one).
-	 */
-	durable_rename_excl(tmppath, path, ERROR);
+	durable_rename(tmppath, path, ERROR);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index ab4a510ea74..1fa15a58be3 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -3648,15 +3648,12 @@ InstallXLogFileSegment(XLogSegNo *segno, char *tmppath,
 		}
 	}
 
-	/*
-	 * Perform the rename using link if available, paranoidly trying to avoid
-	 * overwriting an existing file (there shouldn't be one).
-	 */
-	if (durable_rename_excl(tmppath, path, LOG) != 0)
+	Assert(access(path, F_OK) != 0 && errno == ENOENT);
+	if (durable_rename(tmppath, path, LOG) != 0)
 	{
 		if (use_lock)
 			LWLockRelease(ControlFileLock);
-		/* durable_rename_excl already emitted log message */
+		/* durable_rename already emitted log message */
 		return false;
 	}