diff --git a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/expected/plpgsql_simple.out b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/expected/plpgsql_simple.out
index 7b22e60f198..da351873e74 100644
--- a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/expected/plpgsql_simple.out
+++ b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/expected/plpgsql_simple.out
@@ -118,3 +118,14 @@ select simplecaller();
            44
 (1 row)
 
+-- Check handling of simple expression in a scrollable cursor (bug #18859)
+do $$
+declare
+ p_CurData refcursor;
+ val int;
+begin
+ open p_CurData scroll for select 42;
+ fetch p_CurData into val;
+ raise notice 'val = %', val;
+end; $$;
+NOTICE:  val = 42
diff --git a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_exec.c b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_exec.c
index d4377ceecbf..e8205275036 100644
--- a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_exec.c
+++ b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/pl_exec.c
@@ -8302,10 +8302,12 @@ exec_save_simple_expr(PLpgSQL_expr *expr, CachedPlan *cplan)
 	/*
 	 * Ordinarily, the plan node should be a simple Result.  However, if
 	 * debug_parallel_query is on, the planner might've stuck a Gather node
-	 * atop that.  The simplest way to deal with this is to look through the
-	 * Gather node.  The Gather node's tlist would normally contain a Var
-	 * referencing the child node's output, but it could also be a Param, or
-	 * it could be a Const that setrefs.c copied as-is.
+	 * atop that; and/or if this plan is for a scrollable cursor, the planner
+	 * might've stuck a Material node atop it.  The simplest way to deal with
+	 * this is to look through the Gather and/or Material nodes.  The upper
+	 * node's tlist would normally contain a Var referencing the child node's
+	 * output, but it could also be a Param, or it could be a Const that
+	 * setrefs.c copied as-is.
 	 */
 	plan = stmt->planTree;
 	for (;;)
@@ -8323,7 +8325,7 @@ exec_save_simple_expr(PLpgSQL_expr *expr, CachedPlan *cplan)
 				   ((Result *) plan)->resconstantqual == NULL);
 			break;
 		}
-		else if (IsA(plan, Gather))
+		else if (IsA(plan, Gather) || IsA(plan, Material))
 		{
 			Assert(plan->lefttree != NULL &&
 				   plan->righttree == NULL &&
diff --git a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/sql/plpgsql_simple.sql b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/sql/plpgsql_simple.sql
index 143bf09dce4..72d8afe4500 100644
--- a/src/pl/plpgsql/src/sql/plpgsql_simple.sql
+++ b/src/pl/plpgsql/src/sql/plpgsql_simple.sql
@@ -102,3 +102,15 @@ as $$select 22 + 22$$;
 select simplecaller();
 
 select simplecaller();
+
+-- Check handling of simple expression in a scrollable cursor (bug #18859)
+
+do $$
+declare
+ p_CurData refcursor;
+ val int;
+begin
+ open p_CurData scroll for select 42;
+ fetch p_CurData into val;
+ raise notice 'val = %', val;
+end; $$;