diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/set_session_auth.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/set_session_auth.sgml
index f8fcafc1946..94adab2468d 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/set_session_auth.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/set_session_auth.sgml
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ RESET SESSION AUTHORIZATION
 
   <para>
    The session user identifier can be changed only if the initial session
-   user (the <firstterm>authenticated user</firstterm>) had the
+   user (the <firstterm>authenticated user</firstterm>) has the
    superuser privilege.  Otherwise, the command is accepted only if it
    specifies the authenticated user name.
   </para>
diff --git a/src/backend/commands/variable.c b/src/backend/commands/variable.c
index 071bef63754..a88cf5f118f 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/variable.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/variable.c
@@ -854,7 +854,7 @@ check_session_authorization(char **newval, void **extra, GucSource source)
 	 * authenticated user's superuserness is what matters.
 	 */
 	if (roleid != GetAuthenticatedUserId() &&
-		!GetAuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser())
+		!superuser_arg(GetAuthenticatedUserId()))
 	{
 		if (source == PGC_S_TEST)
 		{
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c b/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
index 64545bc3738..1e671c560c8 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/init/miscinit.c
@@ -467,8 +467,8 @@ ChangeToDataDir(void)
  * AuthenticatedUserId is determined at connection start and never changes.
  *
  * SessionUserId is initially the same as AuthenticatedUserId, but can be
- * changed by SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION (if AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser).
- * This is the ID reported by the SESSION_USER SQL function.
+ * changed by SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION (if AuthenticatedUserId is a
+ * superuser).  This is the ID reported by the SESSION_USER SQL function.
  *
  * OuterUserId is the current user ID in effect at the "outer level" (outside
  * any transaction or function).  This is initially the same as SessionUserId,
@@ -492,8 +492,7 @@ static Oid	OuterUserId = InvalidOid;
 static Oid	CurrentUserId = InvalidOid;
 static const char *SystemUser = NULL;
 
-/* We also have to remember the superuser state of some of these levels */
-static bool AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser = false;
+/* We also have to remember the superuser state of the session user */
 static bool SessionUserIsSuperuser = false;
 
 static int	SecurityRestrictionContext = 0;
@@ -582,16 +581,6 @@ GetAuthenticatedUserId(void)
 	return AuthenticatedUserId;
 }
 
-/*
- * Return whether the authenticated user was superuser at connection start.
- */
-bool
-GetAuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser(void)
-{
-	Assert(OidIsValid(AuthenticatedUserId));
-	return AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser;
-}
-
 
 /*
  * GetUserIdAndSecContext/SetUserIdAndSecContext - get/set the current user ID
@@ -741,6 +730,7 @@ InitializeSessionUserId(const char *rolename, Oid roleid)
 	HeapTuple	roleTup;
 	Form_pg_authid rform;
 	char	   *rname;
+	bool		is_superuser;
 
 	/*
 	 * Don't do scans if we're bootstrapping, none of the system catalogs
@@ -780,10 +770,10 @@ InitializeSessionUserId(const char *rolename, Oid roleid)
 	rname = NameStr(rform->rolname);
 
 	AuthenticatedUserId = roleid;
-	AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser = rform->rolsuper;
+	is_superuser = rform->rolsuper;
 
 	/* This sets OuterUserId/CurrentUserId too */
-	SetSessionUserId(roleid, AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser);
+	SetSessionUserId(roleid, is_superuser);
 
 	/* Also mark our PGPROC entry with the authenticated user id */
 	/* (We assume this is an atomic store so no lock is needed) */
@@ -816,7 +806,7 @@ InitializeSessionUserId(const char *rolename, Oid roleid)
 		 * just document that the connection limit is approximate.
 		 */
 		if (rform->rolconnlimit >= 0 &&
-			!AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser &&
+			!is_superuser &&
 			CountUserBackends(roleid) > rform->rolconnlimit)
 			ereport(FATAL,
 					(errcode(ERRCODE_TOO_MANY_CONNECTIONS),
@@ -828,7 +818,7 @@ InitializeSessionUserId(const char *rolename, Oid roleid)
 	SetConfigOption("session_authorization", rname,
 					PGC_BACKEND, PGC_S_OVERRIDE);
 	SetConfigOption("is_superuser",
-					AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser ? "on" : "off",
+					is_superuser ? "on" : "off",
 					PGC_INTERNAL, PGC_S_DYNAMIC_DEFAULT);
 
 	ReleaseSysCache(roleTup);
@@ -851,8 +841,6 @@ InitializeSessionUserIdStandalone(void)
 	Assert(!OidIsValid(AuthenticatedUserId));
 
 	AuthenticatedUserId = BOOTSTRAP_SUPERUSERID;
-	AuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser = true;
-
 	SetSessionUserId(BOOTSTRAP_SUPERUSERID, true);
 }
 
diff --git a/src/include/miscadmin.h b/src/include/miscadmin.h
index 11d6e6869de..14bd574fc24 100644
--- a/src/include/miscadmin.h
+++ b/src/include/miscadmin.h
@@ -357,7 +357,6 @@ extern Oid	GetUserId(void);
 extern Oid	GetOuterUserId(void);
 extern Oid	GetSessionUserId(void);
 extern Oid	GetAuthenticatedUserId(void);
-extern bool GetAuthenticatedUserIsSuperuser(void);
 extern void GetUserIdAndSecContext(Oid *userid, int *sec_context);
 extern void SetUserIdAndSecContext(Oid userid, int sec_context);
 extern bool InLocalUserIdChange(void);