diff --git a/contrib/sepgsql/expected/label.out b/contrib/sepgsql/expected/label.out
index bac169f37bf..279cfab0914 100644
--- a/contrib/sepgsql/expected/label.out
+++ b/contrib/sepgsql/expected/label.out
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ SECURITY LABEL ON TABLE t2
 ERROR:  SELinux: invalid security label: "invalid security context"
 SECURITY LABEL ON COLUMN t2
     IS 'system_u:object_r:sepgsql_ro_table_t:s0';	-- be failed
-ERROR:  improper relation name (too many dotted names): 
+ERROR:  column name must be qualified
 SECURITY LABEL ON COLUMN t2.b
     IS 'system_u:object_r:sepgsql_ro_table_t:s0';	-- ok
 --
diff --git a/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c b/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c
index 3925b8ec95c..403bd9e283c 100644
--- a/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c
+++ b/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c
@@ -526,6 +526,10 @@ get_object_address_attribute(ObjectType objtype, List *objname,
 	const char *attname;
 
 	/* Extract relation name and open relation. */
+	if (list_length(objname) < 2)
+		ereport(ERROR,
+				(errcode(ERRCODE_SYNTAX_ERROR),
+				 errmsg("column name must be qualified")));
 	attname = strVal(lfirst(list_tail(objname)));
 	relname = list_truncate(list_copy(objname), list_length(objname) - 1);
 	relation = relation_openrv(makeRangeVarFromNameList(relname), lockmode);
diff --git a/src/test/regress/input/security_label.source b/src/test/regress/input/security_label.source
index 810a721ca8f..9b430b09a57 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/input/security_label.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/input/security_label.source
@@ -44,6 +44,7 @@ SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION seclabel_user1;
 
 SECURITY LABEL ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS 'classified';			-- OK
 SECURITY LABEL ON COLUMN seclabel_tbl1.a IS 'unclassified';		-- OK
+SECURITY LABEL ON COLUMN seclabel_tbl1 IS 'unclassified';	-- fail
 SECURITY LABEL ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS '...invalid label...';	-- fail
 SECURITY LABEL FOR 'dummy' ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS 'unclassified';	-- OK
 SECURITY LABEL FOR 'unknown_seclabel' ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS 'classified';	-- fail
diff --git a/src/test/regress/output/security_label.source b/src/test/regress/output/security_label.source
index 4bc803d694f..4b53bd54c90 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/output/security_label.source
+++ b/src/test/regress/output/security_label.source
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ LOAD '@abs_builddir@/dummy_seclabel@DLSUFFIX@';
 SET SESSION AUTHORIZATION seclabel_user1;
 SECURITY LABEL ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS 'classified';			-- OK
 SECURITY LABEL ON COLUMN seclabel_tbl1.a IS 'unclassified';		-- OK
+SECURITY LABEL ON COLUMN seclabel_tbl1 IS 'unclassified';	-- fail
+ERROR:  column name must be qualified
 SECURITY LABEL ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS '...invalid label...';	-- fail
 ERROR:  '...invalid label...' is not a valid security label
 SECURITY LABEL FOR 'dummy' ON TABLE seclabel_tbl1 IS 'unclassified';	-- OK