diff --git a/contrib/test_decoding/t/001_repl_stats.pl b/contrib/test_decoding/t/001_repl_stats.pl
index c335bc5890c..33a84bb5e08 100644
--- a/contrib/test_decoding/t/001_repl_stats.pl
+++ b/contrib/test_decoding/t/001_repl_stats.pl
@@ -178,4 +178,42 @@ ok(-f "$stats_file", "stats file must exist after shutdown");
 
 $bpgsql->quit;
 
+# Session holding a stale reference to a slot stats entry, reinitialized
+# then dropped again.  It must be freed on exit.
+$node->start;
+
+my $slot_name_stale = 'regression_slot6';
+$node->safe_psql('postgres',
+	"SELECT pg_create_logical_replication_slot('$slot_name_stale', 'test_decoding');"
+);
+
+$bpgsql = $node->background_psql('postgres', on_error_stop => 1);
+$bpgsql->query_safe(
+	"SELECT pg_logical_slot_peek_binary_changes('$slot_name_stale', NULL, NULL)"
+);
+
+# Entry dropped, still kept by the session with a reference.
+$node->safe_psql('postgres',
+	"SELECT pg_drop_replication_slot('$slot_name_stale')");
+
+# Entry reinitialized for the new slot, then dropped again.  The session
+# still holds its reference.
+$node->safe_psql(
+	'postgres', qq[
+	SELECT pg_create_logical_replication_slot('regression_slot7', 'test_decoding');
+	SELECT pg_drop_replication_slot('regression_slot7');
+]);
+
+# This session is the last referrer, and frees the entry on exit.
+$bpgsql->quit;
+
+$node->stop;
+
+command_like(
+	[ 'pg_controldata', $node->data_dir ],
+	qr/Database cluster state:\s+shut down\n/,
+	'node shut down ok with stale stats reference');
+ok(-f "$stats_file",
+	"stats file must exist after shutdown with stale stats reference");
+
 done_testing();
diff --git a/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat_shmem.c b/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat_shmem.c
index b8e5b8134e2..603bda1cc02 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat_shmem.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/activity/pgstat_shmem.c
@@ -601,39 +601,25 @@ pgstat_release_entry_ref(PgStat_HashKey key, PgStat_EntryRef *entry_ref,
 			PgStatShared_HashEntry *shent;
 
 			/*
-			 * We're the last referrer to this entry, try to drop the shared
-			 * entry.
+			 * We're the last referrer.  Before we get the lock, the entry may
+			 * have been reinitialized, or freed and created again, so look it
+			 * up by key.  If it is gone, it got already dropped and freed.
 			 */
+			shent = dshash_find(pgStatLocal.shared_hash, &key, true);
 
-			/* only dropped entries can reach a 0 refcount */
-			Assert(entry_ref->shared_entry->dropped);
-
-			shent = dshash_find(pgStatLocal.shared_hash,
-								&entry_ref->shared_entry->key,
-								true);
-			if (!shent)
-				elog(ERROR, "could not find just referenced shared stats entry");
-
-			/*
-			 * This entry may have been reinitialized while trying to release
-			 * it, so double-check that it has not been reused while holding a
-			 * lock on its shared entry.
-			 */
-			if (pg_atomic_read_u32(&entry_ref->shared_entry->generation) ==
-				entry_ref->generation)
+			if (shent)
 			{
-				/* Same "generation", so we're OK with the removal */
-				Assert(pg_atomic_read_u32(&entry_ref->shared_entry->refcount) == 0);
-				Assert(entry_ref->shared_entry == shent);
-				pgstat_free_entry(shent, NULL);
-			}
-			else
-			{
-				/*
-				 * Shared stats entry has been reinitialized, so do not drop
-				 * its shared entry, only release its lock.
-				 */
-				dshash_release_lock(pgStatLocal.shared_hash, shent);
+				if (shent->dropped &&
+					pg_atomic_read_u32(&shent->refcount) == 0)
+				{
+					/* Entry dropped and unreferenced, so free it. */
+					pgstat_free_entry(shent, NULL);
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					/* Entry reinitialized or created again, still in use. */
+					dshash_release_lock(pgStatLocal.shared_hash, shent);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	}