diff --git a/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c b/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c
index d4c10a983d9..cfd8a553582 100644
--- a/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c
+++ b/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  * Portions Copyright (c) 1994, Regents of the University of California
  *
  * IDENTIFICATION
- *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c,v 1.165 2003/08/04 02:39:57 momjian Exp $
+ *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/bootstrap/bootstrap.c,v 1.166 2003/09/02 19:04:12 tgl Exp $
  *
  *-------------------------------------------------------------------------
  */
@@ -368,9 +368,15 @@ BootstrapMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 	Assert(DataDir);
 	ValidatePgVersion(DataDir);
 
+	/* Acquire configuration parameters */
+	if (IsUnderPostmaster)
+	{
 #ifdef EXEC_BACKEND
-	read_nondefault_variables();
+		read_nondefault_variables();
 #endif
+	}
+	else
+		ProcessConfigFile(PGC_POSTMASTER);
 
 	if (IsUnderPostmaster)
 	{
diff --git a/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c b/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c
index 1790dd85c18..fc551d65459 100644
--- a/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c
+++ b/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  *
  *
  * IDENTIFICATION
- *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c,v 1.361 2003/08/26 15:38:24 tgl Exp $
+ *	  $Header: /cvsroot/pgsql/src/backend/tcop/postgres.c,v 1.362 2003/09/02 19:04:12 tgl Exp $
  *
  * NOTES
  *	  this is the "main" module of the postgres backend and
@@ -2490,9 +2490,15 @@ PostgresMain(int argc, char *argv[], const char *username)
 	}
 	Assert(DataDir);
 
+	/* Acquire configuration parameters */
+	if (IsUnderPostmaster)
+	{
 #ifdef EXEC_BACKEND
-	read_nondefault_variables();
+		read_nondefault_variables();
 #endif
+	}
+	else
+		ProcessConfigFile(PGC_POSTMASTER);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set up signal handlers and masks.
@@ -2651,7 +2657,7 @@ PostgresMain(int argc, char *argv[], const char *username)
 	if (!IsUnderPostmaster)
 	{
 		puts("\nPOSTGRES backend interactive interface ");
-		puts("$Revision: 1.361 $ $Date: 2003/08/26 15:38:24 $\n");
+		puts("$Revision: 1.362 $ $Date: 2003/09/02 19:04:12 $\n");
 	}
 
 	/*