diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
index 844d7e27666..7b52ac19002 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/psql-ref.sgml
@@ -580,8 +580,10 @@ EOF
         <application>psql</application> to issue a <command>BEGIN</> command
         before the first such option and a <command>COMMIT</> command after
         the last one, thereby wrapping all the commands into a single
-        transaction.  This ensures that either all the commands complete
-        successfully, or no changes are applied.
+        transaction. If any of the commands fails, a
+        <command>ROLLBACK</command> command is sent instead. This ensures that
+        either all the commands complete successfully, or no changes are
+        applied.
        </para>
 
        <para>
diff --git a/src/bin/psql/startup.c b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
index 260b4ea55cd..36e9432fc67 100644
--- a/src/bin/psql/startup.c
+++ b/src/bin/psql/startup.c
@@ -371,7 +371,9 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
 
 		if (options.single_txn)
 		{
-			if ((res = PSQLexec("COMMIT")) == NULL)
+			res = PSQLexec((successResult == EXIT_SUCCESS) ?
+						   "COMMIT" : "ROLLBACK");
+			if (res == NULL)
 			{
 				if (pset.on_error_stop)
 				{