diff --git a/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c b/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
index b93e699ba4b..ce28ba623cd 100644
--- a/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
+++ b/src/backend/replication/walreceiver.c
@@ -1196,8 +1196,8 @@ XLogWalRcvClose(XLogRecPtr recptr, TimeLineID tli)
  * The message is sent if 'force' is set, if enough time has passed since the
  * last update to reach wal_receiver_status_interval, or if WAL locations have
  * advanced since the previous status update. If wal_receiver_status_interval
- * is disabled and 'force' is false, this function does nothing. Set 'force' to
- * send the message unconditionally.
+ * is disabled and neither 'force' nor 'checkApply' is set, this function does
+ * nothing. Set 'force' to send the message unconditionally.
  *
  * Whether WAL locations are considered "advanced" depends on 'checkApply'.
  * If 'checkApply' is false, only the write and flush locations are checked.
@@ -1222,10 +1222,11 @@ XLogWalRcvSendReply(bool force, bool requestReply, bool checkApply)
 	TimestampTz now;
 
 	/*
-	 * If the user doesn't want status to be reported to the primary, be sure
-	 * to exit before doing anything at all.
+	 * If status reporting is disabled, skip non-forced replies unless the
+	 * startup process has requested an apply notification.  Backends waiting
+	 * with synchronous_commit = remote_apply depend on these notifications.
 	 */
-	if (!force && wal_receiver_status_interval <= 0)
+	if (!force && !checkApply && wal_receiver_status_interval <= 0)
 		return;
 
 	/* Get current timestamp. */
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/meson.build b/src/test/recovery/meson.build
index aee97e4da2a..e1cf57ff611 100644
--- a/src/test/recovery/meson.build
+++ b/src/test/recovery/meson.build
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ tests += {
       't/056_standby_snapshot_export.pl',
       't/057_snapshot_commit_race.pl',
       't/058_shutdown_crash_restart.pl',
+      't/059_remote_apply_status_interval.pl',
     ],
   },
 }
diff --git a/src/test/recovery/t/059_remote_apply_status_interval.pl b/src/test/recovery/t/059_remote_apply_status_interval.pl
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..31feb1d68cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/test/recovery/t/059_remote_apply_status_interval.pl
@@ -0,0 +1,68 @@
+# Copyright (c) 2026, PostgreSQL Global Development Group
+
+# Check that a commit with synchronous_commit = remote_apply completes when
+# the standby has wal_receiver_status_interval = 0.  Periodic status updates
+# are disabled then, but the walreceiver must still send the apply reply
+# requested by the startup process.
+#
+# Disable timeout-driven keepalives from the walsender and pings from the
+# walreceiver, so that they cannot trigger a status reply that would mask
+# a missing apply notification.
+
+use strict;
+use warnings FATAL => 'all';
+
+use PostgreSQL::Test::Cluster;
+use Test::More;
+
+my $primary = PostgreSQL::Test::Cluster->new('primary');
+$primary->init(allows_streaming => 1);
+
+# Configure synchronous replication at startup, so that there is no window
+# where the standby is reported as synchronous before the backends know that
+# they have to wait.  Use synchronous_commit = local so that the setup does not
+# wait for the standby, which is not available yet.
+$primary->append_conf(
+	'postgresql.conf', qq(
+wal_sender_timeout = 0
+synchronous_standby_names = '*'
+synchronous_commit = local
+));
+$primary->start;
+$primary->safe_psql('postgres', 'CREATE TABLE t (a int)');
+$primary->backup('bkp');
+
+my $standby = PostgreSQL::Test::Cluster->new('standby');
+$standby->init_from_backup($primary, 'bkp', has_streaming => 1);
+$standby->append_conf(
+	'postgresql.conf', qq(
+wal_receiver_status_interval = 0
+wal_receiver_timeout = 0
+hot_standby_feedback = off
+));
+$standby->start;
+
+$primary->poll_query_until(
+	'postgres',
+	"SELECT count(*) = 1 FROM pg_stat_replication
+	 WHERE state = 'streaming' AND sync_state = 'sync'
+	   AND flush_lsn IS NOT NULL"
+) or die "timed out waiting for standby to become synchronous";
+
+# The commit must complete even with periodic status updates disabled.
+# If the standby fails to report that the commit has been applied,
+# query_safe() fails when the session timeout expires.
+my $bg = $primary->background_psql('postgres');
+$bg->query_safe('SET synchronous_commit = remote_apply');
+$bg->query_safe('INSERT INTO t VALUES (1)');
+pass('remote_apply commit completes with wal_receiver_status_interval = 0');
+
+is($standby->safe_psql('postgres', 'SELECT count(*) FROM t'),
+	'1', 'remote_apply commit is visible on standby');
+
+$bg->quit;
+
+$standby->stop;
+$primary->stop;
+
+done_testing();