diff --git a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
index 527522f..b26a20a 100644
--- a/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
+++ b/src/backend/access/transam/xlog.c
@@ -4928,6 +4928,15 @@ LocalProcessControlFile(bool reset)
 }
 
 /*
+ * Get the wal_level from the control file.
+ */
+int
+ControlFileWalLevel(void)
+{
+	return ControlFile->wal_level;
+}
+
+/*
  * Initialization of shared memory for XLOG
  */
 Size
diff --git a/src/backend/replication/logical/decode.c b/src/backend/replication/logical/decode.c
index eec3a22..2c638e9 100644
--- a/src/backend/replication/logical/decode.c
+++ b/src/backend/replication/logical/decode.c
@@ -190,11 +190,23 @@ DecodeXLogOp(LogicalDecodingContext *ctx, XLogRecordBuffer *buf)
 			 * can restart from there.
 			 */
 			break;
+		case XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE:
+		{
+			xl_parameter_change *xlrec =
+				(xl_parameter_change *) XLogRecGetData(buf->record);
+
+			/* Cannot proceed if master itself does not have logical data */
+			if (xlrec->wal_level < WAL_LEVEL_LOGICAL)
+				ereport(ERROR,
+						(errcode(ERRCODE_OBJECT_NOT_IN_PREREQUISITE_STATE),
+						 errmsg("logical decoding on standby requires "
+								"wal_level >= logical on master")));
+			break;
+		}
 		case XLOG_NOOP:
 		case XLOG_NEXTOID:
 		case XLOG_SWITCH:
 		case XLOG_BACKUP_END:
-		case XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE:
 		case XLOG_RESTORE_POINT:
 		case XLOG_FPW_CHANGE:
 		case XLOG_FPI_FOR_HINT:
diff --git a/src/backend/replication/logical/logical.c b/src/backend/replication/logical/logical.c
index 31951bd..aab2f747 100644
--- a/src/backend/replication/logical/logical.c
+++ b/src/backend/replication/logical/logical.c
@@ -94,6 +94,23 @@ CheckLogicalDecodingRequirements(void)
 				(errcode(ERRCODE_OBJECT_NOT_IN_PREREQUISITE_STATE),
 				 errmsg("logical decoding requires a database connection")));
 
+	if (RecoveryInProgress())
+	{
+		/*
+		 * This check may have race conditions, but whenever
+		 * XLOG_PARAMETER_CHANGE indicates that wal_level has changed, we
+		 * verify that there are no existing logical replication slots. And to
+		 * avoid races around creating a new slot,
+		 * CheckLogicalDecodingRequirements() is called once before creating
+		 * the slot, and once when logical decoding is initially starting up.
+		 */
+		if (ControlFileWalLevel() < WAL_LEVEL_LOGICAL)
+			ereport(ERROR,
+					(errcode(ERRCODE_OBJECT_NOT_IN_PREREQUISITE_STATE),
+					 errmsg("logical decoding on standby requires "
+							"wal_level >= logical on master")));
+	}
+
 #ifdef NOT_ANYMORE
 	/* ----
 	 * TODO: We got to change that someday soon...
@@ -243,6 +260,8 @@ CreateInitDecodingContext(char *plugin,
 	LogicalDecodingContext *ctx;
 	MemoryContext old_context;
 
+	CheckLogicalDecodingRequirements();
+
 	/* shorter lines... */
 	slot = MyReplicationSlot;
 
diff --git a/src/include/access/xlog.h b/src/include/access/xlog.h
index 2af938b..8280d39 100644
--- a/src/include/access/xlog.h
+++ b/src/include/access/xlog.h
@@ -299,6 +299,7 @@ extern Size XLOGShmemSize(void);
 extern void XLOGShmemInit(void);
 extern void BootStrapXLOG(void);
 extern void LocalProcessControlFile(bool reset);
+extern int ControlFileWalLevel(void);
 extern void StartupXLOG(void);
 extern void ShutdownXLOG(int code, Datum arg);
 extern void InitXLOGAccess(void);