diff --git a/src/backend/utils/cache/plancache.c b/src/backend/utils/cache/plancache.c
index 87210fcf627de..3d3f7a9beaeba 100644
--- a/src/backend/utils/cache/plancache.c
+++ b/src/backend/utils/cache/plancache.c
@@ -78,9 +78,11 @@
 /*
  * We must skip "overhead" operations that involve database access when the
  * cached plan's subject statement is a transaction control command.
+ * For the convenience of postgres.c, treat empty statements as control
+ * commands too.
  */
 #define IsTransactionStmtPlan(plansource)  \
-	((plansource)->raw_parse_tree && \
+	((plansource)->raw_parse_tree == NULL || \
 	 IsA((plansource)->raw_parse_tree->stmt, TransactionStmt))
 
 /*
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out b/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out
index 8f93028363682..c062c3dc7b5b6 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/psql.out
@@ -268,6 +268,17 @@ SELECT 3 AS x, 'Hello', 4 AS y, true AS "dirty\name" \gdesc \g
  3 | Hello    | 4 | t
 (1 row)
 
+-- test for server bug #17983 with empty statement in aborted transaction
+set search_path = default;
+begin;
+bogus;
+ERROR:  syntax error at or near "bogus"
+LINE 1: bogus;
+        ^
+;
+\gdesc
+The command has no result, or the result has no columns.
+rollback;
 -- \gexec
 create temporary table gexec_test(a int, b text, c date, d float);
 select format('create index on gexec_test(%I)', attname)
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql
index 630f638f02550..965021fd84dc9 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/psql.sql
@@ -133,6 +133,14 @@ SELECT 1 AS x, 'Hello', 2 AS y, true AS "dirty\name"
 -- all on one line
 SELECT 3 AS x, 'Hello', 4 AS y, true AS "dirty\name" \gdesc \g
 
+-- test for server bug #17983 with empty statement in aborted transaction
+set search_path = default;
+begin;
+bogus;
+;
+\gdesc
+rollback;
+
 -- \gexec
 
 create temporary table gexec_test(a int, b text, c date, d float);