A confusion which comes a lot from users is that it is necessary to
issue a checkpoint on a freshly-promoted standby so as its control file
has up-to-date timeline information which is used by pg_rewind to
validate the operation. Let's document that properly. This is
back-patched down to 9.5 where pg_rewind has been introduced.
Author: Michael Paquier
Reviewed-by: Magnus Hagander
Discussion: https://postgr.es/m/CABUevEz5bpvbwVsYCaSMV80CBZ5-82nkMzbb+Bu=h1m=rLdn=g@mail.gmail.com
Backpatch-through: 9.5
<refsect1>
<title>Notes</title>
+ <para>
+ When executing <application>pg_rewind</application> using an online
+ cluster as source which has been recently promoted, it is necessary
+ to execute a <command>CHECKPOINT</command> after promotion so as its
+ control file reflects up-to-date timeline information, which is used by
+ <application>pg_rewind</application> to check if the target cluster
+ can be rewound using the designated source cluster.
+ </para>
+
<refsect2>
<title>How it works</title>