diff --git a/src/backend/postmaster/syslogger.c b/src/backend/postmaster/syslogger.c
index 5434826..7335659 100644
--- a/src/backend/postmaster/syslogger.c
+++ b/src/backend/postmaster/syslogger.c
@@ -55,6 +55,16 @@
  */
 #define READ_BUF_SIZE (2 * PIPE_CHUNK_SIZE)
 
+/*
+ * Retries of writing LOG_METAINFO_DATAFILE are backed off on failure, but we
+ * don't want to backoff forever.  The backoff is Fibonacci so takes 2 storage
+ * locations (last, the n-1 value, and next, the n value).  Plus a counter for
+ * how many occasions for retry have been skipped.
+ */
+#define MAX_METAINFO_BACKOFF           250
+#define INITIAL_LAST_METAINFO_BACKOFF    0    /* fibnocci n-1 value */
+#define INITIAL_NEXT_METAINFO_BACKOFF    1    /* fibnocci n value */
+#define INITIAL_METAINFO_BACKOFF_CNTR    0    /* first retry is immediate */
 
 /*
  * GUC parameters.  Logging_collector cannot be changed after postmaster
@@ -87,6 +97,9 @@ NON_EXEC_STATIC pg_time_t first_syslogger_file_time = 0;
 static char *last_file_name = NULL;
 static char *last_csv_file_name = NULL;
 static bool log_metainfo_stale = false;
+static int  last_metainfo_backoff = 1;  /* fibnocci n-1 value */
+static int  next_metainfo_backoff = 1;  /* fibnocci n value */
+static int  metainfo_backoff_cntr = 0;  /* first retry is immediate */
 
 /*
  * Buffers for saving partial messages from different backends.
@@ -148,6 +161,7 @@ static void set_next_rotation_time(void);
 static void sigHupHandler(SIGNAL_ARGS);
 static void sigUsr1Handler(SIGNAL_ARGS);
 static void logfile_writename(void);
+static void logfile_rewritename(void);
 
 
 /*
@@ -307,7 +321,7 @@ SysLoggerMain(int argc, char *argv[])
 		 * filename.
 		 */
 		if (log_metainfo_stale)
-			logfile_writename();
+			logfile_rewritename();
 
 		/*
 		 * Process any requests or signals received recently.
@@ -1487,3 +1501,40 @@ logfile_writename(void)
 
 	log_metainfo_stale = false;
 }
+
+/*
+ * Increasingly backoff from retrying to write LOG_METAINFO_DATAFILE
+ * to prevent a busy system from becoming even more busy.
+ * The Fibonacci sequence is used because it's slope steadily increases
+ * without being exponential.
+ */
+static void
+logfile_rewritename(void)
+{
+	if (metainfo_backoff_cntr <= 0)
+	{	/* Done backing off, retry. */
+
+		logfile_writename();
+
+		if (log_metainfo_stale)
+		{
+			/* Retry failed.  Compute next backoff interval. */
+			if (next_metainfo_backoff >= MAX_METAINFO_BACKOFF)
+			{
+				metainfo_backoff_cntr = MAX_METAINFO_BACKOFF;
+			} else {
+				metainfo_backoff_cntr = next_metainfo_backoff;
+				next_metainfo_backoff =
+					last_metainfo_backoff + last_metainfo_backoff;
+				last_metainfo_backoff = metainfo_backoff_cntr;
+			}
+		} else {
+			/* Retry succeeded.  Re-initialize backoff counters. */
+			last_metainfo_backoff = INITIAL_LAST_METAINFO_BACKOFF;
+			next_metainfo_backoff = INITIAL_NEXT_METAINFO_BACKOFF;
+			metainfo_backoff_cntr = INITIAL_METAINFO_BACKOFF_CNTR;
+		}
+	} else {
+		metainfo_backoff_cntr -= 1;
+	}
+}