diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/plpgsql.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/plpgsql.sgml
index 4cd4bcba80..e5c1356d8c 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/plpgsql.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/plpgsql.sgml
@@ -379,7 +379,17 @@ arow RECORD;
 <programlisting>
 quantity integer DEFAULT 32;
 url varchar := 'http://mysite.com';
-user_id CONSTANT integer := 10;
+transaction_time CONSTANT timestamp with time zone := now();
+</programlisting>
+     </para>
+
+     <para>
+      Once declared, a variable's value can be used in later initialization
+      expressions in the same block, for example:
+<programlisting>
+DECLARE
+  x integer := 1;
+  y integer := x + 1;
 </programlisting>
      </para>
 
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/plpgsql.out b/src/test/regress/expected/plpgsql.out
index 278d056505..ae6fc824b6 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/plpgsql.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/plpgsql.out
@@ -4637,24 +4637,50 @@ NOTICE:  caught division by zero
 NOTICE:  caught division by zero
 NOTICE:  caught division by zero
 -- Check variable scoping -- a var is not available in its own or prior
--- default expressions.
-create function scope_test() returns int as $$
+-- default expressions, but it is available in later ones.
+do $$
+declare x int := x + 1;  -- error
+begin
+  raise notice 'x = %', x;
+end;
+$$;
+ERROR:  column "x" does not exist
+LINE 1: x + 1
+        ^
+QUERY:  x + 1
+CONTEXT:  PL/pgSQL function inline_code_block line 3 during statement block local variable initialization
+do $$
+declare y int := x + 1;  -- error
+        x int := 42;
+begin
+  raise notice 'x = %, y = %', x, y;
+end;
+$$;
+ERROR:  column "x" does not exist
+LINE 1: x + 1
+        ^
+QUERY:  x + 1
+CONTEXT:  PL/pgSQL function inline_code_block line 4 during statement block local variable initialization
+do $$
+declare x int := 42;
+        y int := x + 1;
+begin
+  raise notice 'x = %, y = %', x, y;
+end;
+$$;
+NOTICE:  x = 42, y = 43
+do $$
 declare x int := 42;
 begin
   declare y int := x + 1;
           x int := x + 2;
+          z int := x * 10;
   begin
-    return x * 100 + y;
+    raise notice 'x = %, y = %, z = %', x, y, z;
   end;
 end;
-$$ language plpgsql;
-select scope_test();
- scope_test 
-------------
-       4443
-(1 row)
-
-drop function scope_test();
+$$;
+NOTICE:  x = 44, y = 43, z = 440
 -- Check handling of conflicts between plpgsql vars and table columns.
 set plpgsql.variable_conflict = error;
 create function conflict_test() returns setof int8_tbl as $$
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/plpgsql.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/plpgsql.sql
index 7e52d4745d..bffb7b703b 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/plpgsql.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/plpgsql.sql
@@ -3795,22 +3795,42 @@ end;
 $outer$;
 
 -- Check variable scoping -- a var is not available in its own or prior
--- default expressions.
+-- default expressions, but it is available in later ones.
 
-create function scope_test() returns int as $$
+do $$
+declare x int := x + 1;  -- error
+begin
+  raise notice 'x = %', x;
+end;
+$$;
+
+do $$
+declare y int := x + 1;  -- error
+        x int := 42;
+begin
+  raise notice 'x = %, y = %', x, y;
+end;
+$$;
+
+do $$
+declare x int := 42;
+        y int := x + 1;
+begin
+  raise notice 'x = %, y = %', x, y;
+end;
+$$;
+
+do $$
 declare x int := 42;
 begin
   declare y int := x + 1;
           x int := x + 2;
+          z int := x * 10;
   begin
-    return x * 100 + y;
+    raise notice 'x = %, y = %, z = %', x, y, z;
   end;
 end;
-$$ language plpgsql;
-
-select scope_test();
-
-drop function scope_test();
+$$;
 
 -- Check handling of conflicts between plpgsql vars and table columns.