diff --git a/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c b/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c
index 85a7b7e641..7520a98215 100644
--- a/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c
+++ b/src/backend/catalog/objectaddress.c
@@ -896,7 +896,8 @@ static void getRelationIdentity(StringInfo buffer, Oid relid, List **object,
  *
  * If the object is a relation or a child object of a relation (e.g. an
  * attribute or constraint), the relation is also opened and *relp receives
- * the open relcache entry pointer; otherwise, *relp is set to NULL.  This
+ * the open relcache entry pointer; otherwise, *relp is set to NULL.
+ * (relp can be NULL if the caller never passes a relation-related object.)  This
  * is a bit grotty but it makes life simpler, since the caller will
  * typically need the relcache entry too.  Caller must close the relcache
  * entry when done with it.  The relation is locked with the specified lockmode
@@ -1204,8 +1205,12 @@ get_object_address(ObjectType objtype, Node *object,
 		old_address = address;
 	}
 
+	/* relp must be given if it's a relation */
+	Assert(!relation || relp);
+
 	/* Return the object address and the relation. */
-	*relp = relation;
+	if (relp)
+		*relp = relation;
 	return address;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/backend/commands/alter.c b/src/backend/commands/alter.c
index 4f99ebb447..a45f3bb6b8 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/alter.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/alter.c
@@ -421,13 +421,11 @@ ExecRenameStmt(RenameStmt *stmt)
 			{
 				ObjectAddress address;
 				Relation	catalog;
-				Relation	relation;
 
 				address = get_object_address(stmt->renameType,
 											 stmt->object,
-											 &relation,
+											 NULL,
 											 AccessExclusiveLock, false);
-				Assert(relation == NULL);
 
 				catalog = table_open(address.classId, RowExclusiveLock);
 				AlterObjectRename_internal(catalog,
@@ -482,8 +480,7 @@ ExecAlterObjectDependsStmt(AlterObjectDependsStmt *stmt, ObjectAddress *refAddre
 		table_close(rel, NoLock);
 
 	refAddr = get_object_address(OBJECT_EXTENSION, (Node *) stmt->extname,
-								 &rel, AccessExclusiveLock, false);
-	Assert(rel == NULL);
+								 NULL, AccessExclusiveLock, false);
 	if (refAddress)
 		*refAddress = refAddr;
 
@@ -563,16 +560,14 @@ ExecAlterObjectSchemaStmt(AlterObjectSchemaStmt *stmt,
 		case OBJECT_TSTEMPLATE:
 			{
 				Relation	catalog;
-				Relation	relation;
 				Oid			classId;
 				Oid			nspOid;
 
 				address = get_object_address(stmt->objectType,
 											 stmt->object,
-											 &relation,
+											 NULL,
 											 AccessExclusiveLock,
 											 false);
-				Assert(relation == NULL);
 				classId = address.classId;
 				catalog = table_open(classId, RowExclusiveLock);
 				nspOid = LookupCreationNamespace(stmt->newschema);
@@ -876,15 +871,13 @@ ExecAlterOwnerStmt(AlterOwnerStmt *stmt)
 		case OBJECT_TSDICTIONARY:
 		case OBJECT_TSCONFIGURATION:
 			{
-				Relation	relation;
 				ObjectAddress address;
 
 				address = get_object_address(stmt->objectType,
 											 stmt->object,
-											 &relation,
+											 NULL,
 											 AccessExclusiveLock,
 											 false);
-				Assert(relation == NULL);
 
 				AlterObjectOwner_internal(address.classId, address.objectId,
 										  newowner);