diff --git a/contrib/postgres_fdw/expected/postgres_fdw.out b/contrib/postgres_fdw/expected/postgres_fdw.out
index 48e3185b227..6066510c7c0 100644
--- a/contrib/postgres_fdw/expected/postgres_fdw.out
+++ b/contrib/postgres_fdw/expected/postgres_fdw.out
@@ -4178,9 +4178,12 @@ EXECUTE st1(101, 101);
  00101 | 00101
 (1 row)
 
-SET enable_hashjoin TO off;
+-- These next tests require choosing between remote and local sort, which is
+-- a coin flip so long as cost_sort() gives the same results on both sides.
+-- To stabilize the expected plans, disable sorting locally.
 SET enable_sort TO off;
 -- subquery using stable function (can't be sent to remote)
+SET enable_hashjoin TO off;  -- this one needs even more help to be stable
 PREPARE st2(int) AS SELECT * FROM ft1 t1 WHERE t1.c1 < $2 AND t1.c3 IN (SELECT c3 FROM ft2 t2 WHERE c1 > $1 AND date(c4) = '1970-01-17'::date) ORDER BY c1;
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st2(10, 20);
                                                             QUERY PLAN                                                            
@@ -4212,20 +4215,16 @@ EXECUTE st2(101, 121);
 (1 row)
 
 RESET enable_hashjoin;
-RESET enable_sort;
 -- subquery using immutable function (can be sent to remote)
 PREPARE st3(int) AS SELECT * FROM ft1 t1 WHERE t1.c1 < $2 AND t1.c3 IN (SELECT c3 FROM ft2 t2 WHERE c1 > $1 AND date(c5) = '1970-01-17'::date) ORDER BY c1;
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st3(10, 20);
-                                                                                                                              QUERY PLAN                                                                                                                              
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Sort
+                                                                                                                                           QUERY PLAN                                                                                                                                            
+-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ Foreign Scan
    Output: t1.c1, t1.c2, t1.c3, t1.c4, t1.c5, t1.c6, t1.c7, t1.c8
-   Sort Key: t1.c1
-   ->  Foreign Scan
-         Output: t1.c1, t1.c2, t1.c3, t1.c4, t1.c5, t1.c6, t1.c7, t1.c8
-         Relations: (public.ft1 t1) SEMI JOIN (public.ft2 t2)
-         Remote SQL: SELECT r1."C 1", r1.c2, r1.c3, r1.c4, r1.c5, r1.c6, r1.c7, r1.c8 FROM "S 1"."T 1" r1 WHERE ((r1."C 1" < 20)) AND EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM "S 1"."T 1" r3 WHERE ((r3."C 1" > 10)) AND ((date(r3.c5) = '1970-01-17'::date)) AND ((r3.c3 = r1.c3)))
-(7 rows)
+   Relations: (public.ft1 t1) SEMI JOIN (public.ft2 t2)
+   Remote SQL: SELECT r1."C 1", r1.c2, r1.c3, r1.c4, r1.c5, r1.c6, r1.c7, r1.c8 FROM "S 1"."T 1" r1 WHERE ((r1."C 1" < 20)) AND EXISTS (SELECT NULL FROM "S 1"."T 1" r3 WHERE ((r3."C 1" > 10)) AND ((date(r3.c5) = '1970-01-17'::date)) AND ((r3.c3 = r1.c3))) ORDER BY r1."C 1" ASC NULLS LAST
+(4 rows)
 
 EXECUTE st3(10, 20);
  c1 | c2 |  c3   |              c4              |            c5            | c6 |     c7     | c8  
@@ -4238,6 +4237,7 @@ EXECUTE st3(20, 30);
 ----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----
 (0 rows)
 
+RESET enable_sort;
 -- custom plan should be chosen initially
 PREPARE st4(int) AS SELECT * FROM ft1 t1 WHERE t1.c1 = $1;
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st4(1);
diff --git a/contrib/postgres_fdw/sql/postgres_fdw.sql b/contrib/postgres_fdw/sql/postgres_fdw.sql
index 9a8f9e28135..4f7ab2ed0ac 100644
--- a/contrib/postgres_fdw/sql/postgres_fdw.sql
+++ b/contrib/postgres_fdw/sql/postgres_fdw.sql
@@ -1165,20 +1165,28 @@ PREPARE st1(int, int) AS SELECT t1.c3, t2.c3 FROM ft1 t1, ft2 t2 WHERE t1.c1 = $
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st1(1, 2);
 EXECUTE st1(1, 1);
 EXECUTE st1(101, 101);
-SET enable_hashjoin TO off;
+
+-- These next tests require choosing between remote and local sort, which is
+-- a coin flip so long as cost_sort() gives the same results on both sides.
+-- To stabilize the expected plans, disable sorting locally.
 SET enable_sort TO off;
+
 -- subquery using stable function (can't be sent to remote)
+SET enable_hashjoin TO off;  -- this one needs even more help to be stable
 PREPARE st2(int) AS SELECT * FROM ft1 t1 WHERE t1.c1 < $2 AND t1.c3 IN (SELECT c3 FROM ft2 t2 WHERE c1 > $1 AND date(c4) = '1970-01-17'::date) ORDER BY c1;
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st2(10, 20);
 EXECUTE st2(10, 20);
 EXECUTE st2(101, 121);
 RESET enable_hashjoin;
-RESET enable_sort;
+
 -- subquery using immutable function (can be sent to remote)
 PREPARE st3(int) AS SELECT * FROM ft1 t1 WHERE t1.c1 < $2 AND t1.c3 IN (SELECT c3 FROM ft2 t2 WHERE c1 > $1 AND date(c5) = '1970-01-17'::date) ORDER BY c1;
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st3(10, 20);
 EXECUTE st3(10, 20);
 EXECUTE st3(20, 30);
+
+RESET enable_sort;
+
 -- custom plan should be chosen initially
 PREPARE st4(int) AS SELECT * FROM ft1 t1 WHERE t1.c1 = $1;
 EXPLAIN (VERBOSE, COSTS OFF) EXECUTE st4(1);