(unsigned) maxoff));
                    continue;
                }
+
+               /*
+                * Since we've checked that this redirect points to a line
+                * pointer between FirstOffsetNumber and maxoff, it should
+                * now be safe to fetch the referenced line pointer. We expect
+                * it to be LP_NORMAL; if not, that's corruption.
+                */
                rditem = PageGetItemId(ctx.page, rdoffnum);
                if (!ItemIdIsUsed(rditem))
+               {
                    report_corruption(&ctx,
-                                     psprintf("line pointer redirection to unused item at offset %u",
+                                     psprintf("redirected line pointer points to an unused item at offset %u",
                                               (unsigned) rdoffnum));
+                   continue;
+               }
+               else if (ItemIdIsDead(rditem))
+               {
+                   report_corruption(&ctx,
+                                     psprintf("redirected line pointer points to a dead item at offset %u",
+                                              (unsigned) rdoffnum));
+                   continue;
+               }
+               else if (ItemIdIsRedirected(rditem))
+               {
+                   report_corruption(&ctx,
+                                     psprintf("redirected line pointer points to another redirected line pointer at offset %u",
+                                              (unsigned) rdoffnum));
+                   continue;
+               }
 
                /*
                 * Record the fact that this line pointer has passed basic
            /* Handle the cases where the current line pointer is a redirect. */
            if (ItemIdIsRedirected(curr_lp))
            {
-               /* Can't redirect to another redirect. */
-               if (ItemIdIsRedirected(next_lp))
-               {
-                   report_corruption(&ctx,
-                                     psprintf("redirected line pointer points to another redirected line pointer at offset %u",
-                                              (unsigned) nextoffnum));
-                   continue;
-               }
+               /*
+                * We should not have set successor[ctx.offnum] to a value
+                * other than InvalidOffsetNumber unless that line pointer
+                * is LP_NORMAL.
+                */
+               Assert(ItemIdIsNormal(next_lp));
 
                /* Can only redirect to a HOT tuple. */
                next_htup = (HeapTupleHeader) PageGetItem(ctx.page, next_lp);