diff --git a/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml b/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml
index df093da97c5e..d6859276bed4 100644
--- a/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml
+++ b/doc/src/sgml/ref/copy.sgml
@@ -520,16 +520,16 @@ COPY <replaceable class="parameter">count</replaceable>
   <title>Notes</title>
 
    <para>
-    <command>COPY TO</command> can be used only with plain
-    tables, not views, and does not copy rows from child tables
-    or child partitions.  For example, <literal>COPY <replaceable
-    class="parameter">table</replaceable> TO</literal> copies
-    the same rows as <literal>SELECT * FROM ONLY <replaceable
-    class="parameter">table</replaceable></literal>.
-    The syntax <literal>COPY (SELECT * FROM <replaceable
-    class="parameter">table</replaceable>) TO ...</literal> can be used to
-    dump all of the rows in an inheritance hierarchy, partitioned table,
-    or view.
+    <command>COPY TO</command> can be used with plain
+    tables and populated materialized views.
+    For example,
+    <literal>COPY <replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable>
+    TO</literal> copies the same rows as
+    <literal>SELECT * FROM ONLY <replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable></literal>.
+    However it doesn't directly support other relation types,
+    such as partitioned tables, inheritance child tables, or views.
+    To copy all rows from such relations, use <literal>COPY (SELECT * FROM
+    <replaceable class="parameter">table</replaceable>) TO</literal>.
    </para>
 
    <para>
diff --git a/src/backend/commands/copyto.c b/src/backend/commands/copyto.c
index 84a3f3879a87..f87e405351d1 100644
--- a/src/backend/commands/copyto.c
+++ b/src/backend/commands/copyto.c
@@ -653,11 +653,14 @@ BeginCopyTo(ParseState *pstate,
 							RelationGetRelationName(rel)),
 					 errhint("Try the COPY (SELECT ...) TO variant.")));
 		else if (rel->rd_rel->relkind == RELKIND_MATVIEW)
-			ereport(ERROR,
-					(errcode(ERRCODE_WRONG_OBJECT_TYPE),
-					 errmsg("cannot copy from materialized view \"%s\"",
-							RelationGetRelationName(rel)),
-					 errhint("Try the COPY (SELECT ...) TO variant.")));
+		{
+			if (!RelationIsPopulated(rel))
+				ereport(ERROR,
+						errcode(ERRCODE_FEATURE_NOT_SUPPORTED),
+						errmsg("cannot copy from unpopulated materialized view \"%s\"",
+							   RelationGetRelationName(rel)),
+						errhint("Use the REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW command."));
+		}
 		else if (rel->rd_rel->relkind == RELKIND_FOREIGN_TABLE)
 			ereport(ERROR,
 					(errcode(ERRCODE_WRONG_OBJECT_TYPE),
diff --git a/src/test/regress/expected/copy.out b/src/test/regress/expected/copy.out
index 06bae8c61aeb..8d5a06563c44 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/expected/copy.out
+++ b/src/test/regress/expected/copy.out
@@ -338,3 +338,15 @@ create foreign table copytest_foreign_table (a int) server copytest_server;
 copy copytest_foreign_table from stdin (freeze);
 ERROR:  cannot perform COPY FREEZE on a foreign table
 rollback;
+-- Tests for COPY TO with materialized views.
+-- COPY TO should fail for an unpopulated materialized view
+-- but succeed for a populated one.
+CREATE MATERIALIZED VIEW copytest_mv AS SELECT 1 AS id WITH NO DATA;
+COPY copytest_mv(id) TO stdout WITH (header);
+ERROR:  cannot copy from unpopulated materialized view "copytest_mv"
+HINT:  Use the REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW command.
+REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW copytest_mv;
+COPY copytest_mv(id) TO stdout WITH (header);
+id
+1
+DROP MATERIALIZED VIEW copytest_mv;
diff --git a/src/test/regress/sql/copy.sql b/src/test/regress/sql/copy.sql
index 3009bdfdf898..f0b88a23db85 100644
--- a/src/test/regress/sql/copy.sql
+++ b/src/test/regress/sql/copy.sql
@@ -366,3 +366,12 @@ copy copytest_foreign_table from stdin (freeze);
 1
 \.
 rollback;
+
+-- Tests for COPY TO with materialized views.
+-- COPY TO should fail for an unpopulated materialized view
+-- but succeed for a populated one.
+CREATE MATERIALIZED VIEW copytest_mv AS SELECT 1 AS id WITH NO DATA;
+COPY copytest_mv(id) TO stdout WITH (header);
+REFRESH MATERIALIZED VIEW copytest_mv;
+COPY copytest_mv(id) TO stdout WITH (header);
+DROP MATERIALIZED VIEW copytest_mv;