diff --git a/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/10.0-1.sql b/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/10.0-1.sql
index a72c0c1cb..8f565c0c9 100644
--- a/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/10.0-1.sql
+++ b/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/10.0-1.sql
@@ -6,4 +6,12 @@ AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'columnar_handler';
 COMMENT ON FUNCTION columnar.columnar_handler(internal)
     IS 'internal function returning the handler for columnar tables';
 
-CREATE ACCESS METHOD columnar TYPE TABLE HANDLER columnar.columnar_handler;
+-- postgres 11.8 does not support the syntax for table am, also it is seemingly trying
+-- to parse the upgrade file and erroring on unknown syntax.
+-- normally this section would not execute on postgres 11 anyway. To trick it to pass on
+-- 11.8 we wrap the statement in a plpgsql block together with an EXECUTE. This is valid
+-- syntax on 11.8 and will execute correctly in 12
+DO $create_table_am$
+BEGIN
+EXECUTE 'CREATE ACCESS METHOD columnar TYPE TABLE HANDLER columnar.columnar_handler';
+END $create_table_am$;
diff --git a/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/latest.sql b/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/latest.sql
index a72c0c1cb..8f565c0c9 100644
--- a/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/latest.sql
+++ b/src/backend/columnar/sql/udfs/columnar_handler/latest.sql
@@ -6,4 +6,12 @@ AS 'MODULE_PATHNAME', 'columnar_handler';
 COMMENT ON FUNCTION columnar.columnar_handler(internal)
     IS 'internal function returning the handler for columnar tables';
 
-CREATE ACCESS METHOD columnar TYPE TABLE HANDLER columnar.columnar_handler;
+-- postgres 11.8 does not support the syntax for table am, also it is seemingly trying
+-- to parse the upgrade file and erroring on unknown syntax.
+-- normally this section would not execute on postgres 11 anyway. To trick it to pass on
+-- 11.8 we wrap the statement in a plpgsql block together with an EXECUTE. This is valid
+-- syntax on 11.8 and will execute correctly in 12
+DO $create_table_am$
+BEGIN
+EXECUTE 'CREATE ACCESS METHOD columnar TYPE TABLE HANDLER columnar.columnar_handler';
+END $create_table_am$;