diff --git a/pkg/sql/flowinfra/flow.go b/pkg/sql/flowinfra/flow.go
index be2106cb3629..bd5e4512e76f 100644
--- a/pkg/sql/flowinfra/flow.go
+++ b/pkg/sql/flowinfra/flow.go
@@ -214,6 +214,10 @@ type FlowBase struct {
 	// goroutines.
 	startedGoroutines bool
 
+	// headProcStarted tracks whether Start was called on the "head" processor
+	// in Run.
+	headProcStarted bool
+
 	// inboundStreams are streams that receive data from other hosts; this map
 	// is to be passed to FlowRegistry.RegisterFlow. This map is populated in
 	// Flow.Setup(), so it is safe to lookup into concurrently later.
@@ -571,6 +575,7 @@ func (f *FlowBase) Run(ctx context.Context, noWait bool) {
 	}
 	f.resumeCtx = ctx
 	log.VEventf(ctx, 1, "running %T in the flow's goroutine", headProc)
+	f.headProcStarted = true
 	headProc.Run(ctx, headOutput)
 }
 
@@ -661,17 +666,26 @@ func (f *FlowBase) GetOnCleanupFns() (startCleanup, endCleanup func()) {
 // ConsumerClosed on the source (i.e. the "head" processor).
 //
 // The method is only called if:
+// - the flow is local (pausable portals currently don't support DistSQL)
 // - there is exactly 1 processor in the flow that runs in its own goroutine
 // (which is always the case for pausable portal model at this time)
+// - Start was called on that processor (ConsumerClosed is only valid to be
+// called after Start)
 // - that single processor implements execinfra.RowSource interface (those
 // processors that don't implement it shouldn't be running through pausable
 // portal model).
 //
 // Otherwise, this method is a noop.
 func (f *FlowBase) ConsumerClosedOnHeadProc() {
+	if !f.IsLocal() {
+		return
+	}
 	if len(f.processors) != 1 {
 		return
 	}
+	if !f.headProcStarted {
+		return
+	}
 	rs, ok := f.processors[0].(execinfra.RowSource)
 	if !ok {
 		return