not an objection, just an observation: since you were planning another release in a few months, the lifetime of 7.9 shouldn't matter. the backport could be done for the next 7.8 release after the current one too.
True, but since I don't have to worry about waiting for myself to push the changes, it was really more about whether this type of change was desirable in 7.8 at all. I think the correct answer is probably "considering the large number of other major additions to 7.8 over the years, it' probably not worth getting too worried about".
Bill