diff --git a/drivers/md/raid1.c b/drivers/md/raid1.c
index 56f2725a996ff..4b30a17421623 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid1.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid1.c
@@ -1523,8 +1523,7 @@ static void raid1_write_request(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bio,
 			 * Not if there are too many, or cannot
 			 * allocate memory, or a reader on WriteMostly
 			 * is waiting for behind writes to flush */
-			if (bitmap &&
-			    test_bit(WriteMostly, &rdev->flags) &&
+			if (bitmap && write_behind &&
 			    (atomic_read(&bitmap->behind_writes)
 			     < mddev->bitmap_info.max_write_behind) &&
 			    !waitqueue_active(&bitmap->behind_wait)) {