diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index fb9aae4accb03..e6118755fca14 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -9257,6 +9257,50 @@ static int remove_and_add_spares(struct mddev *mddev,
 	return spares;
 }
 
+static bool md_choose_sync_action(struct mddev *mddev, int *spares)
+{
+	/* Check if reshape is in progress first. */
+	if (mddev->reshape_position != MaxSector) {
+		if (mddev->pers->check_reshape == NULL ||
+		    mddev->pers->check_reshape(mddev) != 0)
+			return false;
+
+		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RESHAPE, &mddev->recovery);
+		clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RECOVER, &mddev->recovery);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Remove any failed drives, then add spares if possible. Spares are
+	 * also removed and re-added, to allow the personality to fail the
+	 * re-add.
+	 */
+	*spares = remove_and_add_spares(mddev, NULL);
+	if (*spares) {
+		clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_SYNC, &mddev->recovery);
+		clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_CHECK, &mddev->recovery);
+		clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_REQUESTED, &mddev->recovery);
+
+		/* Start new recovery. */
+		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RECOVER, &mddev->recovery);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	/* Check if recovery is in progress. */
+	if (mddev->recovery_cp < MaxSector) {
+		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_SYNC, &mddev->recovery);
+		clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RECOVER, &mddev->recovery);
+		return true;
+	}
+
+	/* Delay to choose resync/check/repair in md_do_sync(). */
+	if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_SYNC, &mddev->recovery))
+		return true;
+
+	/* Nothing to be done */
+	return false;
+}
+
 static void md_start_sync(struct work_struct *ws)
 {
 	struct mddev *mddev = container_of(ws, struct mddev, sync_work);
@@ -9438,32 +9482,8 @@ void md_check_recovery(struct mddev *mddev)
 		if (!test_and_clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_NEEDED, &mddev->recovery) ||
 		    test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_FROZEN, &mddev->recovery))
 			goto not_running;
-		/* no recovery is running.
-		 * remove any failed drives, then
-		 * add spares if possible.
-		 * Spares are also removed and re-added, to allow
-		 * the personality to fail the re-add.
-		 */
-
-		if (mddev->reshape_position != MaxSector) {
-			if (mddev->pers->check_reshape == NULL ||
-			    mddev->pers->check_reshape(mddev) != 0)
-				/* Cannot proceed */
-				goto not_running;
-			set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RESHAPE, &mddev->recovery);
-			clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RECOVER, &mddev->recovery);
-		} else if ((spares = remove_and_add_spares(mddev, NULL))) {
-			clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_SYNC, &mddev->recovery);
-			clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_CHECK, &mddev->recovery);
-			clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_REQUESTED, &mddev->recovery);
-			set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RECOVER, &mddev->recovery);
-		} else if (mddev->recovery_cp < MaxSector) {
-			set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_SYNC, &mddev->recovery);
-			clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RECOVER, &mddev->recovery);
-		} else if (!test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_SYNC, &mddev->recovery))
-			/* nothing to be done ... */
+		if (!md_choose_sync_action(mddev, &spares))
 			goto not_running;
-
 		if (mddev->pers->sync_request) {
 			if (spares) {
 				/* We are adding a device or devices to an array