diff --git a/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c b/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c
index b26e22dd9ba2..cb84a4ab8d70 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ static int md_bitmap_new_disk_sb(struct bitmap *bitmap)
 	 * is a good choice?  We choose COUNTER_MAX / 2 arbitrarily.
 	 */
 	write_behind = bitmap->mddev->bitmap_info.max_write_behind;
-	if (write_behind > COUNTER_MAX)
+	if (write_behind > COUNTER_MAX / 2)
 		write_behind = COUNTER_MAX / 2;
 	sb->write_behind = cpu_to_le32(write_behind);
 	bitmap->mddev->bitmap_info.max_write_behind = write_behind;