diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index cc3876500c4b2..e0e1111df392b 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -4858,12 +4858,14 @@ action_store(struct mddev *mddev, const char *page, size_t len)
 			clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_FROZEN, &mddev->recovery);
 		if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery) &&
 		    mddev_lock(mddev) == 0) {
+			set_bit(MD_ALLOW_SB_UPDATE, &mddev->flags);
 			if (work_pending(&mddev->del_work))
 				flush_workqueue(md_misc_wq);
 			if (mddev->sync_thread) {
 				set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
 				md_reap_sync_thread(mddev);
 			}
+			clear_bit(MD_ALLOW_SB_UPDATE, &mddev->flags);
 			mddev_unlock(mddev);
 		}
 	} else if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery))