diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index f54012d68441..f2fec066ae4b 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -8622,12 +8622,12 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(md_done_sync);
  * A return value of 'false' means that the write wasn't recorded
  * and cannot proceed as the array is being suspend.
  */
-bool md_write_start(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bi)
+void md_write_start(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bi)
 {
 	int did_change = 0;
 
 	if (bio_data_dir(bi) != WRITE)
-		return true;
+		return;
 
 	BUG_ON(mddev->ro == MD_RDONLY);
 	if (mddev->ro == MD_AUTO_READ) {
@@ -8660,15 +8660,9 @@ bool md_write_start(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bi)
 	if (did_change)
 		sysfs_notify_dirent_safe(mddev->sysfs_state);
 	if (!mddev->has_superblocks)
-		return true;
+		return;
 	wait_event(mddev->sb_wait,
-		   !test_bit(MD_SB_CHANGE_PENDING, &mddev->sb_flags) ||
-		   is_md_suspended(mddev));
-	if (test_bit(MD_SB_CHANGE_PENDING, &mddev->sb_flags)) {
-		percpu_ref_put(&mddev->writes_pending);
-		return false;
-	}
-	return true;
+		   !test_bit(MD_SB_CHANGE_PENDING, &mddev->sb_flags));
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL(md_write_start);
 
diff --git a/drivers/md/md.h b/drivers/md/md.h
index 375ad4a2df71..0f8efdd1924b 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.h
+++ b/drivers/md/md.h
@@ -774,7 +774,7 @@ extern void md_unregister_thread(struct mddev *mddev, struct md_thread __rcu **t
 extern void md_wakeup_thread(struct md_thread __rcu *thread);
 extern void md_check_recovery(struct mddev *mddev);
 extern void md_reap_sync_thread(struct mddev *mddev);
-extern bool md_write_start(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bi);
+extern void md_write_start(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bi);
 extern void md_write_inc(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bi);
 extern void md_write_end(struct mddev *mddev);
 extern void md_done_sync(struct mddev *mddev, int blocks, int ok);
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid1.c b/drivers/md/raid1.c
index 4f3c35f1320d..a88453c175b1 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid1.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid1.c
@@ -1605,8 +1605,7 @@ static bool raid1_make_request(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bio)
 	if (bio_data_dir(bio) == READ)
 		raid1_read_request(mddev, bio, sectors, NULL);
 	else {
-		if (!md_write_start(mddev,bio))
-			return false;
+		md_write_start(mddev,bio);
 		raid1_write_request(mddev, bio, sectors);
 	}
 	return true;
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid10.c b/drivers/md/raid10.c
index a5f8419e2df1..a874c69143d7 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid10.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid10.c
@@ -1861,8 +1861,7 @@ static bool raid10_make_request(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bio)
 	    && md_flush_request(mddev, bio))
 		return true;
 
-	if (!md_write_start(mddev, bio))
-		return false;
+	md_write_start(mddev, bio);
 
 	if (unlikely(bio_op(bio) == REQ_OP_DISCARD))
 		if (!raid10_handle_discard(mddev, bio))
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index 40f951d0a752..0fa8cf58dd4d 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -6095,8 +6095,7 @@ static bool raid5_make_request(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio * bi)
 		ctx.do_flush = bi->bi_opf & REQ_PREFLUSH;
 	}
 
-	if (!md_write_start(mddev, bi))
-		return false;
+	md_write_start(mddev, bi);
 	/*
 	 * If array is degraded, better not do chunk aligned read because
 	 * later we might have to read it again in order to reconstruct