set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_FROZEN, &mddev->recovery);
                else
                        clear_bit(MD_RECOVERY_FROZEN, &mddev->recovery);
-               flush_workqueue(md_misc_wq);
-               if (mddev->sync_thread) {
-                       set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
-                       if (mddev_lock(mddev) == 0) {
+               if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery) &&
+                   mddev_lock(mddev) == 0) {
+                       flush_workqueue(md_misc_wq);
+                       if (mddev->sync_thread) {
+                               set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
                                md_reap_sync_thread(mddev);
-                               mddev_unlock(mddev);
                        }
+                       mddev_unlock(mddev);
                }
        } else if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery) ||
                   test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_NEEDED, &mddev->recovery))