diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index f280664a8b32..51b620edbef7 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -235,7 +235,8 @@ void mddev_create_serial_pool(struct mddev *mddev, struct md_rdev *rdev)
 	int ret = 0;
 	unsigned int noio_flags;
 
-	if (rdev && !rdev_need_serial(rdev) &&
+	if (!test_bit(MD_SERIALIZE_POLICY, &mddev->flags) &&
+	    rdev && !rdev_need_serial(rdev) &&
 	    !test_bit(CollisionCheck, &rdev->flags))
 		return;