diff --git a/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c b/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c
index 7d778fe1c47c..9730aab9bcff 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md-bitmap.c
@@ -2857,7 +2857,7 @@ backlog_store(struct mddev *mddev, const char *buf, size_t len)
 	if (!has_write_mostly) {
 		pr_warn_ratelimited("%s: can't set backlog, no write mostly device available\n",
 				    mdname(mddev));
-		mddev_unlock(mddev);
+		mddev_unlock_and_resume(mddev);
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}