diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 724c7414b241..9d54de3441ef 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -92,6 +92,7 @@ static int remove_and_add_spares(struct mddev *mddev,
 				 struct md_rdev *this);
 static void mddev_detach(struct mddev *mddev);
 static void export_rdev(struct md_rdev *rdev, struct mddev *mddev);
+static void md_wakeup_thread_directly(struct md_thread *thread);
 
 /*
  * Default number of read corrections we'll attempt on an rdev
@@ -6284,10 +6285,12 @@ static int md_set_readonly(struct mddev *mddev, struct block_device *bdev)
 	}
 	if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery))
 		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
-	if (mddev->sync_thread)
-		/* Thread might be blocked waiting for metadata update
-		 * which will now never happen */
-		wake_up_process(mddev->sync_thread->tsk);
+
+	/*
+	 * Thread might be blocked waiting for metadata update which will now
+	 * never happen
+	 */
+	md_wakeup_thread_directly(mddev->sync_thread);
 
 	if (mddev->external && test_bit(MD_SB_CHANGE_PENDING, &mddev->sb_flags))
 		return -EBUSY;
@@ -6348,10 +6351,12 @@ static int do_md_stop(struct mddev *mddev, int mode,
 	}
 	if (test_bit(MD_RECOVERY_RUNNING, &mddev->recovery))
 		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
-	if (mddev->sync_thread)
-		/* Thread might be blocked waiting for metadata update
-		 * which will now never happen */
-		wake_up_process(mddev->sync_thread->tsk);
+
+	/*
+	 * Thread might be blocked waiting for metadata update which will now
+	 * never happen
+	 */
+	md_wakeup_thread_directly(mddev->sync_thread);
 
 	mddev_unlock(mddev);
 	wait_event(resync_wait, (mddev->sync_thread == NULL &&
@@ -7898,6 +7903,12 @@ static int md_thread(void *arg)
 	return 0;
 }
 
+static void md_wakeup_thread_directly(struct md_thread *thread)
+{
+	if (thread)
+		wake_up_process(thread->tsk);
+}
+
 void md_wakeup_thread(struct md_thread *thread)
 {
 	if (thread) {