diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index 51169ecd7787..7245a9df35a9 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -196,12 +196,14 @@ static void __release_stripe(struct r5conf *conf, struct stripe_head *sh)
 		BUG_ON(!list_empty(&sh->lru));
 		BUG_ON(atomic_read(&conf->active_stripes)==0);
 		if (test_bit(STRIPE_HANDLE, &sh->state)) {
-			if (test_bit(STRIPE_DELAYED, &sh->state))
+			if (test_bit(STRIPE_DELAYED, &sh->state) &&
+			    !test_bit(STRIPE_PREREAD_ACTIVE, &sh->state))
 				list_add_tail(&sh->lru, &conf->delayed_list);
 			else if (test_bit(STRIPE_BIT_DELAY, &sh->state) &&
 				   sh->bm_seq - conf->seq_write > 0)
 				list_add_tail(&sh->lru, &conf->bitmap_list);
 			else {
+				clear_bit(STRIPE_DELAYED, &sh->state);
 				clear_bit(STRIPE_BIT_DELAY, &sh->state);
 				list_add_tail(&sh->lru, &conf->handle_list);
 			}