diff --git a/drivers/md/faulty.c b/drivers/md/faulty.c
index 6e83b38d931d..87d88dbb667f 100644
--- a/drivers/md/faulty.c
+++ b/drivers/md/faulty.c
@@ -299,8 +299,12 @@ static int run(mddev_t *mddev)
 {
 	mdk_rdev_t *rdev;
 	int i;
+	conf_t *conf;
 
-	conf_t *conf = kmalloc(sizeof(*conf), GFP_KERNEL);
+	if (md_check_no_bitmap(mddev))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
+	conf = kmalloc(sizeof(*conf), GFP_KERNEL);
 	if (!conf)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 
diff --git a/drivers/md/linear.c b/drivers/md/linear.c
index dda2f1b64a6d..564c390f8a1b 100644
--- a/drivers/md/linear.c
+++ b/drivers/md/linear.c
@@ -189,6 +189,8 @@ static int linear_run (mddev_t *mddev)
 {
 	linear_conf_t *conf;
 
+	if (md_check_no_bitmap(mddev))
+		return -EINVAL;
 	mddev->queue->queue_lock = &mddev->queue->__queue_lock;
 	conf = linear_conf(mddev, mddev->raid_disks);
 
diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 0f11fd1417ab..09be637d52cb 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -735,6 +735,24 @@ struct super_type  {
 						sector_t num_sectors);
 };
 
+/*
+ * Check that the given mddev has no bitmap.
+ *
+ * This function is called from the run method of all personalities that do not
+ * support bitmaps. It prints an error message and returns non-zero if mddev
+ * has a bitmap. Otherwise, it returns 0.
+ *
+ */
+int md_check_no_bitmap(mddev_t *mddev)
+{
+	if (!mddev->bitmap_file && !mddev->bitmap_offset)
+		return 0;
+	printk(KERN_ERR "%s: bitmaps are not supported for %s\n",
+		mdname(mddev), mddev->pers->name);
+	return 1;
+}
+EXPORT_SYMBOL(md_check_no_bitmap);
+
 /*
  * load_super for 0.90.0 
  */
@@ -788,17 +806,6 @@ static int super_90_load(mdk_rdev_t *rdev, mdk_rdev_t *refdev, int minor_version
 	rdev->data_offset = 0;
 	rdev->sb_size = MD_SB_BYTES;
 
-	if (sb->state & (1<<MD_SB_BITMAP_PRESENT)) {
-		if (sb->level != 1 && sb->level != 4
-		    && sb->level != 5 && sb->level != 6
-		    && sb->level != 10) {
-			/* FIXME use a better test */
-			printk(KERN_WARNING
-			       "md: bitmaps not supported for this level.\n");
-			goto abort;
-		}
-	}
-
 	if (sb->level == LEVEL_MULTIPATH)
 		rdev->desc_nr = -1;
 	else
@@ -1176,17 +1183,6 @@ static int super_1_load(mdk_rdev_t *rdev, mdk_rdev_t *refdev, int minor_version)
 		       bdevname(rdev->bdev,b));
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
-	if ((le32_to_cpu(sb->feature_map) & MD_FEATURE_BITMAP_OFFSET)) {
-		if (sb->level != cpu_to_le32(1) &&
-		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(4) &&
-		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(5) &&
-		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(6) &&
-		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(10)) {
-			printk(KERN_WARNING
-			       "md: bitmaps not supported for this level.\n");
-			return -EINVAL;
-		}
-	}
 
 	rdev->preferred_minor = 0xffff;
 	rdev->data_offset = le64_to_cpu(sb->data_offset);
diff --git a/drivers/md/md.h b/drivers/md/md.h
index ea2c441449d4..9430a110db93 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.h
+++ b/drivers/md/md.h
@@ -430,5 +430,6 @@ extern void md_new_event(mddev_t *mddev);
 extern int md_allow_write(mddev_t *mddev);
 extern void md_wait_for_blocked_rdev(mdk_rdev_t *rdev, mddev_t *mddev);
 extern void md_set_array_sectors(mddev_t *mddev, sector_t array_sectors);
+extern int md_check_no_bitmap(mddev_t *mddev);
 
 #endif /* _MD_MD_H */
diff --git a/drivers/md/multipath.c b/drivers/md/multipath.c
index c1ca63f278a9..cbe368fa6598 100644
--- a/drivers/md/multipath.c
+++ b/drivers/md/multipath.c
@@ -421,6 +421,9 @@ static int multipath_run (mddev_t *mddev)
 	struct multipath_info *disk;
 	mdk_rdev_t *rdev;
 
+	if (md_check_no_bitmap(mddev))
+		return -EINVAL;
+
 	if (mddev->level != LEVEL_MULTIPATH) {
 		printk("multipath: %s: raid level not set to multipath IO (%d)\n",
 		       mdname(mddev), mddev->level);
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid0.c b/drivers/md/raid0.c
index 717e64a4af9a..ab4a489d8695 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid0.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid0.c
@@ -314,6 +314,8 @@ static int raid0_run(mddev_t *mddev)
 		printk(KERN_ERR "md/raid0: chunk size must be set.\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+	if (md_check_no_bitmap(mddev))
+		return -EINVAL;
 	blk_queue_max_sectors(mddev->queue, mddev->chunk_sectors);
 	mddev->queue->queue_lock = &mddev->queue->__queue_lock;