diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index a71241c5ae72..a986845ea0c3 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -5356,6 +5356,7 @@ void md_write_start(mddev_t *mddev, struct bio *bi)
 		mddev->ro = 0;
 		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_NEEDED, &mddev->recovery);
 		md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);
+		md_wakeup_thread(mddev->sync_thread);
 	}
 	atomic_inc(&mddev->writes_pending);
 	if (mddev->in_sync) {