diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index 29493982dbf5..259f519814ca 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -4135,7 +4135,7 @@ static void make_request(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio * bi)
 			finish_wait(&conf->wait_for_overlap, &w);
 			set_bit(STRIPE_HANDLE, &sh->state);
 			clear_bit(STRIPE_DELAYED, &sh->state);
-			if ((bi->bi_rw & REQ_SYNC) &&
+			if ((bi->bi_rw & REQ_NOIDLE) &&
 			    !test_and_set_bit(STRIPE_PREREAD_ACTIVE, &sh->state))
 				atomic_inc(&conf->preread_active_stripes);
 			mddev_check_plugged(mddev);