diff --git a/drivers/md/bitmap.c b/drivers/md/bitmap.c
index 1c264a701e70..97e73e555d11 100644
--- a/drivers/md/bitmap.c
+++ b/drivers/md/bitmap.c
@@ -1785,7 +1785,9 @@ int bitmap_load(struct mddev *mddev)
 		 * re-add of a missing device */
 		start = mddev->recovery_cp;
 
+	mutex_lock(&mddev->bitmap_info.mutex);
 	err = bitmap_init_from_disk(bitmap, start);
+	mutex_unlock(&mddev->bitmap_info.mutex);
 
 	if (err)
 		goto out;