diff --git a/drivers/md/bitmap.c b/drivers/md/bitmap.c
index 252d55df9642..b65c36d9e240 100644
--- a/drivers/md/bitmap.c
+++ b/drivers/md/bitmap.c
@@ -1530,6 +1530,8 @@ void bitmap_destroy(mddev_t *mddev)
 		return;
 
 	mddev->bitmap = NULL; /* disconnect from the md device */
+	if (mddev->thread)
+		mddev->thread->timeout = MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT;
 
 	bitmap_free(bitmap);
 }
@@ -1636,6 +1638,8 @@ int bitmap_create(mddev_t *mddev)
 
 	if (IS_ERR(bitmap->writeback_daemon))
 		return PTR_ERR(bitmap->writeback_daemon);
+	mddev->thread->timeout = bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
+
 	return bitmap_update_sb(bitmap);
 
  error:
diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index b4fb7247b3ed..ee199d462520 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -2054,13 +2054,15 @@ static int do_md_run(mddev_t * mddev)
 	if (start_readonly)
 		mddev->ro = 2; /* read-only, but switch on first write */
 
-	/* before we start the array running, initialise the bitmap */
-	err = bitmap_create(mddev);
-	if (err)
-		printk(KERN_ERR "%s: failed to create bitmap (%d)\n",
-			mdname(mddev), err);
-	else
-		err = mddev->pers->run(mddev);
+	err = mddev->pers->run(mddev);
+	if (!err && mddev->pers->sync_request) {
+		err = bitmap_create(mddev);
+		if (err) {
+			printk(KERN_ERR "%s: failed to create bitmap (%d)\n",
+			       mdname(mddev), err);
+			mddev->pers->stop(mddev);
+		}
+	}
 	if (err) {
 		printk(KERN_ERR "md: pers->run() failed ...\n");
 		module_put(mddev->pers->owner);
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid1.c b/drivers/md/raid1.c
index f5204149ab65..c618015f07f6 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid1.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid1.c
@@ -1611,7 +1611,6 @@ static int run(mddev_t *mddev)
 		       mdname(mddev));
 		goto out_free_conf;
 	}
-	if (mddev->bitmap) mddev->thread->timeout = mddev->bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
 
 	printk(KERN_INFO 
 		"raid1: raid set %s active with %d out of %d mirrors\n",
@@ -1783,13 +1782,6 @@ static void raid1_quiesce(mddev_t *mddev, int state)
 		lower_barrier(conf);
 		break;
 	}
-	if (mddev->thread) {
-		if (mddev->bitmap)
-			mddev->thread->timeout = mddev->bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
-		else
-			mddev->thread->timeout = MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT;
-		md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);
-	}
 }
 
 
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index 53a0f2ce76c8..0d016a844ec6 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -1964,9 +1964,6 @@ static int run(mddev_t *mddev)
 	/* Ok, everything is just fine now */
 	sysfs_create_group(&mddev->kobj, &raid5_attrs_group);
 
-	if (mddev->bitmap)
-		mddev->thread->timeout = mddev->bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
-
 	mddev->queue->unplug_fn = raid5_unplug_device;
 	mddev->queue->issue_flush_fn = raid5_issue_flush;
 
@@ -2200,14 +2197,8 @@ static void raid5_quiesce(mddev_t *mddev, int state)
 		spin_unlock_irq(&conf->device_lock);
 		break;
 	}
-	if (mddev->thread) {
-		if (mddev->bitmap)
-			mddev->thread->timeout = mddev->bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
-		else
-			mddev->thread->timeout = MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT;
-		md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);
-	}
 }
+
 static mdk_personality_t raid5_personality=
 {
 	.name		= "raid5",
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid6main.c b/drivers/md/raid6main.c
index 9ac6dcd55127..304455d236f9 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid6main.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid6main.c
@@ -1990,9 +1990,6 @@ static int run(mddev_t *mddev)
 	/* Ok, everything is just fine now */
 	mddev->array_size =  mddev->size * (mddev->raid_disks - 2);
 
-	if (mddev->bitmap)
-		mddev->thread->timeout = mddev->bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
-
 	mddev->queue->unplug_fn = raid6_unplug_device;
 	mddev->queue->issue_flush_fn = raid6_issue_flush;
 	return 0;
@@ -2228,14 +2225,8 @@ static void raid6_quiesce(mddev_t *mddev, int state)
 		spin_unlock_irq(&conf->device_lock);
 		break;
 	}
-	if (mddev->thread) {
-		if (mddev->bitmap)
-			mddev->thread->timeout = mddev->bitmap->daemon_sleep * HZ;
-		else
-			mddev->thread->timeout = MAX_SCHEDULE_TIMEOUT;
-		md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);
-	}
 }
+
 static mdk_personality_t raid6_personality=
 {
 	.name		= "raid6",