diff --git a/fs/block_dev.c b/fs/block_dev.c
index 95acbd2ebc5d..d4f23353ee4d 100644
--- a/fs/block_dev.c
+++ b/fs/block_dev.c
@@ -1089,7 +1089,7 @@ static bool bd_may_claim(struct block_device *bdev, struct block_device *whole,
 		return true;	 /* already a holder */
 	else if (bdev->bd_holder != NULL)
 		return false; 	 /* held by someone else */
-	else if (bdev->bd_contains == bdev)
+	else if (whole == bdev)
 		return true;  	 /* is a whole device which isn't held */
 
 	else if (whole->bd_holder == bd_may_claim)