diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_int.h b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_int.h
index f76b3932d1e239c3fd9b0f92634a782cebe8f968..aa42ccb5f544cd01a37af5a1da5701c0bef528be 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_int.h
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_int.h
@@ -935,7 +935,7 @@ struct drbd_conf {
 	/* Used after attach while negotiating new disk state. */
 	union drbd_state new_state_tmp;
 
-	union drbd_state state;
+	union drbd_dev_state state;
 	wait_queue_head_t misc_wait;
 	wait_queue_head_t state_wait;  /* upon each state change. */
 	unsigned int send_cnt;
@@ -1689,7 +1689,7 @@ static inline union drbd_state drbd_read_state(struct drbd_conf *mdev)
 {
 	union drbd_state rv;
 
-	rv = mdev->state;
+	rv.i = mdev->state.i;
 	rv.susp = mdev->tconn->susp;
 	rv.susp_nod = mdev->tconn->susp_nod;
 	rv.susp_fen = mdev->tconn->susp_fen;
@@ -2155,7 +2155,7 @@ static inline int drbd_get_max_buffers(struct drbd_conf *mdev)
 
 static inline int drbd_state_is_stable(struct drbd_conf *mdev)
 {
-	union drbd_state s = mdev->state;
+	union drbd_dev_state s = mdev->state;
 
 	/* DO NOT add a default clause, we want the compiler to warn us
 	 * for any newly introduced state we may have forgotten to add here */
diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_main.c b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_main.c
index 71e3470304ddc9186a05158fa673df7e7c0f8fc6..064680c75648e0b3656e7391b967bfb4307108eb 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_main.c
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_main.c
@@ -1821,15 +1821,12 @@ static void drbd_set_defaults(struct drbd_conf *mdev)
 {
 	/* Beware! The actual layout differs
 	 * between big endian and little endian */
-	mdev->state = (union drbd_state) {
+	mdev->state = (union drbd_dev_state) {
 		{ .role = R_SECONDARY,
 		  .peer = R_UNKNOWN,
 		  .conn = C_STANDALONE,
 		  .disk = D_DISKLESS,
 		  .pdsk = D_UNKNOWN,
-		  .susp = 0,
-		  .susp_nod = 0,
-		  .susp_fen = 0
 		} };
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_nl.c b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_nl.c
index 45a84fa660a269695cd2236705ee862b35b915e8..ed08dce9aaf55febc1a533355aa2526d899a0cb0 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_nl.c
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_nl.c
@@ -1435,7 +1435,7 @@ int drbd_adm_attach(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 		clear_bit(CRASHED_PRIMARY, &mdev->flags);
 
 	if (drbd_md_test_flag(mdev->ldev, MDF_PRIMARY_IND) &&
-	    !(mdev->state.role == R_PRIMARY && mdev->state.susp_nod)) {
+	    !(mdev->state.role == R_PRIMARY && mdev->tconn->susp_nod)) {
 		set_bit(CRASHED_PRIMARY, &mdev->flags);
 		cp_discovered = 1;
 	}
@@ -2348,7 +2348,7 @@ int drbd_adm_pause_sync(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 
 int drbd_adm_resume_sync(struct sk_buff *skb, struct genl_info *info)
 {
-	union drbd_state s;
+	union drbd_dev_state s;
 	enum drbd_ret_code retcode;
 
 	retcode = drbd_adm_prepare(skb, info, DRBD_ADM_NEED_MINOR);
diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.h b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.h
index 7fb3e06369d249c8644abf86c8e139d4c2539d3b..0dabfa9c82f327bb57ffdf33604bc399302583f3 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.h
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.h
@@ -295,7 +295,7 @@ static inline int req_mod(struct drbd_request *req,
 	return rv;
 }
 
-static inline bool drbd_should_do_remote(union drbd_state s)
+static inline bool drbd_should_do_remote(union drbd_dev_state s)
 {
 	return s.pdsk == D_UP_TO_DATE ||
 		(s.pdsk >= D_INCONSISTENT &&
@@ -305,7 +305,7 @@ static inline bool drbd_should_do_remote(union drbd_state s)
 	   That is equivalent since before 96 IO was frozen in the C_WF_BITMAP*
 	   states. */
 }
-static inline bool drbd_should_send_out_of_sync(union drbd_state s)
+static inline bool drbd_should_send_out_of_sync(union drbd_dev_state s)
 {
 	return s.conn == C_AHEAD || s.conn == C_WF_BITMAP_S;
 	/* pdsk = D_INCONSISTENT as a consequence. Protocol 96 check not necessary
diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c
index 902007c807ea40b7420098de59f0925f537b5d30..b6a14a30ba27c7f6f4d9e466e54323314385da97 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.c
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ __drbd_set_state(struct drbd_conf *mdev, union drbd_state ns,
 	    (os.disk != D_DISKLESS && ns.disk == D_DISKLESS))
 		atomic_inc(&mdev->local_cnt);
 
-	mdev->state = ns;
+	mdev->state.i = ns.i;
 	mdev->tconn->susp = ns.susp;
 	mdev->tconn->susp_nod = ns.susp_nod;
 	mdev->tconn->susp_fen = ns.susp_fen;
@@ -1393,7 +1393,7 @@ static int w_after_conn_state_ch(struct drbd_work *w, int unused)
 void conn_old_common_state(struct drbd_tconn *tconn, union drbd_state *pcs, enum chg_state_flags *pf)
 {
 	enum chg_state_flags flags = ~0;
-	union drbd_state os, cs = {}; /* old_state, common_state */
+	union drbd_dev_state os, cs = {}; /* old_state, common_state */
 	struct drbd_conf *mdev;
 	int vnr, first_vol = 1;
 
@@ -1424,7 +1424,7 @@ void conn_old_common_state(struct drbd_tconn *tconn, union drbd_state *pcs, enum
 
 	*pf |= CS_DC_MASK;
 	*pf &= flags;
-	*pcs = cs;
+	(*pcs).i = cs.i;
 }
 
 static enum drbd_state_rv
diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.h b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.h
index fdcfab9c1d84c89c28c7ee0df251e77213233f21..0f8441de29cde54cfb4da34cd0f5be37b737ab1a 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.h
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_state.h
@@ -72,6 +72,40 @@ enum chg_state_flags {
 	CS_IGN_OUTD_FAIL = 1 << 10,
 };
 
+/* drbd_dev_state and drbd_state are different types. This is to stress the
+   small difference. There is no suspended flag (.susp), and no suspended
+   while fence handler runs flas (susp_fen). */
+union drbd_dev_state {
+	struct {
+#if defined(__LITTLE_ENDIAN_BITFIELD)
+		unsigned role:2 ;   /* 3/4	 primary/secondary/unknown */
+		unsigned peer:2 ;   /* 3/4	 primary/secondary/unknown */
+		unsigned conn:5 ;   /* 17/32	 cstates */
+		unsigned disk:4 ;   /* 8/16	 from D_DISKLESS to D_UP_TO_DATE */
+		unsigned pdsk:4 ;   /* 8/16	 from D_DISKLESS to D_UP_TO_DATE */
+		unsigned _unused:1 ;
+		unsigned aftr_isp:1 ; /* isp .. imposed sync pause */
+		unsigned peer_isp:1 ;
+		unsigned user_isp:1 ;
+		unsigned _pad:11;   /* 0	 unused */
+#elif defined(__BIG_ENDIAN_BITFIELD)
+		unsigned _pad:11;
+		unsigned user_isp:1 ;
+		unsigned peer_isp:1 ;
+		unsigned aftr_isp:1 ; /* isp .. imposed sync pause */
+		unsigned _unused:1 ;
+		unsigned pdsk:4 ;   /* 8/16	 from D_DISKLESS to D_UP_TO_DATE */
+		unsigned disk:4 ;   /* 8/16	 from D_DISKLESS to D_UP_TO_DATE */
+		unsigned conn:5 ;   /* 17/32	 cstates */
+		unsigned peer:2 ;   /* 3/4	 primary/secondary/unknown */
+		unsigned role:2 ;   /* 3/4	 primary/secondary/unknown */
+#else
+# error "this endianess is not supported"
+#endif
+	};
+	unsigned int i;
+};
+
 extern enum drbd_state_rv drbd_change_state(struct drbd_conf *mdev,
 					    enum chg_state_flags f,
 					    union drbd_state mask,