diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 67642bacd597ae7c97517e7dab47e05115c3c87a..915e84d631a22111c2256ab2f4676875a2cc61b1 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -7610,16 +7610,12 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL(unregister_md_cluster_operations);
 
 int md_setup_cluster(struct mddev *mddev, int nodes)
 {
-	int err;
-
-	err = request_module("md-cluster");
-	if (err) {
-		pr_err("md-cluster module not found.\n");
-		return -ENOENT;
-	}
-
+	if (!md_cluster_ops)
+		request_module("md-cluster");
 	spin_lock(&pers_lock);
+	/* ensure module won't be unloaded */
 	if (!md_cluster_ops || !try_module_get(md_cluster_mod)) {
+		pr_err("can't find md-cluster module or get it's reference.\n");
 		spin_unlock(&pers_lock);
 		return -ENOENT;
 	}