diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index ce421e3a3980ea1321a40f3fde8ec0a08207d595..28219fa66e73deb4cec74e62cf460920c615cb7f 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -5074,8 +5074,8 @@ static inline sector_t sync_request(struct mddev *mddev, sector_t sector_nr, int
 	bitmap_start_sync(mddev->bitmap, sector_nr, &sync_blocks, still_degraded);
 
 	set_bit(STRIPE_SYNC_REQUESTED, &sh->state);
+	set_bit(STRIPE_HANDLE, &sh->state);
 
-	handle_stripe(sh);
 	release_stripe(sh);
 
 	return STRIPE_SECTORS;