diff --git a/fs/fs-writeback.c b/fs/fs-writeback.c
index aca8835c8c17..68851ff2fd41 100644
--- a/fs/fs-writeback.c
+++ b/fs/fs-writeback.c
@@ -963,7 +963,7 @@ static long wb_check_old_data_flush(struct bdi_writeback *wb)
 /*
  * Retrieve work items and do the writeback they describe
  */
-static long wb_do_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, int force_wait)
+static long wb_do_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb)
 {
 	struct backing_dev_info *bdi = wb->bdi;
 	struct wb_writeback_work *work;
@@ -971,12 +971,6 @@ static long wb_do_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, int force_wait)
 
 	set_bit(BDI_writeback_running, &wb->bdi->state);
 	while ((work = get_next_work_item(bdi)) != NULL) {
-		/*
-		 * Override sync mode, in case we must wait for completion
-		 * because this thread is exiting now.
-		 */
-		if (force_wait)
-			work->sync_mode = WB_SYNC_ALL;
 
 		trace_writeback_exec(bdi, work);
 
@@ -1025,7 +1019,7 @@ void bdi_writeback_workfn(struct work_struct *work)
 		 * rescuer as work_list needs to be drained.
 		 */
 		do {
-			pages_written = wb_do_writeback(wb, 0);
+			pages_written = wb_do_writeback(wb);
 			trace_writeback_pages_written(pages_written);
 		} while (!list_empty(&bdi->work_list));
 	} else {