diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index ad9e15a3ef51..e56c7e0627fa 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -3210,15 +3210,16 @@ handle_failed_sync(struct r5conf *conf, struct stripe_head *sh,
 		/* During recovery devices cannot be removed, so
 		 * locking and refcounting of rdevs is not needed
 		 */
+		rcu_read_lock();
 		for (i = 0; i < conf->raid_disks; i++) {
-			struct md_rdev *rdev = conf->disks[i].rdev;
+			struct md_rdev *rdev = rcu_dereference(conf->disks[i].rdev);
 			if (rdev
 			    && !test_bit(Faulty, &rdev->flags)
 			    && !test_bit(In_sync, &rdev->flags)
 			    && !rdev_set_badblocks(rdev, sh->sector,
 						   STRIPE_SECTORS, 0))
 				abort = 1;
-			rdev = conf->disks[i].replacement;
+			rdev = rcu_dereference(conf->disks[i].replacement);
 			if (rdev
 			    && !test_bit(Faulty, &rdev->flags)
 			    && !test_bit(In_sync, &rdev->flags)
@@ -3226,6 +3227,7 @@ handle_failed_sync(struct r5conf *conf, struct stripe_head *sh,
 						   STRIPE_SECTORS, 0))
 				abort = 1;
 		}
+		rcu_read_unlock();
 		if (abort)
 			conf->recovery_disabled =
 				conf->mddev->recovery_disabled;