diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 09042b060086..816951405f46 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -9051,6 +9051,11 @@ void md_do_sync(struct md_thread *thread)
 	}
 
 	action = md_sync_action(mddev);
+	if (action == ACTION_FROZEN || action == ACTION_IDLE) {
+		set_bit(MD_RECOVERY_INTR, &mddev->recovery);
+		goto skip;
+	}
+
 	desc = md_sync_action_name(action);
 	mddev->last_sync_action = action;