diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 7445e44eabff..dde3d2bfd34d 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -6425,15 +6425,10 @@ static void md_clean(struct mddev *mddev)
 	mddev->persistent = 0;
 	mddev->level = LEVEL_NONE;
 	mddev->clevel[0] = 0;
-	/*
-	 * Don't clear MD_CLOSING, or mddev can be opened again.
-	 * 'hold_active != 0' means mddev is still in the creation
-	 * process and will be used later.
-	 */
-	if (mddev->hold_active)
-		mddev->flags = 0;
-	else
-		mddev->flags &= BIT_ULL_MASK(MD_CLOSING);
+	/* if UNTIL_STOP is set, it's cleared here */
+	mddev->hold_active = 0;
+	/* Don't clear MD_CLOSING, or mddev can be opened again. */
+	mddev->flags &= BIT_ULL_MASK(MD_CLOSING);
 	mddev->sb_flags = 0;
 	mddev->ro = MD_RDWR;
 	mddev->metadata_type[0] = 0;
@@ -6660,9 +6655,6 @@ static int do_md_stop(struct mddev *mddev, int mode)
 		export_array(mddev);
 		md_clean(mddev);
 		set_bit(MD_DELETED, &mddev->flags);
-
-		if (mddev->hold_active == UNTIL_STOP)
-			mddev->hold_active = 0;
 	}
 	md_new_event();
 	sysfs_notify_dirent_safe(mddev->sysfs_state);