diff --git a/drivers/md/raid1.c b/drivers/md/raid1.c
index 85a17909d8fe..b1ed4cc6ade4 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid1.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid1.c
@@ -1603,8 +1603,10 @@ static void raid1_write_request(struct mddev *mddev, struct bio *bio,
 				 * complexity of supporting that is not worth
 				 * the benefit.
 				 */
-				if (bio->bi_opf & REQ_ATOMIC)
+				if (bio->bi_opf & REQ_ATOMIC) {
+					rdev_dec_pending(rdev, mddev);
 					goto err_handle;
+				}
 
 				good_sectors = first_bad - r1_bio->sector;
 				if (good_sectors < max_sectors)