diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 2a4a3d3039fae..fba2809cd384a 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -798,14 +798,14 @@ void mddev_unlock(struct mddev *mddev)
 	} else
 		mutex_unlock(&mddev->reconfig_mutex);
 
+	md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);
+	wake_up(&mddev->sb_wait);
+
 	list_for_each_entry_safe(rdev, tmp, &delete, same_set) {
 		list_del_init(&rdev->same_set);
 		kobject_del(&rdev->kobj);
 		export_rdev(rdev, mddev);
 	}
-
-	md_wakeup_thread(mddev->thread);
-	wake_up(&mddev->sb_wait);
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(mddev_unlock);