diff --git a/block/blk-core.c b/block/blk-core.c
index 9af56dbb84f1..be9233400314 100644
--- a/block/blk-core.c
+++ b/block/blk-core.c
@@ -736,7 +736,6 @@ no_merge:
  * Caller must ensure !blk_queue_nomerges(q) beforehand.
  */
 bool blk_attempt_plug_merge(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio,
-			    unsigned int *request_count,
 			    struct request **same_queue_rq)
 {
 	struct blk_plug *plug;
@@ -746,22 +745,19 @@ bool blk_attempt_plug_merge(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio,
 	plug = current->plug;
 	if (!plug)
 		return false;
-	*request_count = 0;
 
 	plug_list = &plug->mq_list;
 
 	list_for_each_entry_reverse(rq, plug_list, queuelist) {
 		bool merged = false;
 
-		if (rq->q == q) {
-			(*request_count)++;
+		if (rq->q == q && same_queue_rq) {
 			/*
 			 * Only blk-mq multiple hardware queues case checks the
 			 * rq in the same queue, there should be only one such
 			 * rq in a queue
 			 **/
-			if (same_queue_rq)
-				*same_queue_rq = rq;
+			*same_queue_rq = rq;
 		}
 
 		if (rq->q != q || !blk_rq_merge_ok(rq, bio))
@@ -788,26 +784,6 @@ bool blk_attempt_plug_merge(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio,
 	return false;
 }
 
-unsigned int blk_plug_queued_count(struct request_queue *q)
-{
-	struct blk_plug *plug;
-	struct request *rq;
-	struct list_head *plug_list;
-	unsigned int ret = 0;
-
-	plug = current->plug;
-	if (!plug)
-		goto out;
-
-	plug_list = &plug->mq_list;
-	list_for_each_entry(rq, plug_list, queuelist) {
-		if (rq->q == q)
-			ret++;
-	}
-out:
-	return ret;
-}
-
 void blk_init_request_from_bio(struct request *req, struct bio *bio)
 {
 	if (bio->bi_opf & REQ_RAHEAD)
@@ -1803,6 +1779,8 @@ void blk_start_plug(struct blk_plug *plug)
 
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&plug->mq_list);
 	INIT_LIST_HEAD(&plug->cb_list);
+	plug->rq_count = 0;
+
 	/*
 	 * Store ordering should not be needed here, since a potential
 	 * preempt will imply a full memory barrier
diff --git a/block/blk-mq.c b/block/blk-mq.c
index cda698804422..7b7dff85cf6c 100644
--- a/block/blk-mq.c
+++ b/block/blk-mq.c
@@ -1675,6 +1675,7 @@ void blk_mq_flush_plug_list(struct blk_plug *plug, bool from_schedule)
 	unsigned int depth;
 
 	list_splice_init(&plug->mq_list, &list);
+	plug->rq_count = 0;
 
 	list_sort(NULL, &list, plug_rq_cmp);
 
@@ -1871,7 +1872,6 @@ static blk_qc_t blk_mq_make_request(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio)
 	const int is_flush_fua = op_is_flush(bio->bi_opf);
 	struct blk_mq_alloc_data data = { .flags = 0, .cmd_flags = bio->bi_opf };
 	struct request *rq;
-	unsigned int request_count = 0;
 	struct blk_plug *plug;
 	struct request *same_queue_rq = NULL;
 	blk_qc_t cookie;
@@ -1884,7 +1884,7 @@ static blk_qc_t blk_mq_make_request(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio)
 		return BLK_QC_T_NONE;
 
 	if (!is_flush_fua && !blk_queue_nomerges(q) &&
-	    blk_attempt_plug_merge(q, bio, &request_count, &same_queue_rq))
+	    blk_attempt_plug_merge(q, bio, &same_queue_rq))
 		return BLK_QC_T_NONE;
 
 	if (blk_mq_sched_bio_merge(q, bio))
@@ -1915,20 +1915,12 @@ static blk_qc_t blk_mq_make_request(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio)
 		blk_insert_flush(rq);
 		blk_mq_run_hw_queue(data.hctx, true);
 	} else if (plug && q->nr_hw_queues == 1) {
+		unsigned int request_count = plug->rq_count;
 		struct request *last = NULL;
 
 		blk_mq_put_ctx(data.ctx);
 		blk_mq_bio_to_request(rq, bio);
 
-		/*
-		 * @request_count may become stale because of schedule
-		 * out, so check the list again.
-		 */
-		if (list_empty(&plug->mq_list))
-			request_count = 0;
-		else if (blk_queue_nomerges(q))
-			request_count = blk_plug_queued_count(q);
-
 		if (!request_count)
 			trace_block_plug(q);
 		else
@@ -1941,6 +1933,7 @@ static blk_qc_t blk_mq_make_request(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio)
 		}
 
 		list_add_tail(&rq->queuelist, &plug->mq_list);
+		plug->rq_count++;
 	} else if (plug && !blk_queue_nomerges(q)) {
 		blk_mq_bio_to_request(rq, bio);
 
@@ -1956,6 +1949,7 @@ static blk_qc_t blk_mq_make_request(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio)
 		if (same_queue_rq)
 			list_del_init(&same_queue_rq->queuelist);
 		list_add_tail(&rq->queuelist, &plug->mq_list);
+		plug->rq_count++;
 
 		blk_mq_put_ctx(data.ctx);
 
diff --git a/block/blk.h b/block/blk.h
index 610948157a5b..848278c52030 100644
--- a/block/blk.h
+++ b/block/blk.h
@@ -161,9 +161,7 @@ bool bio_attempt_back_merge(struct request_queue *q, struct request *req,
 bool bio_attempt_discard_merge(struct request_queue *q, struct request *req,
 		struct bio *bio);
 bool blk_attempt_plug_merge(struct request_queue *q, struct bio *bio,
-			    unsigned int *request_count,
 			    struct request **same_queue_rq);
-unsigned int blk_plug_queued_count(struct request_queue *q);
 
 void blk_account_io_start(struct request *req, bool new_io);
 void blk_account_io_completion(struct request *req, unsigned int bytes);
diff --git a/include/linux/blkdev.h b/include/linux/blkdev.h
index e3c0a8ec16a7..02732cae6080 100644
--- a/include/linux/blkdev.h
+++ b/include/linux/blkdev.h
@@ -1130,6 +1130,7 @@ extern void blk_set_queue_dying(struct request_queue *);
 struct blk_plug {
 	struct list_head mq_list; /* blk-mq requests */
 	struct list_head cb_list; /* md requires an unplug callback */
+	unsigned short rq_count;
 };
 #define BLK_MAX_REQUEST_COUNT 16
 #define BLK_PLUG_FLUSH_SIZE (128 * 1024)