diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 9712b2e97be4..cefd63daff31 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -2109,12 +2109,18 @@ repeat:
 		if (!mddev->in_sync || mddev->recovery_cp != MaxSector) { /* not clean */
 			/* .. if the array isn't clean, an 'even' event must also go
 			 * to spares. */
-			if ((mddev->events&1)==0)
+			if ((mddev->events&1)==0) {
 				nospares = 0;
+				sync_req = 2; /* force a second update to get the
+					       * even/odd in sync */
+			}
 		} else {
 			/* otherwise an 'odd' event must go to spares */
-			if ((mddev->events&1))
+			if ((mddev->events&1)) {
 				nospares = 0;
+				sync_req = 2; /* force a second update to get the
+					       * even/odd in sync */
+			}
 		}
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/md/raid5.c b/drivers/md/raid5.c
index 58ea0ecae7c3..15348c393b5d 100644
--- a/drivers/md/raid5.c
+++ b/drivers/md/raid5.c
@@ -1527,7 +1527,7 @@ static void raid5_end_read_request(struct bio * bi, int error)
 
 		clear_bit(R5_UPTODATE, &sh->dev[i].flags);
 		atomic_inc(&rdev->read_errors);
-		if (conf->mddev->degraded)
+		if (conf->mddev->degraded >= conf->max_degraded)
 			printk_rl(KERN_WARNING
 				  "raid5:%s: read error not correctable "
 				  "(sector %llu on %s).\n",