diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index afff038..64b35cb 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -695,6 +695,17 @@
 	rdev->data_offset = 0;
 	rdev->sb_size = MD_SB_BYTES;
 
+	if (sb->state & (1<<MD_SB_BITMAP_PRESENT)) {
+		if (sb->level != 1 && sb->level != 4
+		    && sb->level != 5 && sb->level != 6
+		    && sb->level != 10) {
+			/* FIXME use a better test */
+			printk(KERN_WARNING
+			       "md: bitmaps not supported for this level.\n");
+			goto abort;
+		}
+	}
+
 	if (sb->level == LEVEL_MULTIPATH)
 		rdev->desc_nr = -1;
 	else
@@ -793,16 +804,8 @@
 		mddev->max_disks = MD_SB_DISKS;
 
 		if (sb->state & (1<<MD_SB_BITMAP_PRESENT) &&
-		    mddev->bitmap_file == NULL) {
-			if (mddev->level != 1 && mddev->level != 4
-			    && mddev->level != 5 && mddev->level != 6
-			    && mddev->level != 10) {
-				/* FIXME use a better test */
-				printk(KERN_WARNING "md: bitmaps not supported for this level.\n");
-				return -EINVAL;
-			}
+		    mddev->bitmap_file == NULL)
 			mddev->bitmap_offset = mddev->default_bitmap_offset;
-		}
 
 	} else if (mddev->pers == NULL) {
 		/* Insist on good event counter while assembling */
@@ -1059,6 +1062,18 @@
 		       bdevname(rdev->bdev,b));
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+	if ((le32_to_cpu(sb->feature_map) & MD_FEATURE_BITMAP_OFFSET)) {
+		if (sb->level != cpu_to_le32(1) &&
+		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(4) &&
+		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(5) &&
+		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(6) &&
+		    sb->level != cpu_to_le32(10)) {
+			printk(KERN_WARNING
+			       "md: bitmaps not supported for this level.\n");
+			return -EINVAL;
+		}
+	}
+
 	rdev->preferred_minor = 0xffff;
 	rdev->data_offset = le64_to_cpu(sb->data_offset);
 	atomic_set(&rdev->corrected_errors, le32_to_cpu(sb->cnt_corrected_read));
@@ -1142,14 +1157,9 @@
 		mddev->max_disks =  (4096-256)/2;
 
 		if ((le32_to_cpu(sb->feature_map) & MD_FEATURE_BITMAP_OFFSET) &&
-		    mddev->bitmap_file == NULL ) {
-			if (mddev->level != 1 && mddev->level != 5 && mddev->level != 6
-			    && mddev->level != 10) {
-				printk(KERN_WARNING "md: bitmaps not supported for this level.\n");
-				return -EINVAL;
-			}
+		    mddev->bitmap_file == NULL )
 			mddev->bitmap_offset = (__s32)le32_to_cpu(sb->bitmap_offset);
-		}
+
 		if ((le32_to_cpu(sb->feature_map) & MD_FEATURE_RESHAPE_ACTIVE)) {
 			mddev->reshape_position = le64_to_cpu(sb->reshape_position);
 			mddev->delta_disks = le32_to_cpu(sb->delta_disks);