diff --git a/drivers/md/md.c b/drivers/md/md.c
index 521d9b34cd9e..02efe9700256 100644
--- a/drivers/md/md.c
+++ b/drivers/md/md.c
@@ -6130,10 +6130,16 @@ md_attr_store(struct kobject *kobj, struct attribute *attr,
 	}
 	spin_unlock(&all_mddevs_lock);
 	rv = entry->store(mddev, page, length);
-	mddev_put(mddev);
 
+	/*
+	 * For "array_state=clear", dropping the extra kobject reference from
+	 * sysfs_break_active_protection() can trigger md kobject deletion.
+	 * Restore active protection before mddev_put() so deletion happens
+	 * after the sysfs write path fully unwinds.
+	 */
 	if (kn)
 		sysfs_unbreak_active_protection(kn);
+	mddev_put(mddev);
 
 	return rv;
 }