diff --git a/fs/fs-writeback.c b/fs/fs-writeback.c
index 8a5807d2fb9d..7d9d06ba184b 100644
--- a/fs/fs-writeback.c
+++ b/fs/fs-writeback.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ int nr_pdflush_threads;
  */
 int writeback_in_progress(struct backing_dev_info *bdi)
 {
-	return !list_empty(&bdi->work_list);
+	return test_bit(BDI_writeback_running, &bdi->state);
 }
 
 static void bdi_queue_work(struct backing_dev_info *bdi,
@@ -740,6 +740,7 @@ long wb_do_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, int force_wait)
 	struct wb_writeback_work *work;
 	long wrote = 0;
 
+	set_bit(BDI_writeback_running, &wb->bdi->state);
 	while ((work = get_next_work_item(bdi)) != NULL) {
 		/*
 		 * Override sync mode, in case we must wait for completion
@@ -766,6 +767,7 @@ long wb_do_writeback(struct bdi_writeback *wb, int force_wait)
 	 * Check for periodic writeback, kupdated() style
 	 */
 	wrote += wb_check_old_data_flush(wb);
+	clear_bit(BDI_writeback_running, &wb->bdi->state);
 
 	return wrote;
 }
diff --git a/include/linux/backing-dev.h b/include/linux/backing-dev.h
index 7628219e5386..35b00746c712 100644
--- a/include/linux/backing-dev.h
+++ b/include/linux/backing-dev.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ enum bdi_state {
 	BDI_async_congested,	/* The async (write) queue is getting full */
 	BDI_sync_congested,	/* The sync queue is getting full */
 	BDI_registered,		/* bdi_register() was done */
+	BDI_writeback_running,	/* Writeback is in progress */
 	BDI_unused,		/* Available bits start here */
 };