diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c b/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c
index 424ca5f93c6..f1f06715d4e 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtd_blkdevs.c
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@ static int blktrans_open(struct block_device *bdev, fmode_t mode)
 	ret = __get_mtd_device(dev->mtd);
 	if (ret)
 		goto error_release;
+	dev->file_mode = mode;
 
 unlock:
 	dev->open++;
diff --git a/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c b/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c
index af6591237b9..6c6d80736fa 100644
--- a/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c
+++ b/drivers/mtd/mtdblock.c
@@ -321,8 +321,12 @@ static int mtdblock_release(struct mtd_blktrans_dev *mbd)
 	mutex_unlock(&mtdblk->cache_mutex);
 
 	if (!--mtdblk->count) {
-		/* It was the last usage. Free the cache */
-		mtd_sync(mbd->mtd);
+		/*
+		 * It was the last usage. Free the cache, but only sync if
+		 * opened for writing.
+		 */
+		if (mbd->file_mode & FMODE_WRITE)
+			mtd_sync(mbd->mtd);
 		vfree(mtdblk->cache_data);
 	}
 
diff --git a/include/linux/mtd/blktrans.h b/include/linux/mtd/blktrans.h
index 1bbd9f28924..ed270bd2e4d 100644
--- a/include/linux/mtd/blktrans.h
+++ b/include/linux/mtd/blktrans.h
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ struct mtd_blktrans_dev {
 	struct request_queue *rq;
 	spinlock_t queue_lock;
 	void *priv;
+	fmode_t file_mode;
 };
 
 struct mtd_blktrans_ops {