diff --git a/fs/ext4/super.c b/fs/ext4/super.c
index a51db9ca90fd..70c52ea0a27c 100644
--- a/fs/ext4/super.c
+++ b/fs/ext4/super.c
@@ -4836,10 +4836,11 @@ static int ext4_freeze(struct super_block *sb)
 		error = jbd2_journal_flush(journal);
 		if (error < 0)
 			goto out;
+
+		/* Journal blocked and flushed, clear needs_recovery flag. */
+		EXT4_CLEAR_INCOMPAT_FEATURE(sb, EXT4_FEATURE_INCOMPAT_RECOVER);
 	}
 
-	/* Journal blocked and flushed, clear needs_recovery flag. */
-	EXT4_CLEAR_INCOMPAT_FEATURE(sb, EXT4_FEATURE_INCOMPAT_RECOVER);
 	error = ext4_commit_super(sb, 1);
 out:
 	if (journal)
@@ -4857,8 +4858,11 @@ static int ext4_unfreeze(struct super_block *sb)
 	if (sb->s_flags & MS_RDONLY)
 		return 0;
 
-	/* Reset the needs_recovery flag before the fs is unlocked. */
-	EXT4_SET_INCOMPAT_FEATURE(sb, EXT4_FEATURE_INCOMPAT_RECOVER);
+	if (EXT4_SB(sb)->s_journal) {
+		/* Reset the needs_recovery flag before the fs is unlocked. */
+		EXT4_SET_INCOMPAT_FEATURE(sb, EXT4_FEATURE_INCOMPAT_RECOVER);
+	}
+
 	ext4_commit_super(sb, 1);
 	return 0;
 }