diff --git a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.c b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.c
index beefe65..c24379f 100644
--- a/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.c
+++ b/drivers/block/drbd/drbd_req.c
@@ -865,8 +865,10 @@
 	bool congested = false;
 	enum drbd_on_congestion on_congestion;
 
+	rcu_read_lock();
 	nc = rcu_dereference(tconn->net_conf);
 	on_congestion = nc ? nc->on_congestion : OC_BLOCK;
+	rcu_read_unlock();
 	if (on_congestion == OC_BLOCK ||
 	    tconn->agreed_pro_version < 96)
 		return;
@@ -960,14 +962,8 @@
 	struct drbd_conf *mdev = req->w.mdev;
 	int remote, send_oos;
 
-	rcu_read_lock();
 	remote = drbd_should_do_remote(mdev->state);
-	if (remote) {
-		maybe_pull_ahead(mdev);
-		remote = drbd_should_do_remote(mdev->state);
-	}
 	send_oos = drbd_should_send_out_of_sync(mdev->state);
-	rcu_read_unlock();
 
 	/* Need to replicate writes.  Unless it is an empty flush,
 	 * which is better mapped to a DRBD P_BARRIER packet,
@@ -1087,9 +1083,13 @@
 		 * but will re-aquire it before it returns here.
 		 * Needs to be before the check on drbd_suspended() */
 		complete_conflicting_writes(req);
+		/* no more giving up req_lock from now on! */
+
+		/* check for congestion, and potentially stop sending
+		 * full data updates, but start sending "dirty bits" only. */
+		maybe_pull_ahead(mdev);
 	}
 
-	/* no more giving up req_lock from now on! */
 
 	if (drbd_suspended(mdev)) {
 		/* push back and retry: */