diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-cache.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-cache.c
index 1d6b8e3585f1..0d227ef7d1b9 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-cache.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-cache.c
@@ -43,8 +43,10 @@ retry:
 	if (unlikely(!bio_has_data(bio)))
 		goto out;
 
-	w_ctx.flags = flags;
 	pblk_ppa_set_empty(&w_ctx.ppa);
+	w_ctx.flags = flags;
+	if (bio->bi_opf & REQ_PREFLUSH)
+		w_ctx.flags |= PBLK_FLUSH_ENTRY;
 
 	for (i = 0; i < nr_entries; i++) {
 		void *data = bio_data(bio);
diff --git a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-rb.c b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-rb.c
index 74c768ce09ef..05e6b2e9221d 100644
--- a/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-rb.c
+++ b/drivers/lightnvm/pblk-rb.c
@@ -355,7 +355,6 @@ static int pblk_rb_sync_point_set(struct pblk_rb *rb, struct bio *bio,
 {
 	struct pblk_rb_entry *entry;
 	unsigned int subm, sync_point;
-	int flags;
 
 	subm = READ_ONCE(rb->subm);
 
@@ -369,12 +368,6 @@ static int pblk_rb_sync_point_set(struct pblk_rb *rb, struct bio *bio,
 	sync_point = (pos == 0) ? (rb->nr_entries - 1) : (pos - 1);
 	entry = &rb->entries[sync_point];
 
-	flags = READ_ONCE(entry->w_ctx.flags);
-	flags |= PBLK_FLUSH_ENTRY;
-
-	/* Release flags on context. Protect from writes */
-	smp_store_release(&entry->w_ctx.flags, flags);
-
 	/* Protect syncs */
 	smp_store_release(&rb->sync_point, sync_point);
 
@@ -454,6 +447,7 @@ static int pblk_rb_may_write_flush(struct pblk_rb *rb, unsigned int nr_entries,
 
 	/* Protect from read count */
 	smp_store_release(&rb->mem, mem);
+
 	return 1;
 }