diff --git a/block/io.c b/block/io.c
index ac5c7174f6..9bd8ba8431 100644
--- a/block/io.c
+++ b/block/io.c
@@ -361,7 +361,7 @@ static void bdrv_do_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs, BdrvChild *parent,
     GLOBAL_STATE_CODE();
 
     /* Stop things in parent-to-child order */
-    if (qatomic_fetch_inc(&bs->quiesce_counter) == 0) {
+    if (bs->quiesce_counter++ == 0) {
         GRAPH_RDLOCK_GUARD_MAINLOOP();
         bdrv_parent_drained_begin(bs, parent);
         if (bs->drv && bs->drv->bdrv_drain_begin) {
@@ -401,8 +401,6 @@ bdrv_drained_begin(BlockDriverState *bs)
  */
 static void bdrv_do_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, BdrvChild *parent)
 {
-    int old_quiesce_counter;
-
     IO_OR_GS_CODE();
 
     if (qemu_in_coroutine()) {
@@ -415,8 +413,7 @@ static void bdrv_do_drained_end(BlockDriverState *bs, BdrvChild *parent)
     assert(bs->quiesce_counter > 0);
 
     /* Re-enable things in child-to-parent order */
-    old_quiesce_counter = qatomic_fetch_dec(&bs->quiesce_counter);
-    if (old_quiesce_counter == 1) {
+    if (--bs->quiesce_counter == 0) {
         GRAPH_RDLOCK_GUARD_MAINLOOP();
         if (bs->drv && bs->drv->bdrv_drain_end) {
             bs->drv->bdrv_drain_end(bs);
diff --git a/include/block/block_int-common.h b/include/block/block_int-common.h
index 925a3e7353..e96c6a6a03 100644
--- a/include/block/block_int-common.h
+++ b/include/block/block_int-common.h
@@ -1253,7 +1253,7 @@ struct BlockDriverState {
     /* do we need to tell the quest if we have a volatile write cache? */
     int enable_write_cache;
 
-    /* Accessed with atomic ops.  */
+    /* Accessed only in the main thread. */
     int quiesce_counter;
 
     unsigned int write_gen;               /* Current data generation */