diff --git a/Manage.c b/Manage.c
index 6e9d4a0..acfec75 100644
--- a/Manage.c
+++ b/Manage.c
@@ -383,6 +383,7 @@ int Manage_subdevs(char *devname, int fd,
 		char *dnprintable = dv->devname;
 		char *add_dev = dv->devname;
 		int err;
+		int re_add_failed = 0;
 
 		next = dv->next;
 		jnext = 0;
@@ -662,14 +663,20 @@ int Manage_subdevs(char *devname, int fd,
 				    get_linux_version() <= 2006018)
 					;
 				else if (st->sb) {
+					struct mdinfo mdi;
+					st->ss->getinfo_super(st, &mdi);
 					st->ss->uuid_from_super(st, ouuid);
-					if (memcmp(duuid, ouuid, sizeof(ouuid))==0) {
-						/* looks close enough for now.  Kernel
-						 * will worry about whether a bitmap
-						 * based reconstruction is possible.
+					if ((mdi.disk.state & (1<<MD_DISK_ACTIVE)) &&
+					    !(mdi.disk.state & (1<<MD_DISK_FAULTY)) &&
+					    memcmp(duuid, ouuid, sizeof(ouuid))==0) {
+						/* look like it is worth a try.  Need to
+						 * make sure kernel will accept it though.
 						 */
-						struct mdinfo mdi;
-						st->ss->getinfo_super(st, &mdi);
+						disc.number = mdi.disk.number;
+						if (ioctl(fd, GET_DISK_INFO, &disc) != 0
+						    || disc.major != 0 || disc.minor != 0
+						    || !enough_fd(fd))
+							goto skip_re_add;
 						disc.major = major(stb.st_rdev);
 						disc.minor = minor(stb.st_rdev);
 						disc.number = mdi.disk.number;
@@ -684,8 +691,7 @@ int Manage_subdevs(char *devname, int fd,
 						tfd = -1;
 						/* don't even try if disk is marked as faulty */
 						errno = 0;
-						if ((disc.state & 1) == 0 &&
-						    ioctl(fd, ADD_NEW_DISK, &disc) == 0) {
+						if (ioctl(fd, ADD_NEW_DISK, &disc) == 0) {
 							if (verbose >= 0)
 								fprintf(stderr, Name ": re-added %s\n", add_dev);
 							count++;
@@ -698,7 +704,8 @@ int Manage_subdevs(char *devname, int fd,
 								continue;
 							return 1;
 						}
-						/* fall back on normal-add */
+					skip_re_add:
+						re_add_failed = 1;
 					}
 				}
 				if (add_dev != dv->devname) {
@@ -720,6 +727,17 @@ int Manage_subdevs(char *devname, int fd,
 						dv->devname, devname);
 					return 1;
 				}
+				if (re_add_failed) {
+					fprintf(stderr, Name ": %s reports being an active member for %s, but a --re-add fails.\n",
+						dv->devname, devname);
+					fprintf(stderr, Name ": not performing --add as that would convert %s in to a spare.\n",
+						dv->devname);
+					fprintf(stderr, Name ": To make this a spare, use \"mdadm --zero-superblock %s\" first.\n",	
+						dv->devname);
+					if (tfd >= 0)
+						close(tfd);
+					return 1;
+				}
 			} else {
 				/* non-persistent. Must ensure that new drive
 				 * is at least array.size big.
diff --git a/mdadm.h b/mdadm.h
index 9ad99f0..3e22910 100644
--- a/mdadm.h
+++ b/mdadm.h
@@ -986,6 +986,7 @@ extern char *fname_from_uuid(struct supertype *st,
 extern unsigned long calc_csum(void *super, int bytes);
 extern int enough(int level, int raid_disks, int layout, int clean,
 		   char *avail, int avail_disks);
+extern int enough_fd(int fd);
 extern int ask(char *mesg);
 extern unsigned long long get_component_size(int fd);
 extern void remove_partitions(int fd);
diff --git a/tests/01r1fail b/tests/01r1fail
index c378663..9f55632 100644
--- a/tests/01r1fail
+++ b/tests/01r1fail
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@ mdadm $md0 --remove $dev2 $dev1
 check nosync
 check state UUU_
 
+mdadm --zero-superblock $dev2
 mdadm $md0 -a $dev2 
 check recovery
 check wait
diff --git a/util.c b/util.c
index 0cb251c..c997621 100644
--- a/util.c
+++ b/util.c
@@ -320,6 +320,36 @@ int enough(int level, int raid_disks, int layout, int clean,
 	}
 }
 
+int enough_fd(int fd)
+{
+	struct mdu_array_info_s array;
+	struct mdu_disk_info_s disk;
+	int avail_disks = 0;
+	int i;
+	char *avail;
+
+	if (ioctl(fd, GET_ARRAY_INFO, &array) != 0 ||
+	    array.raid_disks <= 0)
+		return 0;
+	avail = calloc(array.raid_disks, 1);
+	for (i=0; i<array.raid_disks + array.nr_disks; i++) {
+		disk.number = i;
+		if (ioctl(fd, GET_DISK_INFO, &disk) != 0)
+			continue;
+		if (! (disk.state & (1<<MD_DISK_SYNC)))
+			continue;
+		if (disk.raid_disk < 0 || disk.raid_disk >= array.raid_disks)
+			continue;
+		avail_disks++;
+		avail[disk.raid_disk] = 1;
+	}
+	/* This is used on an active array, so assume it is clean */
+	return enough(array.level, array.raid_disks, array.layout,
+		      1,
+		      avail, avail_disks);
+}
+
+
 const int uuid_match_any[4] = { ~0, ~0, ~0, ~0 };
 int same_uuid(int a[4], int b[4], int swapuuid)
 {