diff --git a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c
index f97c8cfcc7dd..7b730bde00b7 100644
--- a/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c
+++ b/sys/geom/vinum/geom_vinum.c
@@ -133,10 +133,12 @@ gv_access(struct g_provider *pp, int dr, int dw, int de)
 	error = ENXIO;
 	gp = pp->geom;
 	sc = gp->softc;
-	if (dw > 0 && dr == 0)
-		dr = 1;
-	else if (dw < 0 && dr == 0)
-		dr = -1;
+	/*
+	 * We want to modify the read count with the write count in case we have
+	 * plexes in a RAID-5 organization.
+	 */
+	dr += dw;
+
 	LIST_FOREACH(d, &sc->drives, drive) {
 		if (d->consumer == NULL)
 			continue;