diff --git a/scst/include/backport.h b/scst/include/backport.h
index 15b4bd634..7de532cf6 100644
--- a/scst/include/backport.h
+++ b/scst/include/backport.h
@@ -90,6 +90,16 @@ static inline unsigned int queue_max_hw_sectors(struct request_queue *q)
 }
 #endif
 
+#if LINUX_VERSION_CODE < KERNEL_VERSION(4, 17, 0)
+static inline void blk_queue_flag_set(unsigned int flag,
+				      struct request_queue *q)
+{
+#if !defined(RHEL_MAJOR) || RHEL_MAJOR -0 >= 6
+	queue_flag_set_unlocked(flag, q);
+#endif
+}
+#endif
+
 /* <linux/compiler.h> */
 
 #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE <= KERNEL_VERSION(2, 6, 20)
diff --git a/scst_local/scst_local.c b/scst_local/scst_local.c
index 2f80fe05b..5fbf98d49 100644
--- a/scst_local/scst_local.c
+++ b/scst_local/scst_local.c
@@ -1230,9 +1230,7 @@ static int scst_local_change_queue_depth(struct scsi_device *sdev, int qdepth)
 
 static int scst_local_slave_alloc(struct scsi_device *sdev)
 {
-#if !defined(RHEL_MAJOR) || RHEL_MAJOR -0 >= 6
-	queue_flag_set_unlocked(QUEUE_FLAG_BIDI, sdev->request_queue);
-#endif
+	blk_queue_flag_set(QUEUE_FLAG_BIDI, sdev->request_queue);
 	return 0;
 }