diff --git a/servers/slapd/connection.c b/servers/slapd/connection.c
index 3c65f478bc341026b87097cf58293e8596b97fac..3ee0a7d05867e55177cd0f6d46f7b1215ba54da2 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/connection.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/connection.c
@@ -364,13 +364,12 @@ connection_destroy( Connection *c )
 
 int connection_state_closing( Connection *c )
 {
+	/* connection must be locked by caller */
 	int state;
 	assert( c != NULL );
 	assert( c->c_struct_state == SLAP_C_USED );
 
-    ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &c->c_mutex );
 	state = c->c_conn_state;
-    ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &c->c_mutex );
 
 	assert( state != SLAP_C_INVALID );