if ( flags & CONN_IS_CLIENT ) {
                c->c_connid = 0;
                c->c_conn_state = SLAP_C_CLIENT;
+               ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &connections_mutex );
                c->c_struct_state = SLAP_C_USED;
+               ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &connections_mutex );
                c->c_close_reason = "?";                        /* should never be needed */
                ber_sockbuf_ctrl( c->c_sb, LBER_SB_OPT_SET_FD, &sfd );
                ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &c->c_mutex );
        ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &conn_nextid_mutex );
 
        c->c_conn_state = SLAP_C_INACTIVE;
+       ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_lock( &connections_mutex );
        c->c_struct_state = SLAP_C_USED;
+       ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_unlock( &connections_mutex );
        c->c_close_reason = "?";                        /* should never be needed */
 
        c->c_ssf = c->c_transport_ssf = ssf;
        for(; *index < dtblsize; (*index)++) {
                int c_struct;
                if( connections[*index].c_struct_state == SLAP_C_UNINITIALIZED ) {
+                       /* FIXME: accessing c_conn_state without locking c_mutex */
                        assert( connections[*index].c_conn_state == SLAP_C_INVALID );
                        continue;
                }
 
                if( connections[*index].c_struct_state == SLAP_C_USED ) {
-                       assert( connections[*index].c_conn_state != SLAP_C_INVALID );
                        c = &connections[(*index)++];
                        if ( ldap_pvt_thread_mutex_trylock( &c->c_mutex )) {
                                /* avoid deadlock */
                                        continue;
                                }
                        }
+                       assert( c->c_conn_state != SLAP_C_INVALID );
                        break;
                }
 
                if ( c_struct == SLAP_C_PENDING )
                        continue;
                assert( c_struct == SLAP_C_UNUSED );
+               /* FIXME: accessing c_conn_state without locking c_mutex */
                assert( connections[*index].c_conn_state == SLAP_C_INVALID );
        }