diff --git a/src/core/NotePlayHandle.cpp b/src/core/NotePlayHandle.cpp
index 84d83bb0a78..1e6ce01c9e4 100644
--- a/src/core/NotePlayHandle.cpp
+++ b/src/core/NotePlayHandle.cpp
@@ -577,13 +577,9 @@ NotePlayHandle * NotePlayHandleManager::acquire( InstrumentTrack* instrumentTrac
 				int midiEventChannel,
 				NotePlayHandle::Origin origin )
 {
-	if( s_availableIndex < 0 )
-	{
-		s_mutex.lockForWrite();
-		if( s_availableIndex < 0 ) extend( NPH_CACHE_INCREMENT );
-		s_mutex.unlock();
-	}
-	s_mutex.lockForRead();
+	// TODO: use some lockless data structures
+	s_mutex.lockForWrite();
+	if (s_availableIndex < 0) { extend(NPH_CACHE_INCREMENT); }
 	NotePlayHandle * nph = s_available[ s_availableIndex.fetchAndAddOrdered( -1 ) ];
 	s_mutex.unlock();