diff --git a/src/lib/dlt_user.c b/src/lib/dlt_user.c
index 4ade95bfc..a20cd7814 100644
--- a/src/lib/dlt_user.c
+++ b/src/lib/dlt_user.c
@@ -3869,6 +3869,9 @@ void dlt_user_housekeeperthread_function(void *ptr)
 
     pthread_cleanup_push(dlt_user_cleanup_handler, NULL);
 
+
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex);
+
     // signal dlt thread to be running
     *dlt_housekeeper_running = true;
     signal_status = pthread_cond_signal(&dlt_housekeeper_running_cond);
@@ -3876,6 +3879,8 @@ void dlt_user_housekeeperthread_function(void *ptr)
         dlt_log(LOG_CRIT, "Housekeeper thread failed to signal running state\n");
     }
 
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex);
+
     while (in_loop) {
         /* Check for new messages from DLT daemon */
         if (!dlt_user.disable_injection_msg)
@@ -5221,6 +5226,10 @@ int dlt_start_threads()
     * (spurious wakeup)
     * To protect against this, a while loop with a timeout is added
     * */
+
+    // pthread_cond_timedwait has to be called on a locked mutex
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex);
+
     while (!dlt_housekeeper_running
            && now.tv_sec <= time_to_wait.tv_sec) {
 
@@ -5233,13 +5242,10 @@ int dlt_start_threads()
         single_wait.tv_sec = now.tv_sec;
         single_wait.tv_nsec = now.tv_nsec + 500000000;
 
-        // pthread_cond_timedwait has to be called on a locked mutex
-        pthread_mutex_lock(&dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex);
         signal_status = pthread_cond_timedwait(
             &dlt_housekeeper_running_cond,
             &dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex,
             &single_wait);
-        pthread_mutex_unlock(&dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex);
 
         /* otherwise it might be a spurious wakeup, try again until the time is over */
         if (signal_status == 0) {
@@ -5247,6 +5253,8 @@ int dlt_start_threads()
         }
      }
 
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&dlt_housekeeper_running_mutex);
+
      if (signal_status != 0 && !dlt_housekeeper_running) {
          dlt_log(LOG_CRIT, "Failed to wait for house keeper thread!\n");
          dlt_stop_threads();