diff --git a/core/state/statedb.go b/core/state/statedb.go
index 5c1b57de06..62ba3a8290 100644
--- a/core/state/statedb.go
+++ b/core/state/statedb.go
@@ -936,6 +936,9 @@ func (s *StateDB) getStateObject(addr common.Address) *stateObject {
 // destructed object instead of wiping all knowledge about the state object.
 func (s *StateDB) getDeletedStateObject(addr common.Address) *stateObject {
 	return MVRead(s, blockstm.NewAddressKey(addr), nil, func(s *StateDB) *stateObject {
+		s.stateObjectsMu.Lock()
+		defer s.stateObjectsMu.Unlock()
+
 		// Prefer live objects if any is available
 		if obj := s.stateObjects[addr]; obj != nil {
 			return obj
@@ -1000,9 +1003,6 @@ func (s *StateDB) getDeletedStateObject(addr common.Address) *stateObject {
 }
 
 func (s *StateDB) setStateObject(object *stateObject) {
-	s.stateObjectsMu.Lock()
-	defer s.stateObjectsMu.Unlock()
-
 	s.stateObjects[object.Address()] = object
 }