diff --git a/engine/graph/actions.go b/engine/graph/actions.go
index 58c8313c..f7f70417 100644
--- a/engine/graph/actions.go
+++ b/engine/graph/actions.go
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ func (obj *Engine) Process(ctx context.Context, vertex pgraph.Vertex) error {
 	// Check cached state, to skip CheckApply, but can't skip if refreshing!
 	// If the resource doesn't implement refresh, skip the refresh test.
 	// FIXME: if desired, check that we pass through refresh notifications!
-	if (!refresh || !isRefreshableRes) && obj.state[vertex].isStateOK {
+	if (!refresh || !isRefreshableRes) && obj.state[vertex].isStateOK.Load() { // mutex RLock/RUnlock
 		checkOK, err = true, nil
 
 	} else if noop && (refresh && isRefreshableRes) { // had a refresh to do w/ noop!
@@ -193,7 +193,9 @@ func (obj *Engine) Process(ctx context.Context, vertex pgraph.Vertex) error {
 	// if CheckApply ran without noop and without error, state should be good
 	if !noop && err == nil { // aka !noop || checkOK
 		obj.state[vertex].tuid.StartTimer()
-		obj.state[vertex].isStateOK = true // reset
+		//obj.state[vertex].mutex.Lock()
+		obj.state[vertex].isStateOK.Store(true) // reset
+		//obj.state[vertex].mutex.Unlock()
 		if refresh {
 			obj.SetUpstreamRefresh(vertex, false) // refresh happened, clear the request
 			if isRefreshableRes {
diff --git a/engine/graph/reverse.go b/engine/graph/reverse.go
index d5a832cc..2dde9d55 100644
--- a/engine/graph/reverse.go
+++ b/engine/graph/reverse.go
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ func (obj *State) ReversalCleanup() error {
 		return nil // nothing to erase, we're not a reversal resource
 	}
 
-	if !obj.isStateOK { // did we successfully reverse?
+	if !obj.isStateOK.Load() { // did we successfully reverse? (mutex RLock/RUnlock)
 		obj.Logf("did not complete reversal") // warn
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/engine/graph/state.go b/engine/graph/state.go
index 324e0b9e..2a5275e6 100644
--- a/engine/graph/state.go
+++ b/engine/graph/state.go
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"fmt"
 	"sync"
+	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/purpleidea/mgmt/converger"
@@ -60,9 +61,9 @@ type State struct {
 	// Logf is the logging function that should be used to display messages.
 	Logf func(format string, v ...interface{})
 
-	timestamp int64 // last updated timestamp
-	isStateOK bool  // is state OK or do we need to run CheckApply ?
-	workerErr error // did the Worker error?
+	timestamp int64        // last updated timestamp
+	isStateOK *atomic.Bool // is state OK or do we need to run CheckApply ?
+	workerErr error        // did the Worker error?
 
 	mutex *sync.RWMutex // used for editing state properties
 
@@ -145,6 +146,8 @@ func (obj *State) Init() error {
 		return fmt.Errorf("the Logf function is missing")
 	}
 
+	obj.isStateOK = &atomic.Bool{}
+
 	obj.mutex = &sync.RWMutex{}
 	obj.doneCtx, obj.doneCtxCancel = context.WithCancel(context.Background())
 
@@ -390,9 +393,9 @@ func (obj *State) event() {
 // CheckApply will have some work to do in order to converge it.
 func (obj *State) setDirty() {
 	obj.tuid.StopTimer()
-	obj.mutex.Lock()
-	obj.isStateOK = false // concurrent write
-	obj.mutex.Unlock()
+	//obj.mutex.Lock()
+	obj.isStateOK.Store(false) // concurrent write
+	//obj.mutex.Unlock()
 }
 
 // poll is a replacement for Watch when the Poll metaparameter is used.