diff --git a/libraries/recording/src/recording/RecordingScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/recording/src/recording/RecordingScriptingInterface.cpp
index 43fe5c3688..a05ee60604 100644
--- a/libraries/recording/src/recording/RecordingScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/recording/src/recording/RecordingScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -64,8 +64,10 @@ float RecordingScriptingInterface::playerLength() const {
 }
 
 void RecordingScriptingInterface::playClip(NetworkClipLoaderPointer clipLoader, const QString& url, const ScriptValue& callback) {
-    Locker lock(_mutex);
-    _player->queueClip(clipLoader->getClip());
+    {
+        Locker lock(_mutex);
+        _player->queueClip(clipLoader->getClip());
+    }
 
     if (callback.isFunction()) {
         auto engine = callback.engine();
@@ -75,8 +77,6 @@ void RecordingScriptingInterface::playClip(NetworkClipLoaderPointer clipLoader,
 }
 
 void RecordingScriptingInterface::loadRecording(const QString& url, const ScriptValue& callback) {
-    Locker lock(_mutex);
-
     auto clipLoader = DependencyManager::get<recording::ClipCache>()->getClipLoader(url);
 
     if (clipLoader->isLoaded()) {
@@ -85,6 +85,8 @@ void RecordingScriptingInterface::loadRecording(const QString& url, const Script
         return;
     }
 
+    Locker lock(_mutex);
+
     // hold a strong pointer to the loading clip so that it has a chance to load
     _clipLoaders.insert(clipLoader);
 
diff --git a/libraries/script-engine/src/AssetScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/script-engine/src/AssetScriptingInterface.cpp
index f412d9d2d6..fe11582abf 100644
--- a/libraries/script-engine/src/AssetScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/script-engine/src/AssetScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -244,7 +244,6 @@ Promise AssetScriptingInterface::jsPromiseReady(Promise promise, const ScriptVal
 void AssetScriptingInterface::jsCallback(const ScriptValue& handler,
                                          const ScriptValue& error, const ScriptValue& result) {
     Q_ASSERT(thread() == QThread::currentThread());
-    Q_ASSERT(engine());
     //V8TODO: which kind of script context guard needs to be used here?
     ScriptContextGuard scriptContextGuard(_scriptManager->engine()->currentContext());
     auto errorValue = !error.toBool() ? engine()->nullValue() : error;