diff --git a/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.cpp b/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.cpp
index a6ab382781..e56adfd16a 100644
--- a/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.cpp
+++ b/assignment-client/src/entities/EntityServer.cpp
@@ -376,9 +376,7 @@ void EntityServer::nodeAdded(SharedNodePointer node) {
 
 void EntityServer::nodeKilled(SharedNodePointer node) {
     EntityTreePointer tree = std::static_pointer_cast<EntityTree>(_tree);
-    tree->withWriteLock([&] {
-        tree->deleteDescendantsOfAvatar(node->getUUID());
-    });
+    tree->deleteDescendantsOfAvatar(node->getUUID());
     tree->forgetAvatarID(node->getUUID());
     OctreeServer::nodeKilled(node);
 }
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
index fedda7a42e..a22f34a874 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.cpp
@@ -2213,6 +2213,7 @@ void EntityTree::fixupNeedsParentFixups() {
 
             entity->postParentFixup();
         } else if (getIsServer() || _avatarIDs.contains(entity->getParentID())) {
+            std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_childrenOfAvatarsLock);
             // this is a child of an avatar, which the entity server will never have
             // a SpatiallyNestable object for.  Add it to a list for cleanup when the avatar leaves.
             if (!_childrenOfAvatars.contains(entity->getParentID())) {
@@ -2241,6 +2242,7 @@ void EntityTree::fixupNeedsParentFixups() {
 }
 
 void EntityTree::deleteDescendantsOfAvatar(QUuid avatarID) {
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_childrenOfAvatarsLock);
     QHash<QUuid, QSet<EntityItemID>>::const_iterator itr = _childrenOfAvatars.constFind(avatarID);
     if (itr != _childrenOfAvatars.end()) {
         if (!itr.value().empty()) {
@@ -2259,8 +2261,10 @@ void EntityTree::deleteDescendantsOfAvatar(QUuid avatarID) {
 
 void EntityTree::removeFromChildrenOfAvatars(EntityItemPointer entity) {
     QUuid avatarID = entity->getParentID();
-    if (_childrenOfAvatars.contains(avatarID)) {
-        _childrenOfAvatars[avatarID].remove(entity->getID());
+    std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock(_childrenOfAvatarsLock);
+    auto itr = _childrenOfAvatars.find(avatarID);
+    if (itr != _childrenOfAvatars.end()) {
+        itr.value().remove(entity->getID());
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
index 2d5119d626..85f2310edb 100644
--- a/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
+++ b/libraries/entities/src/EntityTree.h
@@ -366,6 +366,7 @@ protected:
 
     // we maintain a list of avatarIDs to notice when an entity is a child of one.
     QSet<QUuid> _avatarIDs; // IDs of avatars connected to entity server
+    std::mutex _childrenOfAvatarsLock;
     QHash<QUuid, QSet<EntityItemID>> _childrenOfAvatars;  // which entities are children of which avatars
 
     float _maxTmpEntityLifetime { DEFAULT_MAX_TMP_ENTITY_LIFETIME };