diff --git a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
index 0847590720..05760ef675 100644
--- a/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/octree/src/Octree.cpp
@@ -39,12 +39,13 @@ float boundaryDistanceForRenderLevel(unsigned int renderLevel, float voxelSizeSc
 }
 
 Octree::Octree(bool shouldReaverage) :
+    _rootNode(NULL),
     _isDirty(true),
     _shouldReaverage(shouldReaverage),
     _stopImport(false),
-    _lock(QReadWriteLock::Recursive) {
-    _rootNode = NULL;
-    _isViewing = false;
+    _lock(),
+    _isViewing(false) 
+{
 }
 
 Octree::~Octree() {
@@ -552,10 +553,7 @@ OctreeElement* Octree::getOctreeElementAt(float x, float y, float z, float s) co
 
 
 OctreeElement* Octree::getOrCreateChildElementAt(float x, float y, float z, float s) {
-    lockForWrite();
-    OctreeElement* result = getRoot()->getOrCreateChildElementAt(x, y, z, s);
-    unlock();
-    return result;
+    return getRoot()->getOrCreateChildElementAt(x, y, z, s);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
index b493ec6bc7..d9f0beb81a 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/Particle.cpp
@@ -385,7 +385,7 @@ Particle Particle::fromEditPacket(const unsigned char* data, int length, int& pr
 
     } else {
         // look up the existing particle
-        const Particle* existingParticle = tree->findParticleByID(editID);
+        const Particle* existingParticle = tree->findParticleByID(editID, true);
 
         // copy existing properties before over-writing with new properties
         if (existingParticle) {
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp
index 30270b8fcf..a254305789 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.cpp
@@ -370,12 +370,16 @@ bool ParticleTree::findByIDOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData) {
 }
 
 
-const Particle* ParticleTree::findParticleByID(uint32_t id) {
+const Particle* ParticleTree::findParticleByID(uint32_t id, bool alreadyLocked) {
     FindByIDArgs args = { id, false, NULL };
 
-    lockForRead();
+    if (!alreadyLocked) {
+        lockForRead();
+    }
     recurseTreeWithOperation(findByIDOperation, &args);
-    unlock();
+    if (!alreadyLocked) {
+        unlock();
+    }
     return args.foundParticle;
 }
 
@@ -455,6 +459,7 @@ bool ParticleTree::pruneOperation(OctreeElement* element, void* extraData) {
 }
 
 void ParticleTree::update() {
+    lockForWrite();
     _isDirty = true;
 
     ParticleTreeUpdateArgs args = { };
@@ -469,9 +474,7 @@ void ParticleTree::update() {
         AABox treeBounds = getRoot()->getAABox();
 
         if (!shouldDie && treeBounds.contains(args._movingParticles[i].getPosition())) {
-            lockForWrite();
             storeParticle(args._movingParticles[i]);
-            unlock();
         } else {
             uint32_t particleID = args._movingParticles[i].getID();
             quint64 deletedAt = usecTimestampNow();
@@ -482,7 +485,6 @@ void ParticleTree::update() {
     }
 
     // prune the tree...
-    lockForWrite();
     recurseTreeWithOperation(pruneOperation, NULL);
     unlock();
 }
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h
index 08e8e51a05..f3b8f5183d 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticleTree.h
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ public:
     void addParticle(const ParticleID& particleID, const ParticleProperties& properties);
     void deleteParticle(const ParticleID& particleID);
     const Particle* findClosestParticle(glm::vec3 position, float targetRadius);
-    const Particle* findParticleByID(uint32_t id);
+    const Particle* findParticleByID(uint32_t id, bool alreadyLocked = false);
 
     /// finds all particles that touch a sphere
     /// \param center the center of the sphere
diff --git a/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp b/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp
index c2376e8d72..a25dde1b9e 100644
--- a/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp
+++ b/libraries/particles/src/ParticlesScriptingInterface.cpp
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@ ParticleID ParticlesScriptingInterface::addParticle(const ParticleProperties& pr
 
     // If we have a local particle tree set, then also update it.
     if (_particleTree) {
+        _particleTree->lockForWrite();
         _particleTree->addParticle(id, properties);
+        _particleTree->unlock();
     }
 
     return id;
@@ -64,7 +66,7 @@ ParticleProperties ParticlesScriptingInterface::getParticleProperties(ParticleID
     }
     if (_particleTree) {
         _particleTree->lockForRead();
-        const Particle* particle = _particleTree->findParticleByID(identity.id);
+        const Particle* particle = _particleTree->findParticleByID(identity.id, true);
         if (particle) {
             results.copyFromParticle(*particle);
         } else {