diff --git a/src/ae.cpp b/src/ae.cpp
index 99f09d49f..a78c4a7c2 100644
--- a/src/ae.cpp
+++ b/src/ae.cpp
@@ -803,9 +803,9 @@ void aeAcquireLock()
     g_lock.lock();
 }
 
-int aeTryAcquireLock()
+int aeTryAcquireLock(bool fWeak)
 {
-    return g_lock.try_lock();
+    return g_lock.try_lock(fWeak);
 }
 
 void aeReleaseLock()
diff --git a/src/ae.h b/src/ae.h
index f08c49dd8..6fd230da9 100644
--- a/src/ae.h
+++ b/src/ae.h
@@ -159,7 +159,7 @@ int aeGetSetSize(aeEventLoop *eventLoop);
 int aeResizeSetSize(aeEventLoop *eventLoop, int setsize);
 
 void aeAcquireLock();
-int aeTryAcquireLock();
+int aeTryAcquireLock(bool fWeak);
 void aeReleaseLock();
 int aeThreadOwnsLock();
 
diff --git a/src/aelocker.h b/src/aelocker.h
index 942f936c9..562ac55ef 100644
--- a/src/aelocker.h
+++ b/src/aelocker.h
@@ -16,19 +16,25 @@ public:
             serverAssert(!m_fArmed);
             serverAssert(c->lock.fOwnLock());
 
-            bool fClientLocked = true;
-            while (!aeTryAcquireLock())
+            if (!aeTryAcquireLock(true /*fWeak*/))    // avoid locking the client if we can
             {
-                if (fClientLocked) c->lock.unlock();
-                fClientLocked = false;
-                aeAcquireLock();
-                if (!c->lock.try_lock())
+                bool fOwnClientLock = true;
+                for (;;)
                 {
-                    aeReleaseLock();
-                }
-                else
-                {
-                    break;
+                    if (fOwnClientLock)
+                    {
+                        c->lock.unlock();
+                        fOwnClientLock = false;
+                    }
+                    aeAcquireLock();
+                    if (!c->lock.try_lock(false))   // ensure a strong try because aeAcquireLock is expensive
+                    {
+                        aeReleaseLock();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        break;
+                    }
                 }
             }
             
diff --git a/src/fastlock.cpp b/src/fastlock.cpp
index 6be725f6d..1340e087c 100644
--- a/src/fastlock.cpp
+++ b/src/fastlock.cpp
@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ extern "C" void fastlock_lock(struct fastlock *lock)
     std::atomic_thread_fence(std::memory_order_acquire);
 }
 
-extern "C" int fastlock_trylock(struct fastlock *lock)
+extern "C" int fastlock_trylock(struct fastlock *lock, int fWeak)
 {
     if ((int)__atomic_load_4(&lock->m_pidOwner, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE) == gettid())
     {
@@ -150,7 +150,7 @@ extern "C" int fastlock_trylock(struct fastlock *lock)
 
     struct ticket ticket_expect { active, active };
     struct ticket ticket_setiflocked { active, next };
-    if (__atomic_compare_exchange(&lock->m_ticket, &ticket_expect, &ticket_setiflocked, false /*weak*/, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE))
+    if (__atomic_compare_exchange(&lock->m_ticket, &ticket_expect, &ticket_setiflocked, fWeak /*weak*/, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE, __ATOMIC_RELAXED))
     {
         lock->m_depth = 1;
         __atomic_store_4(&lock->m_pidOwner, gettid(), __ATOMIC_RELEASE);
@@ -181,8 +181,8 @@ extern "C" void fastlock_unlock(struct fastlock *lock)
     {
         assert((int)__atomic_load_4(&lock->m_pidOwner, __ATOMIC_RELAXED) >= 0);  // unlock after free
         lock->m_pidOwner = -1;
-        std::atomic_thread_fence(std::memory_order_acquire);
-        uint16_t activeNew = __atomic_add_fetch(&lock->m_ticket.m_active, 1, __ATOMIC_ACQ_REL);  // on x86 the atomic is not required here, but ASM handles that case
+        std::atomic_thread_fence(std::memory_order_release);
+        uint16_t activeNew = __atomic_add_fetch(&lock->m_ticket.m_active, 1, __ATOMIC_RELEASE);  // on x86 the atomic is not required here, but ASM handles that case
         unlock_futex(lock, activeNew);
     }
 }
diff --git a/src/fastlock.h b/src/fastlock.h
index 81c5807cd..26a4b4d01 100644
--- a/src/fastlock.h
+++ b/src/fastlock.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ extern "C" {
 struct fastlock;
 void fastlock_init(struct fastlock *lock);
 void fastlock_lock(struct fastlock *lock);
-int fastlock_trylock(struct fastlock *lock);
+int fastlock_trylock(struct fastlock *lock, int fWeak);
 void fastlock_unlock(struct fastlock *lock);
 void fastlock_free(struct fastlock *lock);
 
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ struct fastlock
         fastlock_lock(this);
     }
 
-    bool try_lock()
+    bool try_lock(bool fWeak = false)
     {
-        return !!fastlock_trylock(this);
+        return !!fastlock_trylock(this, fWeak);
     }
 
     void unlock()
diff --git a/src/networking.cpp b/src/networking.cpp
index 0159ba9f9..76d07a117 100644
--- a/src/networking.cpp
+++ b/src/networking.cpp
@@ -1475,7 +1475,7 @@ int writeToClient(int fd, client *c, int handler_installed) {
             serverLog(LL_VERBOSE,
                 "Error writing to client: %s", strerror(errno));
             lock.unlock();
-            if (aeTryAcquireLock())
+            if (aeTryAcquireLock(true /*fWeak*/))
             {
                 freeClient(c);
                 aeReleaseLock();
@@ -1502,7 +1502,7 @@ int writeToClient(int fd, client *c, int handler_installed) {
         /* Close connection after entire reply has been sent. */
         if (c->flags & CLIENT_CLOSE_AFTER_REPLY) {
             lock.unlock();
-            if (aeTryAcquireLock())
+            if (aeTryAcquireLock(true /*fWeak*/))
             {
                 freeClient(c);
                 aeReleaseLock();