diff --git a/crates/locksmith/src/common.rs b/crates/locksmith/src/common.rs
index 90f8a96b8f..fb10aaa936 100644
--- a/crates/locksmith/src/common.rs
+++ b/crates/locksmith/src/common.rs
@@ -27,8 +27,15 @@ lazy_static! {
 
 type GuardsMap = HashMap<ProcessUniqueId, GuardTracker>;
 
-pub(crate) fn guards_guard<'a>() -> MutexGuard<'a, GuardsMap> {
+fn guards_guard<'a>() -> MutexGuard<'a, GuardsMap> {
     GUARDS
         .try_lock_for(Duration::from_secs(20))
         .expect("Guard-tracking mutex has been locked up for 20 seconds!")
 }
+
+pub(crate) fn with_guards_guard<'a, T, F: FnOnce(&mut MutexGuard<'a, GuardsMap>) -> T>(f: F) -> T {
+    let mut g = guards_guard();
+    let val = f(&mut g);
+    MutexGuard::unlock_fair(g);
+    val
+}
diff --git a/crates/locksmith/src/guard.rs b/crates/locksmith/src/guard.rs
index b5ab4a0f65..80f8ea3112 100644
--- a/crates/locksmith/src/guard.rs
+++ b/crates/locksmith/src/guard.rs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-use crate::{common::guards_guard, error::LockType, tracker::GuardTracker};
+use crate::{common::with_guards_guard, error::LockType, tracker::GuardTracker};
 use parking_lot::{MutexGuard, RwLockReadGuard, RwLockWriteGuard};
 use snowflake::ProcessUniqueId;
 use std::{
@@ -17,7 +17,9 @@ macro_rules! guard_struct {
         impl<'a, T: ?Sized> $HcGuard<'a, T> {
             pub fn new(inner: $Guard<'a, T>) -> Self {
                 let puid = ProcessUniqueId::new();
-                guards_guard().insert(puid, GuardTracker::new(puid, LockType::$lock_type));
+                with_guards_guard(|g| {
+                    g.insert(puid, GuardTracker::new(puid, LockType::$lock_type))
+                });
                 Self {
                     puid,
                     inner: Some(inner),
@@ -28,9 +30,10 @@ macro_rules! guard_struct {
             /// Add some context which will output in the case that this guard
             /// lives to be an immortal
             pub fn annotate<S: Into<String>>(self, annotation: S) -> Self {
-                guards_guard()
-                    .entry(self.puid)
-                    .and_modify(|g| g.annotation = Some(annotation.into()));
+                with_guards_guard(|g| {
+                    g.entry(self.puid)
+                        .and_modify(|g| g.annotation = Some(annotation.into()));
+                });
                 self
             }
 
@@ -56,7 +59,7 @@ macro_rules! guard_struct {
 
         impl<'a, T: ?Sized> Drop for $HcGuard<'a, T> {
             fn drop(&mut self) {
-                guards_guard().remove(&self.puid);
+                with_guards_guard(|g| g.remove(&self.puid));
                 if self.fair_unlocking {
                     self._unlock_fair();
                 }
diff --git a/crates/locksmith/src/sync.rs b/crates/locksmith/src/sync.rs
index 405ebf33fc..73f1ca00cb 100644
--- a/crates/locksmith/src/sync.rs
+++ b/crates/locksmith/src/sync.rs
@@ -139,7 +139,6 @@ Backtrace at the moment of guard creation follows:
 }
 
 lazy_static! {
-    static ref GUARDS: Mutex<HashMap<ProcessUniqueId, GuardTracker>> = Mutex::new(HashMap::new());
     static ref PENDING_LOCKS: Mutex<HashMap<ProcessUniqueId, (LockType, Instant, Backtrace)>> =
         Mutex::new(HashMap::new());
 }
@@ -152,10 +151,10 @@ pub fn spawn_locksmith_guard_watcher() {
         ))
         .spawn(move || loop {
             let mut reports: Vec<(i64, String)> = {
-                guards_guard()
+                with_guards_guard(|g| g
                         .values_mut()
                         .filter_map(|gt| gt.report_and_update())
-                        .collect();
+                        .collect());
             };
             if reports.len() > 0 {
                 reports.sort_unstable_by_key(|(elapsed, _)| -*elapsed);
@@ -206,21 +205,21 @@ macro_rules! guard_struct {
         impl<'a, T: ?Sized> $HcGuard<'a, T> {
             pub fn new(inner: $Guard<'a, T>) -> Self {
                 let puid = ProcessUniqueId::new();
-                guards_guard().insert(puid, GuardTracker::new(puid, LockType::$lock_type));
+                with_guards_guard(|g| g.insert(puid, GuardTracker::new(puid, LockType::$lock_type)));
                 Self { puid, inner }
             }
 
             pub fn annotate<S: Into<String>>(self, annotation: S) -> Self {
-                guards_guard()
+                with_guards_guard(|g| g
                         .entry(self.puid)
-                        .and_modify(|g| g.annotation = Some(annotation.into()));
+                        .and_modify(|g| g.annotation = Some(annotation.into())));
                 self
             }
         }
 
         impl<'a, T: ?Sized> Drop for $HcGuard<'a, T> {
             fn drop(&mut self) {
-                guards_guard().remove(&self.puid);
+                with_guards_guard(|g| g.remove(&self.puid));
             }
         }
     };
diff --git a/crates/locksmith/src/tracker.rs b/crates/locksmith/src/tracker.rs
index b9b6101631..a3f5bb78d1 100644
--- a/crates/locksmith/src/tracker.rs
+++ b/crates/locksmith/src/tracker.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::{
     common::{
-        guards_guard, ACTIVE_GUARD_MIN_ELAPSED, ACTIVE_GUARD_NO_ACTIVITY_INTERVAL,
+        with_guards_guard, ACTIVE_GUARD_MIN_ELAPSED, ACTIVE_GUARD_NO_ACTIVITY_INTERVAL,
         GUARD_WATCHER_POLL_INTERVAL, IMMORTAL_TIMEOUT,
     },
     error::LockType,
@@ -101,10 +101,11 @@ pub fn spawn_locksmith_guard_watcher() {
             let mut inactive_for = Duration::from_millis(0);
             loop {
                 let mut reports: Vec<(i64, String)> = {
-                    guards_guard()
-                        .values_mut()
-                        .filter_map(|gt| gt.report_and_update())
-                        .collect()
+                    with_guards_guard(|g| {
+                        g.values_mut()
+                            .filter_map(|gt| gt.report_and_update())
+                            .collect()
+                    })
                 };
                 if reports.len() > 0 {
                     inactive_for = Duration::from_millis(0);