diff --git a/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc b/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc
index ce011fa5335..31594b63ed7 100644
--- a/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc
+++ b/src/msg/async/AsyncMessenger.cc
@@ -680,7 +680,6 @@ ConnectionRef AsyncMessenger::connect_to(int type,
 					 const entity_addrvec_t& addrs,
 					 bool anon)
 {
-  std::lock_guard l{lock};
   if (*my_addrs == addrs ||
       (addrs.v.size() == 1 &&
        my_addrs->contains(addrs.front()))) {
@@ -688,6 +687,8 @@ ConnectionRef AsyncMessenger::connect_to(int type,
     return local_connection;
   }
 
+  std::lock_guard l{lock};
+
   auto av = _filter_addrs(addrs);
 
   if (anon) {