diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 078260d50..44fa52466 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -124,9 +124,10 @@ type BlockChain struct {
 	scope         event.SubscriptionScope
 	genesisBlock  *types.Block
 
-	mu      sync.RWMutex // global mutex for locking chain operations
-	chainmu sync.RWMutex // blockchain insertion lock
-	procmu  sync.RWMutex // block processor lock
+	mu                     sync.RWMutex // global mutex for locking chain operations
+	chainmu                sync.RWMutex // blockchain insertion lock
+	procmu                 sync.RWMutex // block processor lock
+	pendingCrossLinksMutex sync.RWMutex // pending crosslinks lock
 
 	checkpoint       int          // checkpoint counts towards the new checkpoint
 	currentBlock     atomic.Value // Current head of the block chain
@@ -1282,7 +1283,6 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithState(
 			}
 			bc.LastContinuousCrossLink(crossLink)
 
-			// NOTE: Uptime stats is not mission critical code. Should move to offchain server
 			// Writing validator stats (for uptime recording) for other shards
 			if bc.chainConfig.IsStaking(crossLink.Epoch()) {
 				shardState, err := bc.ReadShardState(crossLink.Epoch())
@@ -2317,6 +2317,9 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WritePendingCrossLinks(crossLinks []types.CrossLink) error
 
 // AddPendingCrossLinks appends pending crosslinks
 func (bc *BlockChain) AddPendingCrossLinks(pendingCLs []types.CrossLink) (int, error) {
+	bc.pendingCrossLinksMutex.Lock()
+	defer bc.pendingCrossLinksMutex.Unlock()
+
 	cls, err := bc.ReadPendingCrossLinks()
 	if err != nil || len(cls) == 0 {
 		err := bc.WritePendingCrossLinks(pendingCLs)
@@ -2329,6 +2332,9 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) AddPendingCrossLinks(pendingCLs []types.CrossLink) (int, e
 
 // DeleteCommittedFromPendingCrossLinks delete pending crosslinks that already committed (i.e. passed in the params)
 func (bc *BlockChain) DeleteCommittedFromPendingCrossLinks(crossLinks []types.CrossLink) (int, error) {
+	bc.pendingCrossLinksMutex.Lock()
+	defer bc.pendingCrossLinksMutex.Unlock()
+
 	cls, err := bc.ReadPendingCrossLinks()
 	if err != nil || len(cls) == 0 {
 		return 0, err
diff --git a/node/node.go b/node/node.go
index d39de6d4e..dcc0bd13b 100644
--- a/node/node.go
+++ b/node/node.go
@@ -115,8 +115,6 @@ type Node struct {
 	pendingCXReceipts map[string]*types.CXReceiptsProof // All the receipts received but not yet processed for Consensus
 	pendingCXMutex    sync.Mutex
 
-	pendingCLMutex sync.Mutex //mutex for read/write pending crosslinks
-
 	// Shard databases
 	shardChains shardchain.Collection
 
diff --git a/node/node_cross_link.go b/node/node_cross_link.go
index 4ba5fe89d..7df5d7a62 100644
--- a/node/node_cross_link.go
+++ b/node/node_cross_link.go
@@ -105,9 +105,7 @@ func (node *Node) ProcessCrossLinkMessage(msgPayload []byte) {
 			utils.Logger().Debug().
 				Msgf("[ProcessingCrossLink] Committing for shardID %d, blockNum %d", cl.ShardID(), cl.Number().Uint64())
 		}
-		node.pendingCLMutex.Lock()
 		Len, _ := node.Blockchain().AddPendingCrossLinks(candidates)
-		node.pendingCLMutex.Unlock()
 		utils.Logger().Debug().
 			Msgf("[ProcessingCrossLink] Add pending crosslinks,  total pending: %d", Len)
 	}
diff --git a/node/node_newblock.go b/node/node_newblock.go
index 3516bed93..897dab07e 100644
--- a/node/node_newblock.go
+++ b/node/node_newblock.go
@@ -155,9 +155,7 @@ func (node *Node) proposeNewBlock() (*types.Block, error) {
 	// Prepare cross links
 	var crossLinksToPropose types.CrossLinks
 	if node.NodeConfig.ShardID == 0 && node.Blockchain().Config().IsCrossLink(node.Worker.GetCurrentHeader().Epoch()) {
-		node.pendingCLMutex.Lock()
 		allPending, err := node.Blockchain().ReadPendingCrossLinks()
-		node.pendingCLMutex.Unlock()
 
 		if err == nil {
 			for _, pending := range allPending {