diff --git a/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.c b/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.c
index c4ffd3c..a75107c 100644
--- a/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.c
+++ b/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.c
@@ -387,7 +387,10 @@ void Polaris_Disconnect(PolarisContext_t* context) {
     P1_DebugPrint("Closing Polaris connection.\n");
     context->disconnected = 1;
 #ifdef POLARIS_USE_TLS
-    SSL_shutdown(context->ssl);
+    if (pthread_mutex_init(&context->ssl_mutex, NULL) != NULL){
+      SSL_shutdown(context->ssl);
+      pthread_mutex_destroy(&context->ssl_mutex);
+    }
 #endif
     shutdown(context->socket, SHUT_RDWR);
     // Note: We intentionally close the socket here but do _not_ destroy the SSL
@@ -882,13 +885,16 @@ static int OpenSocket(PolarisContext_t* context, const char* endpoint_url,
 void CloseSocket(PolarisContext_t* context, int destroy_context) {
 #ifdef POLARIS_USE_TLS
   if (destroy_context && context->ssl != NULL) {
-    if (SSL_get_shutdown(context->ssl) == 0) {
-      SSL_shutdown(context->ssl);
+    if (pthread_mutex_init(&context->ssl_mutex, NULL) != NULL){
+        if (SSL_get_shutdown(context->ssl) == 0) {
+          SSL_shutdown(context->ssl);
+        }
+          SSL_free(context->ssl);
+        }
+        context->ssl = NULL;
+        pthread_mutex_destroy(&context->ssl_mutex);
+      }
     }
-
-    SSL_free(context->ssl);
-    context->ssl = NULL;
-  }
 #endif
 
   if (context->socket != P1_INVALID_SOCKET) {
diff --git a/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.h b/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.h
index 92cc030..01138b1 100644
--- a/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.h
+++ b/c/src/point_one/polaris/polaris.h
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ struct PolarisContext_s {
   // header file.
   void* ssl_ctx;
   void* ssl;
+  pthread_mutex_t context_lock;
 };
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus