diff --git a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/gms/Gossiper.java b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/gms/Gossiper.java
index 47d38d6f89..c10d1342b1 100644
--- a/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/gms/Gossiper.java
+++ b/src/java/org/apache/cassandra/gms/Gossiper.java
@@ -264,10 +264,9 @@ public class Gossiper implements IFailureDetectionEventListener, GossiperMBean,
     {
         public void run()
         {
+            taskLock.lock();
             try
             {
-                taskLock.lock();
-
                 /* Update the local heartbeat counter. */
                 EndpointState epstate = endpointStateMap.get(getBroadcastAddressAndPort());
                 if (epstate == null)