diff --git a/xmtp_mls/src/storage/encrypted_store/db_connection.rs b/xmtp_mls/src/storage/encrypted_store/db_connection.rs
index 657b7d306..7e04f95ea 100644
--- a/xmtp_mls/src/storage/encrypted_store/db_connection.rs
+++ b/xmtp_mls/src/storage/encrypted_store/db_connection.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 use crate::storage::RawDbConnection;
-use std::{cell::RefCell, fmt};
+use std::{cell::RefCell, fmt, sync::Mutex};
 
 // Re-implementation of Cow without ToOwned requirement
 enum RefOrValue<'a, T> {
@@ -12,26 +12,37 @@ enum RefOrValue<'a, T> {
 /// and transaction state can be shared between the OpenMLS Provider and
 /// native XMTP operations
 pub struct DbConnection<'a> {
-    wrapped_conn: RefCell<RefOrValue<'a, RawDbConnection>>,
+    wrapped_conn: Mutex<RefOrValue<'a, RawDbConnection>>,
 }
 
 impl<'a> DbConnection<'a> {
     pub(crate) fn new(conn: &'a mut RawDbConnection) -> Self {
         Self {
-            wrapped_conn: RefCell::new(RefOrValue::Ref(conn)),
+            wrapped_conn: Mutex::new(RefOrValue::Ref(conn)),
         }
     }
     pub(crate) fn held(conn: RawDbConnection) -> Self {
         Self {
-            wrapped_conn: RefCell::new(RefOrValue::Value(conn)),
+            wrapped_conn: Mutex::new(RefOrValue::Value(conn)),
         }
     }
 
+    // Note: F is a synchronous fn. If it ever becomes async, we need to use
+    // tokio::sync::mutex instead of std::sync::Mutex
     pub(crate) fn raw_query<T, F>(&self, fun: F) -> Result<T, diesel::result::Error>
     where
         F: FnOnce(&mut RawDbConnection) -> Result<T, diesel::result::Error>,
     {
-        match *self.wrapped_conn.borrow_mut() {
+        let mut lock = self.wrapped_conn.lock().map_or_else(
+            |err| {
+                log::error!(
+                    "Recovering from poisoned mutex - a thread has previously panicked holding this lock"
+                );
+                err.into_inner()
+            },
+            |guard| guard,
+        );
+        match *lock {
             RefOrValue::Ref(ref mut conn_ref) => fun(conn_ref),
             RefOrValue::Value(ref mut conn) => fun(conn),
         }