diff --git a/pulsar/internal/connection.go b/pulsar/internal/connection.go
index 9cc12382b..15dfceca8 100644
--- a/pulsar/internal/connection.go
+++ b/pulsar/internal/connection.go
@@ -149,7 +149,9 @@ type connection struct {
 
 	pendingLock sync.Mutex
 	pendingReqs map[uint64]*request
-	listeners   map[uint64]ConnectionListener
+
+	listenersLock sync.RWMutex
+	listeners     map[uint64]ConnectionListener
 
 	consumerHandlersLock sync.RWMutex
 	consumerHandlers     map[uint64]ConsumerHandler
@@ -343,7 +345,8 @@ func (c *connection) run() {
 	go c.reader.readFromConnection()
 	go c.runPingCheck()
 
-	c.log.Debugf("Connection run start channel %+v, requestLength %d", c, len(c.incomingRequestsCh))
+	c.log.Debugf("Connection run starting with request capacity=%d queued=%d",
+		cap(c.incomingRequestsCh), len(c.incomingRequestsCh))
 
 	defer func() {
 		// all the accesses to the pendingReqs should be happened in this run loop thread,
@@ -631,9 +634,9 @@ func (c *connection) handleResponseError(serverError *pb.CommandError) {
 func (c *connection) handleSendReceipt(response *pb.CommandSendReceipt) {
 	producerID := response.GetProducerId()
 
-	c.Lock()
+	c.listenersLock.RLock()
 	producer, ok := c.listeners[producerID]
-	c.Unlock()
+	c.listenersLock.RUnlock()
 
 	if ok {
 		producer.ReceivedSendReceipt(response)
@@ -712,9 +715,6 @@ func (c *connection) handleCloseConsumer(closeConsumer *pb.CommandCloseConsumer)
 	consumerID := closeConsumer.GetConsumerId()
 	c.log.Infof("Broker notification of Closed consumer: %d", consumerID)
 
-	c.Lock()
-	defer c.Unlock()
-
 	if consumer, ok := c.consumerHandler(consumerID); ok {
 		consumer.ConnectionClosed()
 		c.DeleteConsumeHandler(consumerID)
@@ -727,31 +727,36 @@ func (c *connection) handleCloseProducer(closeProducer *pb.CommandCloseProducer)
 	c.log.Infof("Broker notification of Closed producer: %d", closeProducer.GetProducerId())
 	producerID := closeProducer.GetProducerId()
 
-	c.Lock()
-	defer c.Unlock()
-	if producer, ok := c.listeners[producerID]; ok {
-		producer.ConnectionClosed()
+	c.listenersLock.Lock()
+	producer, ok := c.listeners[producerID]
+	if ok {
 		delete(c.listeners, producerID)
+	}
+	c.listenersLock.Unlock()
+
+	// did we find a producer?
+	if ok {
+		producer.ConnectionClosed()
 	} else {
 		c.log.WithField("producerID", producerID).Warn("Producer with ID not found while closing producer")
 	}
 }
 
 func (c *connection) RegisterListener(id uint64, listener ConnectionListener) {
-	c.Lock()
-	defer c.Unlock()
+	c.listenersLock.Lock()
+	defer c.listenersLock.Unlock()
 
 	c.listeners[id] = listener
 }
 
 func (c *connection) UnregisterListener(id uint64) {
-	c.Lock()
-	defer c.Unlock()
+	c.listenersLock.Lock()
+	defer c.listenersLock.Unlock()
 
 	delete(c.listeners, id)
 }
 
-// Triggers the connection close by forcing the socket to close and
+// TriggerClose the connection close by forcing the socket to close and
 // broadcasting the notification on the close channel
 func (c *connection) TriggerClose() {
 	c.closeOnce.Do(func() {
@@ -781,7 +786,14 @@ func (c *connection) Close() {
 	c.pingTicker.Stop()
 	c.pingCheckTicker.Stop()
 
-	for _, listener := range c.listeners {
+	listeners := make(map[uint64]ConnectionListener)
+	c.listenersLock.RLock()
+	for id, listener := range c.listeners {
+		listeners[id] = listener
+	}
+	c.listenersLock.RUnlock()
+
+	for _, listener := range listeners {
 		listener.ConnectionClosed()
 	}