diff --git a/community/kernel/src/main/java/org/neo4j/kernel/impl/api/KernelTransactionImplementation.java b/community/kernel/src/main/java/org/neo4j/kernel/impl/api/KernelTransactionImplementation.java
index 79dc521344797..8cf7e04e06226 100644
--- a/community/kernel/src/main/java/org/neo4j/kernel/impl/api/KernelTransactionImplementation.java
+++ b/community/kernel/src/main/java/org/neo4j/kernel/impl/api/KernelTransactionImplementation.java
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ TransactionWriteState upgradeToSchemaWrites() throws InvalidTransactionTypeKerne
     private final StorageStatement storageStatement;
     private CloseListener closeListener;
     private AccessMode accessMode;
-    private Locks.Client locks;
+    private volatile Locks.Client locks;
     private boolean beforeHookInvoked;
     private volatile boolean closing, closed;
     private boolean failure, success;
@@ -157,14 +157,13 @@ TransactionWriteState upgradeToSchemaWrites() throws InvalidTransactionTypeKerne
     private volatile int reuseCount;
 
     /**
-     * Lock prevents transaction termination ({@link #markForTermination(Status)} and
-     * {@link #markForTermination(long, Status)}) from interfering with
-     * {@link #initialize(long, long, Locks.Client, Type, AccessMode) transaction initialization} and
-     * {@link #close() transaction commit}. Termination can run concurrently with initialization and commit so we
-     * need to make sure that it terminates the right lock client and the right transaction
-     * (with the right {@link #reuseCount}) because {@link KernelTransactionImplementation} instances are pooled.
+     * Lock prevents transaction {@link #markForTermination(Status)}  transaction termination} from interfering with
+     * {@link #close() transaction commit} and specifically with {@link #release()}.
+     * Termination can run concurrently with commit and we need to make sure that it terminates the right lock client
+     * and the right transaction (with the right {@link #reuseCount}) because {@link KernelTransactionImplementation}
+     * instances are pooled.
      */
-    private final Lock terminationReuseLock = new ReentrantLock();
+    private final Lock terminationReleaseLock = new ReentrantLock();
 
     public KernelTransactionImplementation( StatementOperationParts operations,
                                             SchemaWriteGuard schemaWriteGuard,
@@ -205,28 +204,19 @@ public KernelTransactionImplementation( StatementOperationParts operations,
     public KernelTransactionImplementation initialize(
             long lastCommittedTx, long lastTimeStamp, Locks.Client locks, Type type, AccessMode accessMode )
     {
-        // guarded by the lock to coordinate with concurrent termination attempts
-        terminationReuseLock.lock();
-        try
-        {
-            this.type = type;
-            this.locks = locks;
-            this.terminationReason = null;
-            this.closing = closed = failure = success = beforeHookInvoked = false;
-            this.writeState = TransactionWriteState.NONE;
-            this.startTimeMillis = clock.currentTimeMillis();
-            this.lastTransactionIdWhenStarted = lastCommittedTx;
-            this.lastTransactionTimestampWhenStarted = lastTimeStamp;
-            this.transactionEvent = tracer.beginTransaction();
-            assert transactionEvent != null : "transactionEvent was null!";
-            this.accessMode = accessMode;
-            this.currentStatement.initialize( locks );
-            return this;
-        }
-        finally
-        {
-            terminationReuseLock.unlock();
-        }
+        this.type = type;
+        this.locks = locks;
+        this.terminationReason = null;
+        this.closing = closed = failure = success = beforeHookInvoked = false;
+        this.writeState = TransactionWriteState.NONE;
+        this.startTimeMillis = clock.currentTimeMillis();
+        this.lastTransactionIdWhenStarted = lastCommittedTx;
+        this.lastTransactionTimestampWhenStarted = lastTimeStamp;
+        this.transactionEvent = tracer.beginTransaction();
+        assert transactionEvent != null : "transactionEvent was null!";
+        this.accessMode = accessMode;
+        this.currentStatement.initialize( locks );
+        return this;
     }
 
     int getReuseCount()
@@ -266,7 +256,7 @@ public Status getReasonIfTerminated()
 
     void markForTermination( long expectedReuseCount, Status reason )
     {
-        terminationReuseLock.lock();
+        terminationReleaseLock.lock();
         try
         {
             if ( expectedReuseCount == reuseCount )
@@ -276,27 +266,27 @@ void markForTermination( long expectedReuseCount, Status reason )
         }
         finally
         {
-            terminationReuseLock.unlock();
+            terminationReleaseLock.unlock();
         }
     }
 
     /**
      * {@inheritDoc}
      * <p>
-     * This method is guarded by {@link #terminationReuseLock} to coordinate concurrent
+     * This method is guarded by {@link #terminationReleaseLock} to coordinate concurrent
      * {@link #close()} and {@link #release()} calls.
      */
     @Override
     public void markForTermination( Status reason )
     {
-        terminationReuseLock.lock();
+        terminationReleaseLock.lock();
         try
         {
             markForTerminationIfPossible( reason );
         }
         finally
         {
-            terminationReuseLock.unlock();
+            terminationReleaseLock.unlock();
         }
     }
 
@@ -671,12 +661,12 @@ private void afterRollback()
 
     /**
      * Release resources held up by this transaction & return it to the transaction pool.
-     * This method is guarded by {@link #terminationReuseLock} to coordinate concurrent
+     * This method is guarded by {@link #terminationReleaseLock} to coordinate concurrent
      * {@link #markForTermination(Status)} calls.
      */
     private void release()
     {
-        terminationReuseLock.lock();
+        terminationReleaseLock.lock();
         try
         {
             locks.close();
@@ -694,7 +684,7 @@ private void release()
         }
         finally
         {
-            terminationReuseLock.unlock();
+            terminationReleaseLock.unlock();
         }
     }