diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/Wicket.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/Wicket.java
index 20a7a628bd8..5cb4ff80b16 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/Wicket.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/Wicket.java
@@ -116,8 +116,8 @@ public Wicket(int count) {
     public void waitFor() {
         long id = System.currentTimeMillis();
 
+        lock.lock();
         try {
-            lock.lock();
             ++waiters;
             if (debugOutput != null) {
                 debugOutput.printf("Wicket %d %s: waitFor(). There are %d waiters totally now.\n", id, name, waiters);
@@ -172,8 +172,8 @@ public int waitFor(long timeout) {
 
         long id = System.currentTimeMillis();
 
+        lock.lock();
         try {
-            lock.lock();
             ++waiters;
             if (debugOutput != null) {
                 debugOutput.printf("Wicket %d %s: waitFor(). There are %d waiters totally now.\n", id, name, waiters);
@@ -209,8 +209,8 @@ public int waitFor(long timeout) {
      */
     public void unlock() {
 
+        lock.lock();
         try {
-            lock.lock();
             if (count == 0)
                 throw new IllegalStateException("locks are already open");
 
@@ -241,8 +241,8 @@ public void unlockAll() {
             debugOutput.printf("Wicket %s: unlockAll()\n", name);
         }
 
+        lock.lock();
         try {
-            lock.lock();
             count = 0;
             condition.signalAll();
         } finally {
@@ -257,8 +257,9 @@ public void unlockAll() {
      * @return number of waiters
      */
     public int getWaiters() {
+
+        lock.lock();
         try {
-            lock.lock();
             if (debugOutput != null) {
                 debugOutput.printf("Wicket %s: getWaiters()\n", name);
             }
diff --git a/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/runner/ThreadsRunner.java b/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/runner/ThreadsRunner.java
index 4c5c9591776..79fe822d18f 100644
--- a/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/runner/ThreadsRunner.java
+++ b/test/hotspot/jtreg/vmTestbase/nsk/share/runner/ThreadsRunner.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@
  */
 package nsk.share.runner;
 
-import nsk.share.Wicket;
 import nsk.share.gc.OOMStress;
 import nsk.share.log.*;
 import nsk.share.test.Stresser;
@@ -45,7 +44,7 @@ public class ThreadsRunner implements MultiRunner, LogAware, RunParamsAware {
     private RunParams runParams;
     private List<Runnable> runnables = new ArrayList<Runnable>();
     private List<ManagedThread> threads = new ArrayList<ManagedThread>();
-    private Wicket wicket = new Wicket();
+    private AtomicInteger notStarted;
     private AtomicInteger finished;
     private boolean started = false;
     private boolean successful = true;
@@ -97,7 +96,10 @@ public ManagedThread(ManagedThreadFactory threadFactory, Runnable test, int num)
 
         @Override
         public void run() {
-            wicket.waitFor();
+            notStarted.decrementAndGet();
+            while (notStarted.get() != 0) {
+                Thread.onSpinWait();
+            }
             try {
                 stresser.start(runParams.getIterations());
                 while (!this.thread.isInterrupted() && stresser.iteration()) {
@@ -187,6 +189,7 @@ private void prepare() {
 
     private void create() {
         int threadCount = runnables.size();
+        notStarted = new AtomicInteger(threadCount);
         finished = new AtomicInteger(threadCount);
         ManagedThreadFactory factory = ManagedThreadFactory.createFactory(runParams);
         for (int i = 0; i < threadCount; ++i) {
@@ -208,7 +211,6 @@ public void start() {
             log.debug("Starting " + t);
             t.start();
         }
-        wicket.unlock();
         started = true;
     }