diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index fefefa8..ed46010 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@ classifiers = [
   "Operating System :: POSIX :: Linux",
   "Programming Language :: C",
   "Programming Language :: Python :: 3",
+  "Programming Language :: Python :: Free Threading :: 2 - Beta",
   "Topic :: System :: Archiving :: Packaging",
 ]
 
diff --git a/src/python/client.c b/src/python/client.c
index 7f97f97..ca4e18f 100644
--- a/src/python/client.c
+++ b/src/python/client.c
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ typedef struct
   PyObject_HEAD
   gchar * name;
   assuan_context_t ctx;
+  GRWLock lock;
 } ClientObject;
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ client_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
   if (self) {
     self->ctx = NULL;
     self->name = NULL;
+    g_rw_lock_init(&self->lock);
   }
   return (PyObject *)self;
 }
@@ -57,16 +59,21 @@ client_init(ClientObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     return -1;
   }
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   if (NULL != self->name) {
     g_free(self->name);
   }
 
   self->name = g_strdup(name);
   if (NULL == self->name) {
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     PyErr_NoMemory();
     return -1;
   }
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
   return 0;
 }
 static void
@@ -74,6 +81,7 @@ client_dealloc(ClientObject *self)
 {
   Py_XDECREF(client_disconnect(self, NULL));
 
+  g_rw_lock_clear(&self->lock);
   if (NULL != self->name) {
     g_free(self->name);
   }
@@ -84,8 +92,14 @@ client_dealloc(ClientObject *self)
 static PyObject *
 client_repr(ClientObject *self)
 {
-  return PyUnicode_FromFormat(
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  PyObject *res = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
     "<createrepo_agent.Client name='%s'>", self->name);
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  return res;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -93,7 +107,16 @@ execute_transaction(ClientObject *self, const char * cmd)
 {
   gpg_error_t rc;
 
+  Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
+
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   rc = assuan_transact(self->ctx, cmd, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL);
+
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+
   if (rc) {
     PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Transaction failed: %s", gpg_strerror(rc));
     return NULL;
@@ -198,6 +221,8 @@ client_connect(ClientObject *self, PyObject *args)
 
   gpg_error_t rc;
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   gchar *cwd = g_path_is_absolute(self->name) ? NULL : g_get_current_dir();
   gchar *sockpath = g_strconcat(
     cwd ? cwd : "",
@@ -208,12 +233,14 @@ client_connect(ClientObject *self, PyObject *args)
     NULL);
   g_free(cwd);
   if (NULL == sockpath) {
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     return PyErr_NoMemory();
   }
 
   assuan_release(self->ctx);
   rc = assuan_new(&self->ctx);
   if (rc) {
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Failed to initialize Assuan context: %s", gpg_strerror(rc));
     g_free(sockpath);
     return NULL;
@@ -222,10 +249,14 @@ client_connect(ClientObject *self, PyObject *args)
   rc = assuan_socket_connect(self->ctx, sockpath, ASSUAN_INVALID_PID, 0);
   g_free(sockpath);
   if (rc) {
+    assuan_release(self->ctx);
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     PyErr_Format(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Failed to connect to server: %s", gpg_strerror(rc));
     return NULL;
   }
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
   Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -234,9 +265,13 @@ client_disconnect(ClientObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
   (void)args;
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   assuan_release(self->ctx);
   self->ctx = NULL;
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
   Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -349,7 +384,13 @@ client_get_name(ClientObject *self, void *closure)
 {
   (void)closure;
 
-  return PyUnicode_FromString(self->name);
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  PyObject *res = PyUnicode_FromString(self->name);
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  return res;
 }
 
 static struct PyMethodDef client_methods[] = {
diff --git a/src/python/init.c b/src/python/init.c
index 936e0c9..2c05148 100644
--- a/src/python/init.c
+++ b/src/python/init.c
@@ -71,5 +71,9 @@ PyInit_createrepo_agent(void)
   PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "EXIT_USAGE", CRA_EXIT_USAGE);
   PyModule_AddIntConstant(m, "EXIT_IN_USE", CRA_EXIT_IN_USE);
 
+#ifdef Py_GIL_DISABLED
+  PyUnstable_Module_SetGIL(m, Py_MOD_GIL_NOT_USED);
+#endif
+
   return m;
 }
diff --git a/src/python/server.c b/src/python/server.c
index c3c48db..1c31eea 100644
--- a/src/python/server.c
+++ b/src/python/server.c
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ typedef struct
   gchar * name;
   volatile sig_atomic_t sentinel;
   GThread * thread;
+  GRWLock lock;
 } ServerObject;
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -37,7 +38,13 @@ server_shutdown_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args);
 
 static void * server_thread(ServerObject *self)
 {
-  command_handler(self->fd, self->name, &self->sentinel);
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  if (0 == self->sentinel && ASSUAN_INVALID_FD != self->fd) {
+    command_handler(self->fd, self->name, &self->sentinel);
+  }
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
 
   return NULL;
 }
@@ -54,6 +61,7 @@ server_new(PyTypeObject *type, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     self->name = NULL;
     self->sentinel = 0;
     self->thread = NULL;
+    g_rw_lock_init(&self->lock);
   }
   return (PyObject *)self;
 }
@@ -72,16 +80,31 @@ server_init(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args, PyObject *kwds)
     return -1;
   }
 
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  if (ASSUAN_INVALID_FD != self->fd) {
+    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Server is already active");
+    g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+    return -1;
+  }
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   if (NULL != self->name) {
     g_free(self->name);
   }
 
   self->name = g_strdup(name);
   if (NULL == self->name) {
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     PyErr_NoMemory();
     return -1;
   }
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
   return 0;
 }
 
@@ -90,6 +113,7 @@ server_dealloc(ServerObject *self)
 {
   Py_XDECREF(server_shutdown_thread(self, NULL));
 
+  g_rw_lock_clear(&self->lock);
   if (NULL != self->name) {
     g_free(self->name);
   }
@@ -100,8 +124,14 @@ server_dealloc(ServerObject *self)
 static PyObject *
 server_repr(ServerObject *self)
 {
-  return PyUnicode_FromFormat(
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  PyObject *res = PyUnicode_FromFormat(
     "<createrepo_agent.Server name='%s'>", self->name);
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  return res;
 }
 
 static PyObject *
@@ -109,7 +139,30 @@ server_shutdown_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
   (void)args;
 
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  if (ASSUAN_INVALID_FD == self->fd && NULL == self->thread) {
+    g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+    Py_RETURN_NONE;
+  }
+
   self->sentinel = 1;
+
+  if (ASSUAN_INVALID_FD != self->fd) {
+    shutdown(self->fd, SHUT_RD);
+  }
+
+  Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
+
+  if (NULL != self->thread) {
+    g_thread_ref(self->thread);
+    g_thread_join(self->thread);
+  }
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   if (ASSUAN_INVALID_FD != self->fd) {
     shutdown(self->fd, SHUT_RD);
     self->fd = ASSUAN_INVALID_FD;
@@ -122,6 +175,10 @@ server_shutdown_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args)
 
   self->sentinel = 0;
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+
   Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -130,8 +187,11 @@ server_start_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args)
 {
   (void)args;
 
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
   if (ASSUAN_INVALID_FD != self->fd) {
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Server is already active");
+    g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
     return NULL;
   }
 
@@ -143,11 +203,16 @@ server_start_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args)
     g_str_has_suffix(self->name, "/") ? "" : "/",
     CRA_SOCK_NAME,
     NULL);
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
   g_free(cwd);
   if (NULL == sockpath) {
     return PyErr_NoMemory();
   }
 
+  Py_BEGIN_ALLOW_THREADS
+
+  g_rw_lock_writer_lock(&self->lock);
+
   self->fd = create_server_socket(sockpath);
   if (self->fd == ASSUAN_INVALID_FD && errno == EADDRINUSE) {
     gpg_error_t res = try_server(sockpath);
@@ -159,7 +224,11 @@ server_start_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args)
       errno = EADDRINUSE;
     }
   }
+
+  Py_END_ALLOW_THREADS
+
   if (ASSUAN_INVALID_FD == self->fd) {
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     PyErr_SetFromErrnoWithFilename(PyExc_OSError, sockpath);
     g_free(sockpath);
     return NULL;
@@ -171,10 +240,13 @@ server_start_thread(ServerObject *self, PyObject *args)
   if (!self->thread) {
     assuan_sock_close(self->fd);
     self->fd = ASSUAN_INVALID_FD;
+    g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_RuntimeError, "Failed to start thread");
     return NULL;
   }
 
+  g_rw_lock_writer_unlock(&self->lock);
+
   Py_RETURN_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -199,7 +271,13 @@ server_get_name(ServerObject *self, void *closure)
 {
   (void)closure;
 
-  return PyUnicode_FromString(self->name);
+  g_rw_lock_reader_lock(&self->lock);
+
+  PyObject *res = PyUnicode_FromString(self->name);
+
+  g_rw_lock_reader_unlock(&self->lock);
+
+  return res;
 }
 
 static struct PyMethodDef server_methods[] = {