diff --git a/db/context.go b/db/context.go
index 9f2da37c..720bd3bd 100644
--- a/db/context.go
+++ b/db/context.go
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 )
 
-func vers(ctx context.Context) int {
+func vers(ctx context.Context) uint32 {
 
 	v := ctx.Value(ctxKeyDive)
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ func vers(ctx context.Context) int {
 	case nil:
 		return 0
 	default:
-		return v.(int)
+		return v.(uint32)
 	}
 
 }
@@ -37,12 +37,12 @@ func dive(ctx context.Context) context.Context {
 
 	switch v {
 	case nil:
-		return context.WithValue(ctx, ctxKeyDive, 1)
+		return context.WithValue(ctx, ctxKeyDive, uint32(1))
 	default:
-		if v.(int) > maxRecursiveQueries {
+		if v.(uint32) > maxRecursiveQueries {
 			panic(errRecursiveOverload)
 		}
-		return context.WithValue(ctx, ctxKeyDive, v.(int)+1)
+		return context.WithValue(ctx, ctxKeyDive, v.(uint32)+1)
 	}
 
 }
diff --git a/db/create.go b/db/create.go
index fae7b153..94462b56 100644
--- a/db/create.go
+++ b/db/create.go
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ func (d *document) runCreate(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.CreateStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.wlock(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err = d.lock(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/delete.go b/db/delete.go
index 12646701..1341d0b0 100644
--- a/db/delete.go
+++ b/db/delete.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (d *document) runDelete(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.DeleteStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.wlock(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err = d.lock(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/document.go b/db/document.go
index 4f6f94aa..e96875a9 100644
--- a/db/document.go
+++ b/db/document.go
@@ -36,14 +36,11 @@ type document struct {
 	id      *sql.Thing
 	key     *keys.Thing
 	val     kvs.KV
+	lck     bool
 	doc     *data.Doc
 	initial *data.Doc
 	current *data.Doc
-	locks   struct {
-		r bool
-		w bool
-	}
-	store struct {
+	store   struct {
 		id int
 		tb bool
 		ev bool
@@ -71,9 +68,7 @@ func newDocument(i *iterator, key *keys.Thing, val kvs.KV, doc *data.Doc) (d *do
 	d.key = key
 	d.val = val
 	d.doc = doc
-
-	d.locks.r = false
-	d.locks.w = false
+	d.lck = false
 
 	return
 
@@ -199,10 +194,10 @@ func (d *document) init(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 
 }
 
-func (d *document) wlock(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
+func (d *document) lock(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 
 	if d.key != nil {
-		d.locks.w = true
+		d.lck = true
 		d.i.e.lock.Lock(ctx, d.key)
 	}
 
@@ -210,29 +205,13 @@ func (d *document) wlock(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 
 }
 
-func (d *document) rlock(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
-
-	if d.key != nil {
-		d.locks.r = true
-		d.i.e.lock.RLock(ctx, d.key)
-	}
-
-	return
-
-}
-
 func (d *document) ulock(ctx context.Context) (err error) {
 
-	if d.key != nil && d.locks.w {
-		d.locks.w = false
+	if d.key != nil && d.lck {
+		d.lck = false
 		d.i.e.lock.Unlock(ctx, d.key)
 	}
 
-	if d.key != nil && d.locks.r {
-		d.locks.r = false
-		d.i.e.lock.RUnlock(ctx, d.key)
-	}
-
 	return
 
 }
diff --git a/db/insert.go b/db/insert.go
index d05a1625..cfc64d72 100644
--- a/db/insert.go
+++ b/db/insert.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func (d *document) runInsert(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.InsertStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.wlock(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err = d.lock(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/mutex.go b/db/mutex.go
index abcab734..25894cb3 100644
--- a/db/mutex.go
+++ b/db/mutex.go
@@ -23,62 +23,58 @@ import (
 
 type mutex struct {
 	m sync.Map
-	l sync.Mutex
 }
 
 type value struct {
-	v int
-	r int64
-	w int64
-	l sync.RWMutex
+	v uint32
+	q chan struct{}
+	l chan struct{}
 }
 
 func (m *mutex) Lock(ctx context.Context, key fmt.Stringer) {
-	m.l.Lock()
-	_, v := m.item(ctx, key)
-	if v.v < vers(ctx) {
-		m.l.Unlock()
-		panic(errRaceCondition)
-	}
-	atomic.AddInt64(&v.w, 1)
-	m.l.Unlock()
-	v.l.Lock()
-}
 
-func (m *mutex) RLock(ctx context.Context, key fmt.Stringer) {
-	m.l.Lock()
 	_, v := m.item(ctx, key)
-	atomic.AddInt64(&v.r, 1)
-	m.l.Unlock()
-	v.l.RLock()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		default:
+			if atomic.LoadUint32(&v.v) < vers(ctx) {
+				close(v.q)
+				panic(errRaceCondition)
+			}
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		case <-v.q:
+			return
+		case v.l <- struct{}{}:
+			atomic.StoreUint32(&v.v, vers(ctx))
+			return
+		}
+	}
+
 }
 
 func (m *mutex) Unlock(ctx context.Context, key fmt.Stringer) {
-	m.l.Lock()
-	defer m.l.Unlock()
-	k, v := m.item(ctx, key)
-	if w := atomic.LoadInt64(&v.w); w > 0 {
-		if w := atomic.AddInt64(&v.w, -1); w <= 0 {
-			m.m.Delete(k)
-		}
-		v.l.Unlock()
-	}
-}
 
-func (m *mutex) RUnlock(ctx context.Context, key fmt.Stringer) {
-	m.l.Lock()
-	defer m.l.Unlock()
-	k, v := m.item(ctx, key)
-	if r := atomic.LoadInt64(&v.r); r > 0 {
-		if r := atomic.AddInt64(&v.r, -1); r <= 0 {
-			m.m.Delete(k)
-		}
-		v.l.RUnlock()
+	_, v := m.item(ctx, key)
+
+	select {
+	case <-ctx.Done():
+		return
+	case <-v.q:
+		return
+	case <-v.l:
+		return
 	}
+
 }
 
 func (m *mutex) item(ctx context.Context, key fmt.Stringer) (string, *value) {
 	k := key.String()
-	v, _ := m.m.LoadOrStore(k, &value{v: vers(ctx)})
+	v, _ := m.m.LoadOrStore(k, &value{
+		v: vers(ctx),
+		q: make(chan struct{}),
+		l: make(chan struct{}, 1),
+	})
 	return k, v.(*value)
 }
diff --git a/db/mutex_test.go b/db/mutex_test.go
index 5cf9513f..39e7cf64 100644
--- a/db/mutex_test.go
+++ b/db/mutex_test.go
@@ -100,13 +100,11 @@ func TestMutex(t *testing.T) {
 		m := new(mutex)
 		ctx := context.Background()
 
-		for i := 0; i < n; i++ {
-			m.Lock(ctx, new(stringer))
-			ctx = dive(ctx)
-			So(func() { m.Lock(ctx, new(stringer)) }, ShouldPanic)
-			So(func() { m.Unlock(ctx, new(stringer)) }, ShouldNotPanic)
-			So(func() { m.Unlock(ctx, new(stringer)) }, ShouldNotPanic)
-		}
+		m.Lock(ctx, new(stringer))
+		ctx = dive(ctx)
+		So(func() { m.Lock(ctx, new(stringer)) }, ShouldPanic)
+		So(func() { m.Unlock(ctx, new(stringer)) }, ShouldNotPanic)
+		So(func() { m.Unlock(ctx, new(stringer)) }, ShouldNotPanic)
 
 		So(nil, ShouldBeNil)
 
@@ -191,7 +189,7 @@ func TestMutex(t *testing.T) {
 
 	})
 
-	Convey("Inability to update the same document in a SELECT subquery", t, func() {
+	Convey("Ability to update the same document in a SELECT subquery", t, func() {
 
 		setupDB(20)
 
@@ -207,12 +205,12 @@ func TestMutex(t *testing.T) {
 		So(res, ShouldHaveLength, 4)
 		So(res[1].Status, ShouldEqual, "OK")
 		So(res[1].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
-		So(res[2].Status, ShouldEqual, "ERR")
-		So(res[2].Detail, ShouldEqual, "Failed to update the same document recursively")
+		So(res[2].Status, ShouldEqual, "OK")
+		So(res[2].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(res[3].Status, ShouldEqual, "OK")
 		So(res[3].Result, ShouldHaveLength, 1)
 		So(data.Consume(res[3].Result[0]).Get("temp").Data(), ShouldBeNil)
-		So(data.Consume(res[3].Result[0]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldBeNil)
+		So(data.Consume(res[3].Result[0]).Get("test").Data(), ShouldEqual, true)
 
 	})
 
diff --git a/db/relate.go b/db/relate.go
index c7575c76..3bb0d683 100644
--- a/db/relate.go
+++ b/db/relate.go
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ func (d *document) runRelate(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.RelateStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.wlock(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err = d.lock(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/select.go b/db/select.go
index 0c28dd0e..5ffcaf90 100644
--- a/db/select.go
+++ b/db/select.go
@@ -147,10 +147,6 @@ func (d *document) runSelect(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.SelectStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.rlock(ctx); err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
 	if err = d.setup(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
diff --git a/db/update.go b/db/update.go
index d747d30b..6e716ca0 100644
--- a/db/update.go
+++ b/db/update.go
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ func (d *document) runUpdate(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.UpdateStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.wlock(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err = d.lock(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/upsert.go b/db/upsert.go
index c30cb47b..88454448 100644
--- a/db/upsert.go
+++ b/db/upsert.go
@@ -86,7 +86,7 @@ func (d *document) runUpsert(ctx context.Context, stm *sql.UpsertStatement) (int
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	if err = d.wlock(ctx); err != nil {
+	if err = d.lock(ctx); err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
diff --git a/db/vars.go b/db/vars.go
index 966fcf06..9c2bd732 100644
--- a/db/vars.go
+++ b/db/vars.go
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ var (
 
 	// maxRecursiveQueries specifies how many queries will be
 	// processed recursively before the query is cancelled.
-	maxRecursiveQueries = 16
+	maxRecursiveQueries = uint32(16)
 
 	// queryIdentFailed occurs when a permission query asks
 	// for a field, meaning a document has to be fetched.