diff --git a/allways/contract_client.py b/allways/contract_client.py
index 64d5905..672a4cb 100644
--- a/allways/contract_client.py
+++ b/allways/contract_client.py
@@ -351,6 +351,7 @@ def __init__(
         contract_address: Optional[str] = None,
         subtensor: Optional[bt.Subtensor] = None,
         reconnect_subtensor: Optional[Callable[[], None]] = None,
+        substrate_lock: Optional[Any] = None,
     ):
         self.contract_address = contract_address or get_contract_address() or ''
         self.subtensor = subtensor
@@ -362,8 +363,9 @@ def __init__(
         self.readonly_keypair = Keypair.create_from_uri('//Alice')
         self.initialized = False
         # substrate-interface's WebSocketProvider isn't thread-safe; serialize
-        # access so concurrent threads can't both land in recv at the same time.
-        self._substrate_lock = threading.Lock()
+        # access so concurrent threads can't both land in recv. Callers sharing
+        # this subtensor elsewhere pass that path's lock to serialize as one.
+        self._substrate_lock = substrate_lock or threading.Lock()
 
         if not self.contract_address:
             bt.logging.warning('Allways contract address not set')
diff --git a/allways/validator/bounds_cache.py b/allways/validator/bounds_cache.py
index 980caa7..83c5289 100644
--- a/allways/validator/bounds_cache.py
+++ b/allways/validator/bounds_cache.py
@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 toggle), just shorter TTL because the dashboard wants quick freshness.
 """
 
-from typing import Any, Callable
+import threading
+from typing import Any, Callable, Optional
 
 import bittensor as bt
 
@@ -21,19 +22,28 @@ class BoundsCache:
     # unhalt. 5 blocks (~60s) keeps the worst-case lag tolerable.
     HALT_TTL_BLOCKS = 5
 
-    def __init__(self, contract: AllwaysContractClient, get_block: Callable[[], int]):
+    def __init__(
+        self,
+        contract: AllwaysContractClient,
+        get_block: Callable[[], int],
+        lock: Optional[Any] = None,
+    ):
         self._contract = contract
         self._get_block = get_block
         self._cache: dict[str, tuple[int, Any]] = {}
+        # get_block and the reads share the caller's subtensor websocket; hold
+        # the connection's lock so a shared thread can't race us into recv.
+        self._lock = lock or threading.Lock()
 
     def _cached(self, key: str, read: Callable[[], int]) -> int:
-        now = self._get_block()
-        entry = self._cache.get(key)
-        if entry is not None and now - entry[0] < self.TTL_BLOCKS:
-            return entry[1]
-        value = read()
-        self._cache[key] = (now, value)
-        return value
+        with self._lock:
+            now = self._get_block()
+            entry = self._cache.get(key)
+            if entry is not None and now - entry[0] < self.TTL_BLOCKS:
+                return entry[1]
+            value = read()
+            self._cache[key] = (now, value)
+            return value
 
     def min_collateral(self) -> int:
         return self._cached('min_collateral', self._contract.get_min_collateral)
@@ -51,14 +61,15 @@ def halted(self) -> bool:
         flakes don't churn the writer) or False (no prior cache → assume
         not halted, matching scoring.contract_is_halted's fail-open
         behavior so a flaky RPC can't zero every miner's reward)."""
-        now = self._get_block()
-        entry = self._cache.get('halted')
-        if entry is not None and now - entry[0] < self.HALT_TTL_BLOCKS:
-            return bool(entry[1])
-        try:
-            value = bool(self._contract.get_halted())
-            self._cache['halted'] = (now, value)
-            return value
-        except Exception as e:
-            bt.logging.warning(f'halt RPC check failed: {e}')
-            return bool(entry[1]) if entry is not None else False
+        with self._lock:
+            now = self._get_block()
+            entry = self._cache.get('halted')
+            if entry is not None and now - entry[0] < self.HALT_TTL_BLOCKS:
+                return bool(entry[1])
+            try:
+                value = bool(self._contract.get_halted())
+                self._cache['halted'] = (now, value)
+                return value
+            except Exception as e:
+                bt.logging.warning(f'halt RPC check failed: {e}')
+                return bool(entry[1]) if entry is not None else False
diff --git a/neurons/validator.py b/neurons/validator.py
index 62a266e..9b58faa 100644
--- a/neurons/validator.py
+++ b/neurons/validator.py
@@ -154,22 +154,23 @@ def __init__(self, config=None):
         )
 
         # Separate subtensor/contract/providers for axon handlers (thread safety).
-        # axon_lock serialises substrate websocket calls across handler threads
-        # to prevent "cannot call recv while another coroutine is already running recv" errors.
-        self.axon_lock = threading.Lock()
+        # axon_lock serialises every call on axon_subtensor's websocket so two
+        # threads can't both land in recv. Reentrant: handlers hold it, then
+        # nest a bounds_cache read (which re-acquires it via axon_contract_client).
+        self.axon_lock = threading.RLock()
         self.axon_subtensor = bt.Subtensor(config=self.config)
         self.axon_contract_client = AllwaysContractClient(
             subtensor=self.axon_subtensor,
             reconnect_subtensor=self.reconnect_axon_subtensor,
+            substrate_lock=self.axon_lock,
         )
         self.axon_chain_providers = create_chain_providers(subtensor=self.axon_subtensor)
-        # Must read the current block via axon_subtensor — the block getter on
-        # self (self.block) goes through self.subtensor, which the forward loop
-        # is already using; concurrent axon + forward reads collide on the same
-        # websocket and raise ConcurrencyError.
+        # Read block/bounds via axon_subtensor; the forward loop calls this too,
+        # so it shares axon_lock rather than colliding with handler threads.
         self.bounds_cache = BoundsCache(
             self.axon_contract_client,
             self.axon_subtensor.get_current_block,
+            lock=self.axon_lock,
         )
 
         # Attach synapse handlers to axon