diff --git a/services/mediaanalytics/MediaAnalyticsService.cpp b/services/mediaanalytics/MediaAnalyticsService.cpp
index c7f9270..f08be50 100644
--- a/services/mediaanalytics/MediaAnalyticsService.cpp
+++ b/services/mediaanalytics/MediaAnalyticsService.cpp
@@ -299,6 +299,8 @@
 
     bool finalizing = item->getFinalized();
 
+    Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
+
     // if finalizing, we'll remove it
     MediaAnalyticsItem *oitem = findItem(mOpen, item, finalizing | forcenew);
     if (oitem != NULL) {
@@ -609,10 +611,9 @@
 // XXX: rewrite this to manage persistence, etc.
 
 // insert appropriately into queue
+// caller should hold mLock
 void MediaAnalyticsService::saveItem(List<MediaAnalyticsItem *> *l, MediaAnalyticsItem * item, int front) {
 
-    Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
-
     // adding at back of queue (fifo order)
     if (front)  {
         l->push_front(item);
@@ -682,6 +683,7 @@
 }
 
 // find the incomplete record that this will overlay
+// caller should hold mLock
 MediaAnalyticsItem *MediaAnalyticsService::findItem(List<MediaAnalyticsItem*> *theList, MediaAnalyticsItem *nitem, bool removeit) {
     if (nitem == NULL) {
         return NULL;
@@ -689,8 +691,6 @@
 
     MediaAnalyticsItem *item = NULL;
 
-    Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
-
     for (List<MediaAnalyticsItem *>::iterator it = theList->begin();
         it != theList->end(); it++) {
         MediaAnalyticsItem *tmp = (*it);
@@ -711,10 +711,9 @@
 
 
 // delete the indicated record
+// caller should hold mLock
 void MediaAnalyticsService::deleteItem(List<MediaAnalyticsItem *> *l, MediaAnalyticsItem *item) {
 
-    Mutex::Autolock _l(mLock);
-
     for (List<MediaAnalyticsItem *>::iterator it = l->begin();
         it != l->end(); it++) {
         if ((*it)->getSessionID() != item->getSessionID())