diff --git a/homa_qdisc.c b/homa_qdisc.c
index b84ef03c..a352faa9 100755
--- a/homa_qdisc.c
+++ b/homa_qdisc.c
@@ -753,7 +753,7 @@ void homa_qdisc_defer_homa(struct homa_qdisc_dev *qdev, struct sk_buff *skb)
 		h = (struct homa_data_hdr *)skb_transport_header(skb);
 		bytes_left = rpc->msgout.length - ntohl(h->seg.offset);
 		if (bytes_left < rpc->qrpc.tx_left)
-			rpc->qrpc.tx_left = bytes_left;
+			WRITE_ONCE(rpc->qrpc.tx_left, bytes_left);
 		rpc->qrpc.qdev = qdev;
 		homa_qdisc_insert_rb(qdev, rpc);
 	}
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ struct sk_buff *homa_qdisc_get_deferred_homa(struct homa_qdisc_dev *qdev)
 	bytes_left = rpc->msgout.length - (ntohl(h->seg.offset) +
 					   info->data_bytes);
 	if (bytes_left < qrpc->tx_left)
-		qrpc->tx_left = bytes_left;
+		WRITE_ONCE(qrpc->tx_left, bytes_left);
 	if (fifo) {
 		if (skb_queue_len(&qrpc->packets) > 0) {
 			rb_erase_cached(node, &qdev->deferred_rpcs);
diff --git a/homa_qdisc.h b/homa_qdisc.h
index c5451644..eedd1e6b 100644
--- a/homa_qdisc.h
+++ b/homa_qdisc.h
@@ -484,10 +484,11 @@ static inline bool homa_qdisc_precedes(struct homa_rpc *rpc1,
 static inline int homa_qdisc_deferred_offset(struct homa_rpc *rpc)
 {
 	/* This doesn't synchronize, but the worst that can happen is
-	 * to return a slightly out-of-date result.
+	 * to return a slightly out-of-date result. The pacer modifies
+	 * these fields concurrently, under qdev->defer_lock.
 	 */
-	if (skb_queue_len(&rpc->qrpc.packets) > 0)
-		return rpc->msgout.length - rpc->qrpc.tx_left;
+	if (skb_queue_len_lockless(&rpc->qrpc.packets) > 0)
+		return rpc->msgout.length - READ_ONCE(rpc->qrpc.tx_left);
 	return -1;
 }