diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index ae8fa0b3d..e41d64bf9 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](http://semver.org/).
 - Correct FAPI header to `x-fapi-interaction-id` [PR #1557](https://github.com/3scale/APIcast/pull/1557) [THREESCALE-11957](https://issues.redhat.com/browse/THREESCALE-11957)
 - Only validate oidc setting if authentication method is set to oidc [PR #1568](https://github.com/3scale/APIcast/pull/1568) [THREESCALE-11441](https://issues.redhat.com/browse/THREESCALE-11441)
 - Reduce memory consumption when returning large response that has been routed through a proxy server. [PR #1572](https://github.com/3scale/APIcast/pull/1572) [THREESCALE-12258](https://issues.redhat.com/browse/THREESCALE-12258)
+- Ensure the synchronization key is released correctly. [PR #1591](https://github.com/3scale/APIcast/pull/1590)
 
 ### Added
 - Update APIcast schema manifest [PR #1550](https://github.com/3scale/APIcast/pull/1550)
diff --git a/gateway/src/resty/resolver.lua b/gateway/src/resty/resolver.lua
index d2214a79d..d51d59632 100644
--- a/gateway/src/resty/resolver.lua
+++ b/gateway/src/resty/resolver.lua
@@ -398,7 +398,11 @@ function _M.get_servers(self, qname, opts)
 
   -- TODO: pass proper options to dns resolver (like SRV query type)
 
-  local sema, key = synchronization:acquire(format('qname:%s:qtype:%s', qname, 'A'))
+  local key = format('qname:%s:qtype:%s', qname, 'A')
+  local sema, err = synchronization:acquire(key)
+  if not sema then
+    return nil, "failed to acquire lock on key: " .. key .. 'error: ' .. err
+  end
   local ok = sema:wait(0)
 
   local answers, err = self:lookup(qname, not ok)
diff --git a/gateway/src/resty/synchronization.lua b/gateway/src/resty/synchronization.lua
index 67f13f161..a1a283377 100644
--- a/gateway/src/resty/synchronization.lua
+++ b/gateway/src/resty/synchronization.lua
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ function _M:acquire(key)
   if not semaphores then
     return nil, 'not initialized'
   end
-  return semaphores[key], key
+  return semaphores[key], nil
 end
 
 --- release semaphore
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ end
 -- @param ...: the variable number of arguments that are going to be send to the callback function.
 function _M:run(key, timeout, callback, ...)
   local sema, err = self:acquire(key)
-  if err ~= key then
+  if not sema then
     ngx.log(ngx.WARN, 'failed to acquire lock on key: ', key, ' error: ', err)
     return false
   end
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ function _M:run(key, timeout, callback, ...)
   local ret, result, execute_error = task:execute(...)
 
   if lock_acquired then
-    self.release(key)
+    self:release(key)
     sema:post()
   end
 
diff --git a/spec/synchronization_spec.lua b/spec/synchronization_spec.lua
index 2813c1f20..e5bdda3ee 100644
--- a/spec/synchronization_spec.lua
+++ b/spec/synchronization_spec.lua
@@ -60,6 +60,37 @@ describe("Synchronization", function()
     assert.same(err, "not initialized")
   end)
 
+  it("run releases the lock so a subsequent acquire succeeds", function()
+    local callback = function() return 1 end
+
+    local ret, result = synchronization:run(key, 4, callback)
+    assert.same(ret, true)
+    assert.same(result, {1})
+
+    -- If run properly released the lock, a non-blocking acquire+wait should succeed
+    local sema = synchronization:acquire(key)
+    local ok = sema:wait(0)
+    assert.is_true(ok, "expected lock to be available after run completed")
+
+    synchronization:release(key)
+    sema:post()
+  end)
+
+  it("run releases the lock even when callback throws", function()
+    local callback = function() error("boom") end
+
+    local ret, _, execute_error = synchronization:run(key, 4, callback)
+    assert.same(ret, false)
+    assert.is_truthy(execute_error)
+
+    local sema = synchronization:acquire(key)
+    local ok = sema:wait(0)
+    assert.is_true(ok, "expected lock to be available after failed run")
+
+    synchronization:release(key)
+    sema:post()
+  end)
+
   it("validate that acquire/release workflow", function()
 
     local sema, _ = synchronization:acquire(key)