diff --git a/src/internal/fork_impl.h b/src/internal/fork_impl.h
index 5892c13b..ae3a79e5 100644
--- a/src/internal/fork_impl.h
+++ b/src/internal/fork_impl.h
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@
 
 extern hidden volatile int *const __at_quick_exit_lockptr;
 extern hidden volatile int *const __atexit_lockptr;
-extern hidden volatile int *const __dlerror_lockptr;
 extern hidden volatile int *const __gettext_lockptr;
 extern hidden volatile int *const __locale_lockptr;
 extern hidden volatile int *const __random_lockptr;
diff --git a/src/ldso/dlerror.c b/src/ldso/dlerror.c
index afe59253..30a33f33 100644
--- a/src/ldso/dlerror.c
+++ b/src/ldso/dlerror.c
@@ -23,28 +23,31 @@ char *dlerror()
 		return s;
 }
 
-static volatile int freebuf_queue_lock[1];
-static void **freebuf_queue;
-volatile int *const __dlerror_lockptr = freebuf_queue_lock;
+/* Atomic singly-linked list, used to store list of thread-local dlerror
+ * buffers for deferred free. They cannot be freed at thread exit time
+ * because, by the time it's known they can be freed, the exiting thread
+ * is in a highly restrictive context where it cannot call (even the
+ * libc-internal) free. It also can't take locks; thus the atomic list. */
+
+static void *volatile freebuf_queue;
 
 void __dl_thread_cleanup(void)
 {
 	pthread_t self = __pthread_self();
-	if (self->dlerror_buf && self->dlerror_buf != (void *)-1) {
-		LOCK(freebuf_queue_lock);
-		void **p = (void **)self->dlerror_buf;
-		*p = freebuf_queue;
-		freebuf_queue = p;
-		UNLOCK(freebuf_queue_lock);
-	}
+	if (!self->dlerror_buf || self->dlerror_buf == (void *)-1)
+		return;
+	void *h;
+	do {
+		h = freebuf_queue;
+		*(void **)self->dlerror_buf = h;
+	} while (a_cas_p(&freebuf_queue, h, self->dlerror_buf) != h);
 }
 
 hidden void __dl_vseterr(const char *fmt, va_list ap)
 {
-	LOCK(freebuf_queue_lock);
-	void **q = freebuf_queue;
-	freebuf_queue = 0;
-	UNLOCK(freebuf_queue_lock);
+	void **q;
+	do q = freebuf_queue;
+	while (q && a_cas_p(&freebuf_queue, q, 0) != q);
 
 	while (q) {
 		void **p = *q;
diff --git a/src/process/fork.c b/src/process/fork.c
index 54bc2892..ff71845c 100644
--- a/src/process/fork.c
+++ b/src/process/fork.c
@@ -9,7 +9,6 @@ static volatile int *const dummy_lockptr = 0;
 
 weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __at_quick_exit_lockptr);
 weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __atexit_lockptr);
-weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __dlerror_lockptr);
 weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __gettext_lockptr);
 weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __locale_lockptr);
 weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __random_lockptr);
@@ -24,7 +23,6 @@ weak_alias(dummy_lockptr, __vmlock_lockptr);
 static volatile int *const *const atfork_locks[] = {
 	&__at_quick_exit_lockptr,
 	&__atexit_lockptr,
-	&__dlerror_lockptr,
 	&__gettext_lockptr,
 	&__locale_lockptr,
 	&__random_lockptr,