diff --git a/mk.go b/mk.go
index 4d057bc..be7dff2 100644
--- a/mk.go
+++ b/mk.go
@@ -147,11 +147,11 @@ func mkNode(g *graph, u *node, dryrun bool, required bool) {
 	defer func() {
 		u.mutex.Lock()
 		u.status = finalstatus
-		u.mutex.Unlock()
 		for i := range u.listeners {
 			u.listeners[i] <- u.status
 		}
 		u.listeners = u.listeners[0:0]
+		u.mutex.Unlock()
 	}()
 
 	// there's no fucking rules, dude
@@ -182,7 +182,6 @@ func mkNode(g *graph, u *node, dryrun bool, required bool) {
 		mkError(fmt.Sprintf("don't know how to make %s in %s", u.name, wd))
 	}
 
-	e.r.mutex.Lock()
 	prereqs_required := required && (e.r.attributes.virtual || !u.exists)
 	mkNodePrereqs(g, u, e, prereqs, dryrun, prereqs_required)
 
@@ -234,7 +233,6 @@ func mkNode(g *graph, u *node, dryrun bool, required bool) {
 	} else if finalstatus != nodeStatusFailed {
 		finalstatus = nodeStatusNop
 	}
-	e.r.mutex.Unlock()
 }
 
 func mkError(msg string) {
diff --git a/rules.go b/rules.go
index 2f25998..114c6da 100644
--- a/rules.go
+++ b/rules.go
@@ -7,7 +7,6 @@ package main
 import (
 	"fmt"
 	"regexp"
-	"sync"
 	"unicode/utf8"
 )
 
@@ -58,7 +57,6 @@ type rule struct {
 	recipe     string     // recipe source
 	command    []string   // command attribute
 	ismeta     bool       // is this a meta rule
-	mutex      sync.Mutex // prevent the rule from being executed multiple times
 	file       string     // file where the rule is defined
 	line       int        // line number on which the rule is defined
 }