diff --git a/src/ld_so/debug.rs b/src/ld_so/debug.rs
index d48e827a07..0c569fac04 100644
--- a/src/ld_so/debug.rs
+++ b/src/ld_so/debug.rs
@@ -63,6 +63,15 @@ impl RTLDDebug {
     }
 }
 
+/// SAFETY: safe as long as caller wraps the instance in a mutex,
+/// or similar structure that guarantees exclusive mutable access.
+/// Separate instances must not contain pointers to the same LinkMap instance.
+unsafe impl Send for RTLDDebug {}
+/// SAFETY: safe as long as caller wraps the instance in a mutex,
+/// or similar structure that guarantees exclusive mutable access.
+/// Separate instances must not contain pointers to the same LinkMap instance.
+unsafe impl Sync for RTLDDebug {}
+
 #[repr(C)]
 struct LinkMap {
     /* These members are part of the protocol with the debugger.
@@ -126,4 +135,4 @@ impl LinkMap {
 pub extern "C" fn _dl_debug_state() {}
 
 #[no_mangle]
-pub static mut _r_debug: RTLDDebug = RTLDDebug::NEW;
+pub static _r_debug: spin::Mutex<RTLDDebug> = spin::Mutex::new(RTLDDebug::NEW);
diff --git a/src/ld_so/dso.rs b/src/ld_so/dso.rs
index 0cfa202b3d..b1639de7ab 100644
--- a/src/ld_so/dso.rs
+++ b/src/ld_so/dso.rs
@@ -505,7 +505,9 @@ impl DSO {
                 } else {
                     bounds.1 - bounds.0
                 };
-                _r_debug.insert_first(addr, path, addr + l_ld as usize);
+                _r_debug
+                    .lock()
+                    .insert_first(addr, path, addr + l_ld as usize);
                 slice::from_raw_parts_mut(addr as *mut u8, size)
             } else {
                 let (start, end) = bounds;
@@ -535,7 +537,9 @@ impl DSO {
                 }
                 trace!("    = {:p}", ptr);
                 ptr::write_bytes(ptr as *mut u8, 0, size);
-                _r_debug.insert(ptr as usize, path, ptr as usize + l_ld as usize);
+                _r_debug
+                    .lock()
+                    .insert(ptr as usize, path, ptr as usize + l_ld as usize);
                 slice::from_raw_parts_mut(ptr as *mut u8, size)
             }
         };
diff --git a/src/ld_so/linker.rs b/src/ld_so/linker.rs
index b60a188c52..6ea71c3dfd 100644
--- a/src/ld_so/linker.rs
+++ b/src/ld_so/linker.rs
@@ -593,7 +593,7 @@ impl Linker {
             Resolve::Now
         };
 
-        unsafe { _r_debug.state = RTLDState::RT_ADD };
+        _r_debug.lock().state = RTLDState::RT_ADD;
         _dl_debug_state();
 
         let mut new_objects = Vec::new();
@@ -724,7 +724,7 @@ impl Linker {
             self.register_object(obj);
         }
 
-        unsafe { _r_debug.state = RTLDState::RT_CONSISTENT };
+        _r_debug.lock().state = RTLDState::RT_CONSISTENT;
         _dl_debug_state();
 
         Ok(loaded_dso)
diff --git a/src/ld_so/start.rs b/src/ld_so/start.rs
index 26e1a0f3a3..e5d3c41411 100644
--- a/src/ld_so/start.rs
+++ b/src/ld_so/start.rs
@@ -208,9 +208,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn relibc_ld_so_start(sp: &'static mut Stack, ld_entry: us
     };
 
     // we might need global lock for this kind of stuff
-    unsafe {
-        _r_debug.r_ldbase = ld_entry;
-    }
+    _r_debug.lock().r_ldbase = ld_entry;
 
     // TODO: Fix memory leak, although minimal.
     unsafe {