diff --git a/src/header/stdlib/mod.rs b/src/header/stdlib/mod.rs
index 86852d3fe7..8a4132c3c3 100644
--- a/src/header/stdlib/mod.rs
+++ b/src/header/stdlib/mod.rs
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn div(numer: c_int, denom: c_int) -> div_t {
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub extern "C" fn drand48() -> c_double {
-    let params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let params = rand48::params();
     let mut xsubi = rand48::xsubi_lock();
     *xsubi = params.step(*xsubi);
     xsubi.get_f64()
@@ -330,7 +330,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn ecvt(
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn erand48(xsubi: *mut c_ushort) -> c_double {
-    let params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let params = rand48::params();
     let xsubi_mut: &mut [c_ushort; 3] = slice::from_raw_parts_mut(xsubi, 3).try_into().unwrap();
     let new_xsubi_value = params.step(xsubi_mut.into());
     *xsubi_mut = new_xsubi_value.into();
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn initstate(seed: c_uint, state: *mut c_char, size: size_
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn jrand48(xsubi: *mut c_ushort) -> c_long {
-    let params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let params = rand48::params();
     let xsubi_mut: &mut [c_ushort; 3] = slice::from_raw_parts_mut(xsubi, 3).try_into().unwrap();
     let new_xsubi_value = params.step(xsubi_mut.into());
     *xsubi_mut = new_xsubi_value.into();
@@ -586,7 +586,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn labs(i: c_long) -> c_long {
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn lcong48(param: *mut c_ushort) {
     let mut xsubi = rand48::xsubi_lock();
-    let mut params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let mut params = rand48::params_mut();
 
     let param_slice = slice::from_raw_parts(param, 7);
 
@@ -643,7 +643,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn lldiv(numer: c_longlong, denom: c_longlong) -> lldiv_t {
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub extern "C" fn lrand48() -> c_long {
-    let params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let params = rand48::params();
     let mut xsubi = rand48::xsubi_lock();
     *xsubi = params.step(*xsubi);
     xsubi.get_u31()
@@ -843,7 +843,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn mktemp(name: *mut c_char) -> *mut c_char {
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub extern "C" fn mrand48() -> c_long {
-    let params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let params = rand48::params();
     let mut xsubi = rand48::xsubi_lock();
     *xsubi = params.step(*xsubi);
     xsubi.get_i32()
@@ -860,7 +860,7 @@ pub extern "C" fn mrand48() -> c_long {
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn nrand48(xsubi: *mut c_ushort) -> c_long {
-    let params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let params = rand48::params();
     let xsubi_mut: &mut [c_ushort; 3] = slice::from_raw_parts_mut(xsubi, 3).try_into().unwrap();
     let new_xsubi_value = params.step(xsubi_mut.into());
     *xsubi_mut = new_xsubi_value.into();
@@ -1196,7 +1196,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn secure_getenv(name: *const c_char) -> *mut c_char {
 pub unsafe extern "C" fn seed48(seed16v: *mut c_ushort) -> *mut c_ushort {
     static mut BUFFER: [c_ushort; 3] = [0; 3];
 
-    let mut params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let mut params = rand48::params_mut();
     let mut xsubi = rand48::xsubi_lock();
 
     let seed16v_ref: &[c_ushort; 3] = slice::from_raw_parts(seed16v, 3).try_into().unwrap();
@@ -1296,7 +1296,7 @@ pub unsafe extern "C" fn srand(seed: c_uint) {
 /// state.
 #[no_mangle]
 pub extern "C" fn srand48(seedval: c_long) {
-    let mut params = rand48::params_lock();
+    let mut params = rand48::params_mut();
     let mut xsubi = rand48::xsubi_lock();
 
     params.reset();
diff --git a/src/header/stdlib/rand48.rs b/src/header/stdlib/rand48.rs
index 6d78d6c0cc..cb91aacc4c 100644
--- a/src/header/stdlib/rand48.rs
+++ b/src/header/stdlib/rand48.rs
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 
 use crate::{
     platform::types::*,
-    sync::{Mutex, MutexGuard},
+    sync::{rwlock::{self, RwLock}, Mutex, MutexGuard},
 };
 
 /// A 48-bit integer, used for the 48-bit arithmetic in these functions.
@@ -119,13 +119,19 @@ impl Params {
     }
 }
 
-// TODO: consider using rwlock instead of mutex for more fine-grained access
-/// Immediately get the global Params lock, or panic if unsuccessful.
-pub fn params_lock<'a>() -> MutexGuard<'a, Params> {
-    static PARAMS: Mutex<Params> = Mutex::<Params>::new(Params::new());
+static PARAMS: RwLock<Params> = RwLock::<Params>::new(Params::new());
 
+/// Immediately get the global [`Params`] lock for reading, or panic if unsuccessful.
+pub fn params<'a>() -> rwlock::ReadGuard<'a, Params> {
     PARAMS
-        .try_lock()
+        .try_read()
+        .expect("unable to acquire LCG parameter lock")
+}
+
+/// Immediately get the global [`Params`] lock for writing, or panic if unsuccessful.
+pub fn params_mut<'a>() -> rwlock::WriteGuard<'a, Params> {
+    PARAMS
+        .try_write()
         .expect("unable to acquire LCG parameter lock")
 }
 
diff --git a/src/sync/rwlock.rs b/src/sync/rwlock.rs
index 524bfd94a2..58c279f26e 100644
--- a/src/sync/rwlock.rs
+++ b/src/sync/rwlock.rs
@@ -176,6 +176,22 @@ impl<T: ?Sized> RwLock<T> {
         self.inner.acquire_write_lock(None);
         unsafe { WriteGuard::new(self) }
     }
+
+    pub fn try_read(&self) -> Option<ReadGuard<'_, T>> {
+        if self.inner.try_acquire_read_lock().is_ok() {
+            Some(unsafe { ReadGuard::new(self) })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn try_write(&self) -> Option<WriteGuard<'_, T>> {
+        if self.inner.try_acquire_write_lock().is_ok() {
+            Some(unsafe { WriteGuard::new(self) })
+        } else {
+            None
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 pub struct ReadGuard<'a, T: ?Sized + 'a> {