diff --git a/src/context/context.rs b/src/context/context.rs
index 958f5fefd4..4a44d392e8 100644
--- a/src/context/context.rs
+++ b/src/context/context.rs
@@ -453,12 +453,11 @@ impl Context {
         let kstack = self.kstack.as_ref()?;
         Some(unsafe { &mut *kstack.initial_top().sub(size_of::<InterruptStack>()).cast() })
     }
-    pub fn sigcontrol(&mut self) -> Option<(&Sigcontrol, &SigProcControl, &mut SignalState)> {
-        Some(Self::sigcontrol_raw(self.sig.as_mut()?))
+    pub fn sigcontrol(&self) -> Option<(&Sigcontrol, &SigProcControl, &SignalState)> {
+        let (for_thread, for_proc) = Self::sigcontrol_raw(self.sig.as_ref()?);
+        Some((for_thread, for_proc, self.sig.as_ref()?))
     }
-    pub fn sigcontrol_raw(
-        sig: &mut SignalState,
-    ) -> (&Sigcontrol, &SigProcControl, &mut SignalState) {
+    pub fn sigcontrol_raw(sig: &SignalState) -> (&Sigcontrol, &SigProcControl) {
         let check = |off| {
             assert_eq!(usize::from(off) % align_of::<usize>(), 0);
             assert!(usize::from(off).saturating_add(size_of::<Sigcontrol>()) < PAGE_SIZE);
@@ -475,7 +474,7 @@ impl Context {
                 .byte_add(usize::from(sig.procctl_off))
         };
 
-        (for_thread, for_proc, sig)
+        (for_thread, for_proc)
     }
     pub fn caller_ctx(&self) -> CallerCtx {
         CallerCtx {
diff --git a/src/context/signal.rs b/src/context/signal.rs
index 19f4ebc01f..99aab364b1 100644
--- a/src/context/signal.rs
+++ b/src/context/signal.rs
@@ -4,13 +4,12 @@ use crate::{context, sync::CleanLockToken, syscall::flag::SigcontrolFlags};
 
 pub fn signal_handler(token: &mut CleanLockToken) {
     let context_lock = context::current();
-    let mut context_guard = context_lock.write(token.token());
-    let context = &mut *context_guard;
+    let context = context_lock.upgradeable_read(token.token());
 
     let being_sigkilled = context.being_sigkilled;
 
     if being_sigkilled {
-        drop(context_guard);
+        drop(context);
         drop(context_lock);
         crate::syscall::process::exit_this_context(None, token);
     }
@@ -48,6 +47,7 @@ pub fn signal_handler(token: &mut CleanLockToken) {
 
     let sigh_instr_ptr = st.user_handler.get();
 
+    let mut context = context.upgrade();
     let Some(regs) = context.regs_mut() else {
         // TODO: is this even reachable?
         trace!("No registers, returning");
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ pub fn signal_handler(token: &mut CleanLockToken) {
 
     regs.set_instr_pointer(sigh_instr_ptr);
 
+    let mut context = context.downgrade();
     let (thread_ctl, _, _) = context
         .sigcontrol()
         .expect("cannot have been unset while holding the lock");
diff --git a/src/scheme/acpi.rs b/src/scheme/acpi.rs
index ab2c333440..6b941625c9 100644
--- a/src/scheme/acpi.rs
+++ b/src/scheme/acpi.rs
@@ -181,7 +181,7 @@ impl KernelScheme for AcpiScheme {
         Ok(OpenResult::SchemeLocal(fd, int_flags))
     }
     fn fsize(&self, id: usize, token: &mut CleanLockToken) -> Result<u64> {
-        let mut handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
+        let handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
         let handle = handles.get(id)?;
 
         if handle.stat {
diff --git a/src/scheme/proc.rs b/src/scheme/proc.rs
index d45c8d2144..6e739e1882 100644
--- a/src/scheme/proc.rs
+++ b/src/scheme/proc.rs
@@ -633,7 +633,7 @@ impl KernelScheme for ProcScheme {
     ) -> Result<usize> {
         // TODO: simplify
         let handle = {
-            let mut handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
+            let handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
             let handle = handles.get(&id).ok_or(Error::new(EBADF))?;
             handle.clone()
         };
@@ -667,7 +667,7 @@ impl KernelScheme for ProcScheme {
 
         // Don't hold a global lock during the context switch later on
         let handle = {
-            let mut handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
+            let handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
             let handle = handles.get(&id).ok_or(Error::new(EBADF))?;
             handle.clone()
         };
@@ -696,7 +696,7 @@ impl KernelScheme for ProcScheme {
     }
 
     fn fsize(&self, id: usize, token: &mut CleanLockToken) -> Result<u64> {
-        let mut handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
+        let handles = HANDLES.read(token.token());
         let handle = handles.get(&id).ok_or(Error::new(EBADF))?;
 
         handle.fsize()
diff --git a/src/sync/ordered.rs b/src/sync/ordered.rs
index 91d46158db..9b2c024ad4 100644
--- a/src/sync/ordered.rs
+++ b/src/sync/ordered.rs
@@ -620,6 +620,14 @@ impl<'a, L: Level, T> RwLockWriteGuard<'a, L, T> {
         drop(self.inner);
         self.lock_token
     }
+
+    /// Upgrade to RO lock
+    pub fn downgrade(self) -> RwLockReadGuard<'a, L, T> {
+        RwLockReadGuard {
+            inner: self.inner.downgrade(),
+            lock_token: self.lock_token,
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl<L: Level, T> core::ops::Deref for RwLockWriteGuard<'_, L, T> {
diff --git a/src/sync/wait_condition.rs b/src/sync/wait_condition.rs
index c508eb64fe..d31c4e0744 100644
--- a/src/sync/wait_condition.rs
+++ b/src/sync/wait_condition.rs
@@ -80,13 +80,13 @@ impl WaitCondition {
             let mut preempt = PreemptGuardL2::new(&current_context_ref, &mut token);
             let token = preempt.token();
             {
-                let mut context = current_context_ref.write(token.token());
+                let context = current_context_ref.upgradeable_read(token.token());
                 if let Some((control, pctl, _)) = context.sigcontrol()
                     && control.currently_pending_unblocked(pctl) != 0
                 {
                     return false;
                 }
-                context.block(reason);
+                context.upgrade().block(reason);
             }
 
             self.contexts
diff --git a/src/syscall/time.rs b/src/syscall/time.rs
index aa6763f5b0..e9f4c2e3ed 100644
--- a/src/syscall/time.rs
+++ b/src/syscall/time.rs
@@ -41,14 +41,14 @@ pub fn nanosleep(
 
     let current_context = context::current();
     {
-        let mut context = current_context.write(token.token());
+        let context = current_context.upgradeable_read(token.token());
 
         if let Some((tctl, pctl, _)) = context.sigcontrol()
             && tctl.currently_pending_unblocked(pctl) != 0
         {
             return Err(Error::new(EINTR));
         }
-
+        let mut context = context.upgrade();
         context.wake = Some(end);
         context.block("nanosleep");
     }