diff --git a/include/wsrep/client_state.hpp b/include/wsrep/client_state.hpp
index 8c62d0b..d8449d7 100644
--- a/include/wsrep/client_state.hpp
+++ b/include/wsrep/client_state.hpp
@@ -902,6 +902,15 @@ namespace wsrep
         {
             return current_error_status_;
         }
+
+        /**
+         * Return true if rollbacker is active. The caller should
+         * hold the mutex protecting client_state.
+         */
+        bool is_rollbacker_active()
+        {
+            return rollbacker_active_;
+        }
     protected:
         /**
          * Client context constuctor. This is protected so that it
@@ -1007,11 +1016,6 @@ namespace wsrep
         {
             rollbacker_active_ = value;
         }
-
-        bool is_rollbacker_active()
-        {
-            return rollbacker_active_;
-        }
     };
 
     static inline const char* to_c_string(
diff --git a/src/transaction.cpp b/src/transaction.cpp
index c864a0f..3860666 100644
--- a/src/transaction.cpp
+++ b/src/transaction.cpp
@@ -1073,9 +1073,7 @@ bool wsrep::transaction::bf_abort(
                 }
             }
 
-            lock.unlock();
             server_service_.background_rollback(client_state_);
-            lock.lock();
         }
     }
     return ret;