diff --git a/swh/core/statsd.py b/swh/core/statsd.py
--- a/swh/core/statsd.py
+++ b/swh/core/statsd.py
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@
 import logging
 import os
 import socket
+import threading
 import warnings
 
 
@@ -190,7 +191,8 @@
         self.port = int(port)
 
         # Socket
-        self.socket = None
+        self._socket = None
+        self.lock = threading.Lock()
         self.max_buffer_size = max_buffer_size
         self._send = self._send_to_server
         self.encoding = 'utf-8'
@@ -316,19 +318,21 @@
         """
         self._report(metric, 's', value, tags, sample_rate)
 
-    def get_socket(self):
+    @property
+    def socket(self):
         """
         Return a connected socket.
 
         Note: connect the socket before assigning it to the class instance to
         avoid bad thread race conditions.
         """
-        if not self.socket:
-            sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
-            sock.connect((self.host, self.port))
-            self.socket = sock
+        with self.lock:
+            if not self._socket:
+                sock = socket.socket(socket.AF_INET, socket.SOCK_DGRAM)
+                sock.connect((self.host, self.port))
+                self._socket = sock
 
-        return self.socket
+            return self._socket
 
     def open_buffer(self, max_buffer_size=50):
         """
@@ -358,9 +362,10 @@
         """
         Closes connected socket if connected.
         """
-        if self.socket:
-            self.socket.close()
-            self.socket = None
+        with self.lock:
+            if self._socket:
+                self._socket.close()
+                self._socket = None
 
     def _report(self, metric, metric_type, value, tags, sample_rate):
         """
@@ -393,7 +398,7 @@
     def _send_to_server(self, packet):
         try:
             # If set, use socket directly
-            (self.socket or self.get_socket()).send(packet.encode('utf-8'))
+            self.socket.send(packet.encode('utf-8'))
         except socket.timeout:
             return
         except socket.error:
diff --git a/swh/core/tests/test_statsd.py b/swh/core/tests/test_statsd.py
--- a/swh/core/tests/test_statsd.py
+++ b/swh/core/tests/test_statsd.py
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@
         """
         #
         self.statsd = Statsd()
-        self.statsd.socket = FakeSocket()
+        self.statsd._socket = FakeSocket()
 
     def recv(self):
         return self.statsd.socket.recv()
@@ -212,12 +212,12 @@
         )
 
     def test_socket_error(self):
-        self.statsd.socket = BrokenSocket()
+        self.statsd._socket = BrokenSocket()
         self.statsd.gauge('no error', 1)
         assert True, 'success'
 
     def test_socket_timeout(self):
-        self.statsd.socket = SlowSocket()
+        self.statsd._socket = SlowSocket()
         self.statsd.gauge('no error', 1)
         assert True, 'success'
 
@@ -409,7 +409,7 @@
     def test_context_manager(self):
         fake_socket = FakeSocket()
         with Statsd() as statsd:
-            statsd.socket = fake_socket
+            statsd._socket = fake_socket
             statsd.gauge('page.views', 123)
             statsd.timing('timer', 123)
 
@@ -418,7 +418,7 @@
     def test_batched_buffer_autoflush(self):
         fake_socket = FakeSocket()
         with Statsd() as statsd:
-            statsd.socket = fake_socket
+            statsd._socket = fake_socket
             for i in range(51):
                 statsd.increment('mycounter')
             self.assertEqual(
@@ -434,28 +434,28 @@
 
     def test_instantiating_does_not_connect(self):
         local_statsd = Statsd()
-        self.assertEqual(None, local_statsd.socket)
+        self.assertEqual(None, local_statsd._socket)
 
     def test_accessing_socket_opens_socket(self):
         local_statsd = Statsd()
         try:
-            self.assertIsNotNone(local_statsd.get_socket())
+            self.assertIsNotNone(local_statsd.socket)
         finally:
-            local_statsd.socket.close()
+            local_statsd.close_socket()
 
     def test_accessing_socket_multiple_times_returns_same_socket(self):
         local_statsd = Statsd()
         fresh_socket = FakeSocket()
-        local_statsd.socket = fresh_socket
-        self.assertEqual(fresh_socket, local_statsd.get_socket())
-        self.assertNotEqual(FakeSocket(), local_statsd.get_socket())
+        local_statsd._socket = fresh_socket
+        self.assertEqual(fresh_socket, local_statsd.socket)
+        self.assertNotEqual(FakeSocket(), local_statsd.socket)
 
     def test_tags_from_environment(self):
         with preserve_envvars('STATSD_TAGS'):
             os.environ['STATSD_TAGS'] = 'country:china,age:45'
             statsd = Statsd()
 
-        statsd.socket = FakeSocket()
+        statsd._socket = FakeSocket()
         statsd.gauge('gt', 123.4)
         self.assertEqual('gt:123.4|g|#age:45,country:china',
                          statsd.socket.recv())
@@ -464,7 +464,7 @@
         with preserve_envvars('STATSD_TAGS'):
             os.environ['STATSD_TAGS'] = 'country:china,age:45'
             statsd = Statsd(constant_tags={'country': 'canada'})
-        statsd.socket = FakeSocket()
+        statsd._socket = FakeSocket()
         statsd.gauge('gt', 123.4)
         self.assertEqual('gt:123.4|g|#age:45,country:canada',
                          statsd.socket.recv())
@@ -538,7 +538,7 @@
 
     def test_namespace_added(self):
         local_statsd = Statsd(namespace='test-namespace')
-        local_statsd.socket = FakeSocket()
+        local_statsd._socket = FakeSocket()
 
         local_statsd.gauge('gauge', 123.4)
         assert local_statsd.socket.recv() == 'test-namespace.gauge:123.4|g'