diff --git a/xds/internal/balancer/clusterimpl/clusterimpl.go b/xds/internal/balancer/clusterimpl/clusterimpl.go
index ce2d16b1c19..7513fdedc17 100644
--- a/xds/internal/balancer/clusterimpl/clusterimpl.go
+++ b/xds/internal/balancer/clusterimpl/clusterimpl.go
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ type clusterImplBalancer struct {
 	// childState/drops/requestCounter keeps the state used by the most recently
 	// generated picker.
 	childState            balancer.State
+	mu                    sync.Mutex
 	dropCategories        []DropConfig // The categories for drops.
 	drops                 []*dropper
 	requestCounterCluster string // The cluster name for the request counter.
@@ -254,9 +255,8 @@ func (b *clusterImplBalancer) updateClientConnState(s balancer.ClientConnState)
 
 	b.config = newConfig
 
+	b.mu.Lock()
 	b.inhibitPickerUpdates = true
-	defer func() { b.inhibitPickerUpdates = false }()
-
 	b.telemetryLabels = newConfig.TelemetryLabels
 	dc := b.handleDropAndRequestCount(newConfig)
 	if dc != nil && b.childState.Picker != nil {
@@ -265,6 +265,8 @@ func (b *clusterImplBalancer) updateClientConnState(s balancer.ClientConnState)
 			Picker:            b.newPicker(dc),
 		})
 	}
+	b.inhibitPickerUpdates = false
+	b.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// Addresses and sub-balancer config are sent to sub-balancer.
 	return b.child.UpdateClientConnState(balancer.ClientConnState{
@@ -318,8 +320,9 @@ func (b *clusterImplBalancer) UpdateSubConnState(sc balancer.SubConn, s balancer
 func (b *clusterImplBalancer) Close() {
 	b.serializer.TrySchedule(func(_ context.Context) {
 		b.child.Close()
+		b.mu.Lock()
 		b.childState = balancer.State{}
-
+		b.mu.Unlock()
 		if b.cancelLoadReport != nil {
 			b.cancelLoadReport()
 			b.cancelLoadReport = nil
@@ -339,18 +342,20 @@ func (b *clusterImplBalancer) ExitIdle() {
 // Override methods to accept updates from the child LB.
 
 func (b *clusterImplBalancer) UpdateState(state balancer.State) {
-	b.serializer.TrySchedule(func(context.Context) {
-		b.childState = state
-		if !b.inhibitPickerUpdates {
-			b.ClientConn.UpdateState(balancer.State{
-				ConnectivityState: b.childState.ConnectivityState,
-				Picker: b.newPicker(&dropConfigs{
-					drops:           b.drops,
-					requestCounter:  b.requestCounter,
-					requestCountMax: b.requestCountMax,
-				}),
-			})
-		}
+	b.mu.Lock()
+	b.childState = state
+	if b.inhibitPickerUpdates {
+		b.mu.Unlock()
+		return
+	}
+	b.mu.Unlock()
+	b.ClientConn.UpdateState(balancer.State{
+		ConnectivityState: state.ConnectivityState,
+		Picker: b.newPicker(&dropConfigs{
+			drops:           b.drops,
+			requestCounter:  b.requestCounter,
+			requestCountMax: b.requestCountMax,
+		}),
 	})
 }