diff --git a/core/blockchain.go b/core/blockchain.go
index 49aedf6693d2a6a7cf1436287738909db71bb5d3..c719883ee53a7f3e08a83222890008777bcc5d5b 100644
--- a/core/blockchain.go
+++ b/core/blockchain.go
@@ -108,7 +108,6 @@ type BlockChain struct {
 	scope         event.SubscriptionScope
 	genesisBlock  *types.Block
 
-	mu      sync.RWMutex // global mutex for locking chain operations
 	chainmu sync.RWMutex // blockchain insertion lock
 	procmu  sync.RWMutex // block processor lock
 
@@ -281,8 +280,8 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) loadLastState() error {
 func (bc *BlockChain) SetHead(head uint64) error {
 	log.Warn("Rewinding blockchain", "target", head)
 
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	// Rewind the header chain, deleting all block bodies until then
 	delFn := func(db rawdb.DatabaseDeleter, hash common.Hash, num uint64) {
@@ -340,9 +339,9 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) FastSyncCommitHead(hash common.Hash) error {
 		return err
 	}
 	// If all checks out, manually set the head block
-	bc.mu.Lock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
 	bc.currentBlock.Store(block)
-	bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	log.Info("Committed new head block", "number", block.Number(), "hash", hash)
 	return nil
@@ -420,8 +419,8 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) ResetWithGenesisBlock(genesis *types.Block) error {
 	if err := bc.SetHead(0); err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	// Prepare the genesis block and reinitialise the chain
 	if err := bc.hc.WriteTd(genesis.Hash(), genesis.NumberU64(), genesis.Difficulty()); err != nil {
@@ -468,8 +467,8 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) Export(w io.Writer) error {
 
 // ExportN writes a subset of the active chain to the given writer.
 func (bc *BlockChain) ExportN(w io.Writer, first uint64, last uint64) error {
-	bc.mu.RLock()
-	defer bc.mu.RUnlock()
+	bc.chainmu.RLock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.RUnlock()
 
 	if first > last {
 		return fmt.Errorf("export failed: first (%d) is greater than last (%d)", first, last)
@@ -490,7 +489,6 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) ExportN(w io.Writer, first uint64, last uint64) error {
 			reported = time.Now()
 		}
 	}
-
 	return nil
 }
 
@@ -756,8 +754,8 @@ const (
 // Rollback is designed to remove a chain of links from the database that aren't
 // certain enough to be valid.
 func (bc *BlockChain) Rollback(chain []common.Hash) {
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	for i := len(chain) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 		hash := chain[i]
@@ -881,7 +879,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) InsertReceiptChain(blockChain types.Blocks, receiptChain [
 	}
 
 	// Update the head fast sync block if better
-	bc.mu.Lock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
 	head := blockChain[len(blockChain)-1]
 	if td := bc.GetTd(head.Hash(), head.NumberU64()); td != nil { // Rewind may have occurred, skip in that case
 		currentFastBlock := bc.CurrentFastBlock()
@@ -890,7 +888,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) InsertReceiptChain(blockChain types.Blocks, receiptChain [
 			bc.currentFastBlock.Store(head)
 		}
 	}
-	bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	context := []interface{}{
 		"count", stats.processed, "elapsed", common.PrettyDuration(time.Since(start)),
@@ -924,6 +922,15 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithoutState(block *types.Block, td *big.Int) (e
 
 // WriteBlockWithState writes the block and all associated state to the database.
 func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithState(block *types.Block, receipts []*types.Receipt, state *state.StateDB) (status WriteStatus, err error) {
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
+
+	return bc.writeBlockWithState(block, receipts, state)
+}
+
+// writeBlockWithState writes the block and all associated state to the database,
+// but is expects the chain mutex to be held.
+func (bc *BlockChain) writeBlockWithState(block *types.Block, receipts []*types.Receipt, state *state.StateDB) (status WriteStatus, err error) {
 	bc.wg.Add(1)
 	defer bc.wg.Done()
 
@@ -933,9 +940,6 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) WriteBlockWithState(block *types.Block, receipts []*types.
 		return NonStatTy, consensus.ErrUnknownAncestor
 	}
 	// Make sure no inconsistent state is leaked during insertion
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
-
 	currentBlock := bc.CurrentBlock()
 	localTd := bc.GetTd(currentBlock.Hash(), currentBlock.NumberU64())
 	externTd := new(big.Int).Add(block.Difficulty(), ptd)
@@ -1212,7 +1216,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) insertChain(chain types.Blocks, verifySeals bool) (int, []
 		proctime := time.Since(start)
 
 		// Write the block to the chain and get the status.
-		status, err := bc.WriteBlockWithState(block, receipts, state)
+		status, err := bc.writeBlockWithState(block, receipts, state)
 		t3 := time.Now()
 		if err != nil {
 			return it.index, events, coalescedLogs, err
@@ -1281,7 +1285,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) insertChain(chain types.Blocks, verifySeals bool) (int, []
 func (bc *BlockChain) insertSidechain(it *insertIterator) (int, []interface{}, []*types.Log, error) {
 	var (
 		externTd *big.Int
-		current  = bc.CurrentBlock().NumberU64()
+		current  = bc.CurrentBlock()
 	)
 	// The first sidechain block error is already verified to be ErrPrunedAncestor.
 	// Since we don't import them here, we expect ErrUnknownAncestor for the remaining
@@ -1290,7 +1294,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) insertSidechain(it *insertIterator) (int, []interface{}, [
 	block, err := it.current(), consensus.ErrPrunedAncestor
 	for ; block != nil && (err == consensus.ErrPrunedAncestor); block, err = it.next() {
 		// Check the canonical state root for that number
-		if number := block.NumberU64(); current >= number {
+		if number := block.NumberU64(); current.NumberU64() >= number {
 			if canonical := bc.GetBlockByNumber(number); canonical != nil && canonical.Root() == block.Root() {
 				// This is most likely a shadow-state attack. When a fork is imported into the
 				// database, and it eventually reaches a block height which is not pruned, we
@@ -1329,7 +1333,7 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) insertSidechain(it *insertIterator) (int, []interface{}, [
 	//
 	// If the externTd was larger than our local TD, we now need to reimport the previous
 	// blocks to regenerate the required state
-	localTd := bc.GetTd(bc.CurrentBlock().Hash(), current)
+	localTd := bc.GetTd(current.Hash(), current.NumberU64())
 	if localTd.Cmp(externTd) > 0 {
 		log.Info("Sidechain written to disk", "start", it.first().NumberU64(), "end", it.previous().NumberU64(), "sidetd", externTd, "localtd", localTd)
 		return it.index, nil, nil, err
@@ -1597,36 +1601,12 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) InsertHeaderChain(chain []*types.Header, checkFreq int) (i
 	defer bc.wg.Done()
 
 	whFunc := func(header *types.Header) error {
-		bc.mu.Lock()
-		defer bc.mu.Unlock()
-
 		_, err := bc.hc.WriteHeader(header)
 		return err
 	}
-
 	return bc.hc.InsertHeaderChain(chain, whFunc, start)
 }
 
-// writeHeader writes a header into the local chain, given that its parent is
-// already known. If the total difficulty of the newly inserted header becomes
-// greater than the current known TD, the canonical chain is re-routed.
-//
-// Note: This method is not concurrent-safe with inserting blocks simultaneously
-// into the chain, as side effects caused by reorganisations cannot be emulated
-// without the real blocks. Hence, writing headers directly should only be done
-// in two scenarios: pure-header mode of operation (light clients), or properly
-// separated header/block phases (non-archive clients).
-func (bc *BlockChain) writeHeader(header *types.Header) error {
-	bc.wg.Add(1)
-	defer bc.wg.Done()
-
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
-
-	_, err := bc.hc.WriteHeader(header)
-	return err
-}
-
 // CurrentHeader retrieves the current head header of the canonical chain. The
 // header is retrieved from the HeaderChain's internal cache.
 func (bc *BlockChain) CurrentHeader() *types.Header {
@@ -1675,8 +1655,8 @@ func (bc *BlockChain) GetBlockHashesFromHash(hash common.Hash, max uint64) []com
 //
 // Note: ancestor == 0 returns the same block, 1 returns its parent and so on.
 func (bc *BlockChain) GetAncestor(hash common.Hash, number, ancestor uint64, maxNonCanonical *uint64) (common.Hash, uint64) {
-	bc.chainmu.Lock()
-	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.RLock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.RUnlock()
 
 	return bc.hc.GetAncestor(hash, number, ancestor, maxNonCanonical)
 }
diff --git a/core/blockchain_test.go b/core/blockchain_test.go
index 5ab29e205f1a31142afdaab62674dbbdba963e3b..cfc44bf794856531dc2fb2b7da9651c539c8fe38 100644
--- a/core/blockchain_test.go
+++ b/core/blockchain_test.go
@@ -162,11 +162,11 @@ func testBlockChainImport(chain types.Blocks, blockchain *BlockChain) error {
 			blockchain.reportBlock(block, receipts, err)
 			return err
 		}
-		blockchain.mu.Lock()
+		blockchain.chainmu.Lock()
 		rawdb.WriteTd(blockchain.db, block.Hash(), block.NumberU64(), new(big.Int).Add(block.Difficulty(), blockchain.GetTdByHash(block.ParentHash())))
 		rawdb.WriteBlock(blockchain.db, block)
 		statedb.Commit(false)
-		blockchain.mu.Unlock()
+		blockchain.chainmu.Unlock()
 	}
 	return nil
 }
@@ -180,10 +180,10 @@ func testHeaderChainImport(chain []*types.Header, blockchain *BlockChain) error
 			return err
 		}
 		// Manually insert the header into the database, but don't reorganise (allows subsequent testing)
-		blockchain.mu.Lock()
+		blockchain.chainmu.Lock()
 		rawdb.WriteTd(blockchain.db, header.Hash(), header.Number.Uint64(), new(big.Int).Add(header.Difficulty, blockchain.GetTdByHash(header.ParentHash)))
 		rawdb.WriteHeader(blockchain.db, header)
-		blockchain.mu.Unlock()
+		blockchain.chainmu.Unlock()
 	}
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/light/lightchain.go b/light/lightchain.go
index 8e2734c2d9438c0cc241f6486c1b89fde33a40c9..de3d583c7db796a99caea54a4fb7525c47162a4a 100644
--- a/light/lightchain.go
+++ b/light/lightchain.go
@@ -57,7 +57,6 @@ type LightChain struct {
 	scope         event.SubscriptionScope
 	genesisBlock  *types.Block
 
-	mu      sync.RWMutex
 	chainmu sync.RWMutex
 
 	bodyCache    *lru.Cache // Cache for the most recent block bodies
@@ -165,8 +164,8 @@ func (self *LightChain) loadLastState() error {
 // SetHead rewinds the local chain to a new head. Everything above the new
 // head will be deleted and the new one set.
 func (bc *LightChain) SetHead(head uint64) {
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	bc.hc.SetHead(head, nil)
 	bc.loadLastState()
@@ -188,8 +187,8 @@ func (bc *LightChain) ResetWithGenesisBlock(genesis *types.Block) {
 	// Dump the entire block chain and purge the caches
 	bc.SetHead(0)
 
-	bc.mu.Lock()
-	defer bc.mu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	// Prepare the genesis block and reinitialise the chain
 	rawdb.WriteTd(bc.chainDb, genesis.Hash(), genesis.NumberU64(), genesis.Difficulty())
@@ -315,8 +314,8 @@ func (bc *LightChain) Stop() {
 // Rollback is designed to remove a chain of links from the database that aren't
 // certain enough to be valid.
 func (self *LightChain) Rollback(chain []common.Hash) {
-	self.mu.Lock()
-	defer self.mu.Unlock()
+	self.chainmu.Lock()
+	defer self.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	for i := len(chain) - 1; i >= 0; i-- {
 		hash := chain[i]
@@ -362,19 +361,13 @@ func (self *LightChain) InsertHeaderChain(chain []*types.Header, checkFreq int)
 
 	// Make sure only one thread manipulates the chain at once
 	self.chainmu.Lock()
-	defer func() {
-		self.chainmu.Unlock()
-		time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 10) // ugly hack; do not hog chain lock in case syncing is CPU-limited by validation
-	}()
+	defer self.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 	self.wg.Add(1)
 	defer self.wg.Done()
 
 	var events []interface{}
 	whFunc := func(header *types.Header) error {
-		self.mu.Lock()
-		defer self.mu.Unlock()
-
 		status, err := self.hc.WriteHeader(header)
 
 		switch status {
@@ -441,8 +434,8 @@ func (self *LightChain) GetBlockHashesFromHash(hash common.Hash, max uint64) []c
 //
 // Note: ancestor == 0 returns the same block, 1 returns its parent and so on.
 func (bc *LightChain) GetAncestor(hash common.Hash, number, ancestor uint64, maxNonCanonical *uint64) (common.Hash, uint64) {
-	bc.chainmu.Lock()
-	defer bc.chainmu.Unlock()
+	bc.chainmu.RLock()
+	defer bc.chainmu.RUnlock()
 
 	return bc.hc.GetAncestor(hash, number, ancestor, maxNonCanonical)
 }
@@ -483,8 +476,8 @@ func (self *LightChain) SyncCht(ctx context.Context) bool {
 	}
 	// Retrieve the latest useful header and update to it
 	if header, err := GetHeaderByNumber(ctx, self.odr, latest); header != nil && err == nil {
-		self.mu.Lock()
-		defer self.mu.Unlock()
+		self.chainmu.Lock()
+		defer self.chainmu.Unlock()
 
 		// Ensure the chain didn't move past the latest block while retrieving it
 		if self.hc.CurrentHeader().Number.Uint64() < header.Number.Uint64() {
diff --git a/light/lightchain_test.go b/light/lightchain_test.go
index d45c0656d928142e19d628d5dbed8cf2db6a29dd..374cb531987492ba225f3892aecea9c6066e002b 100644
--- a/light/lightchain_test.go
+++ b/light/lightchain_test.go
@@ -122,10 +122,10 @@ func testHeaderChainImport(chain []*types.Header, lightchain *LightChain) error
 			return err
 		}
 		// Manually insert the header into the database, but don't reorganize (allows subsequent testing)
-		lightchain.mu.Lock()
+		lightchain.chainmu.Lock()
 		rawdb.WriteTd(lightchain.chainDb, header.Hash(), header.Number.Uint64(), new(big.Int).Add(header.Difficulty, lightchain.GetTdByHash(header.ParentHash)))
 		rawdb.WriteHeader(lightchain.chainDb, header)
-		lightchain.mu.Unlock()
+		lightchain.chainmu.Unlock()
 	}
 	return nil
 }