diff --git a/extern/storage-sealing/fsm.go b/extern/storage-sealing/fsm.go
index 09ac8c61b..ea4982d2c 100644
--- a/extern/storage-sealing/fsm.go
+++ b/extern/storage-sealing/fsm.go
@@ -409,8 +409,9 @@ func (m *Sealing) restartSectors(ctx context.Context) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	m.unsealedInfoMap.lk.Lock()
+	// m.unsealedInfoMap.lk.Lock() taken early in .New to prevent races
 	defer m.unsealedInfoMap.lk.Unlock()
+
 	for _, sector := range trackedSectors {
 		if err := m.sectors.Send(uint64(sector.SectorNumber), SectorRestart{}); err != nil {
 			log.Errorf("restarting sector %d: %+v", sector.SectorNumber, err)
diff --git a/extern/storage-sealing/sealing.go b/extern/storage-sealing/sealing.go
index d0c8fd3c9..92beb8ddf 100644
--- a/extern/storage-sealing/sealing.go
+++ b/extern/storage-sealing/sealing.go
@@ -145,6 +145,8 @@ func New(api SealingAPI, fc FeeConfig, events Events, maddr address.Address, ds
 
 	s.sectors = statemachine.New(namespace.Wrap(ds, datastore.NewKey(SectorStorePrefix)), s, SectorInfo{})
 
+	s.unsealedInfoMap.lk.Lock() // released after initialized in .Run()
+
 	return s
 }