diff --git a/security/nss/lib/softoken/pkcs11u.c b/security/nss/lib/softoken/pkcs11u.c
index 6be47eb7d8b..7469fea2bb4 100644
--- a/security/nss/lib/softoken/pkcs11u.c
+++ b/security/nss/lib/softoken/pkcs11u.c
@@ -1841,6 +1841,9 @@ pk11_PutObjectToList(PK11Object *object, PK11ObjectFreeList *list,
     PRBool optimizeSpace = isSessionObject && 
 				((PK11SessionObject *)object)->optimizeSpace; 
     if (!optimizeSpace && (list->count < MAX_OBJECT_LIST_SIZE)) {
+	if (list->lock == NULL) {
+	    list->lock = PZ_NewLock(nssILockObject);
+	}
 	PK11_USE_THREADS(PZ_Lock(list->lock));
 	object->next = list->head;
 	list->head = object;