diff --git a/src/validation.cpp b/src/validation.cpp
index 6866605f2..7c4c84c3f 100644
--- a/src/validation.cpp
+++ b/src/validation.cpp
@@ -144,6 +144,12 @@ private:
       */
     std::set<CBlockIndex*> g_failed_blocks;
 
+    /**
+     * the ChainState CriticalSection
+     * A lock that must be held when modifying this ChainState - held in ActivateBestChain()
+     */
+    CCriticalSection m_cs_chainstate;
+
 public:
     CChain chainActive;
     BlockMap mapBlockIndex;
@@ -2451,6 +2457,7 @@ void CChainState::PruneBlockIndexCandidates() {
 bool CChainState::ActivateBestChainStep(CValidationState& state, const CChainParams& chainparams, CBlockIndex* pindexMostWork, const std::shared_ptr<const CBlock>& pblock, bool& fInvalidFound, ConnectTrace& connectTrace)
 {
     AssertLockHeld(cs_main);
+
     const CBlockIndex *pindexOldTip = chainActive.Tip();
     const CBlockIndex *pindexFork = chainActive.FindFork(pindexMostWork);
 
@@ -2562,6 +2569,12 @@ bool CChainState::ActivateBestChain(CValidationState &state, const CChainParams&
     // sanely for performance or correctness!
     AssertLockNotHeld(cs_main);
 
+    // ABC maintains a fair degree of expensive-to-calculate internal state
+    // because this function periodically releases cs_main so that it does not lock up other threads for too long
+    // during large connects - and to allow for e.g. the callback queue to drain
+    // we use m_cs_chainstate to enforce mutual exclusion so that only one caller may execute this function at a time
+    LOCK(m_cs_chainstate);
+
     CBlockIndex *pindexMostWork = nullptr;
     CBlockIndex *pindexNewTip = nullptr;
     int nStopAtHeight = gArgs.GetArg("-stopatheight", DEFAULT_STOPATHEIGHT);