diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h
index ff1ab0e..2928438 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds__entity.h
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ dds_entity_register_child (
 DDS_EXPORT void
 dds_entity_add_ref_locked(dds_entity *e);
 
-#define DEFINE_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK(qualifier_, type_, kind_) \
+#define DEFINE_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK_ONLY(qualifier_, type_, kind_) \
   qualifier_ dds_return_t type_##_lock (dds_entity_t hdl, type_ **x) \
   { \
     dds_return_t rc; \
@@ -46,15 +46,29 @@ dds_entity_add_ref_locked(dds_entity *e);
     *x = (type_ *) e; \
     return DDS_RETCODE_OK; \
   } \
-  \
   qualifier_ void type_##_unlock (type_ *x) \
   { \
     dds_entity_unlock (&x->m_entity); \
   }
-#define DECL_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK(qualifier_, type_) \
+#define DECL_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK_ONLY(qualifier_, type_) \
   qualifier_ dds_return_t type_##_lock (dds_entity_t hdl, type_ **x); \
   qualifier_ void type_##_unlock (type_ *x);
 
+#define DEFINE_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK(qualifier_, type_, kind_) \
+  DEFINE_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK_ONLY (qualifier_, type_, kind_) \
+  qualifier_ dds_return_t type_##_lock_for_create (dds_entity_t hdl, type_ **x) \
+  { \
+    dds_return_t rc; \
+    dds_entity *e; \
+    if ((rc = dds_entity_lock_for_create (hdl, kind_, &e)) < 0) \
+      return rc; \
+    *x = (type_ *) e; \
+    return DDS_RETCODE_OK; \
+  }
+#define DECL_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK(qualifier_, type_) \
+  DECL_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK_ONLY (qualifier_, type_) \
+  qualifier_ dds_return_t type_##_lock_for_create (dds_entity_t hdl, type_ **x);
+
 DDS_EXPORT inline dds_entity *dds_entity_from_handle_link (struct dds_handle_link *hdllink) {
   return (dds_entity *) ((char *) hdllink - offsetof (struct dds_entity, m_hdllink));
 }
@@ -96,6 +110,12 @@ dds_entity_lock(
   dds_entity_kind_t kind,
   dds_entity **e);
 
+DDS_EXPORT dds_return_t
+dds_entity_lock_for_create(
+  dds_entity_t hdl,
+  dds_entity_kind_t kind,
+  dds_entity **e);
+
 DDS_EXPORT void
 dds_entity_unlock(dds_entity *e);
 
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c
index 86f578a..06c66d4 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_entity.c
@@ -1099,6 +1099,20 @@ dds_return_t dds_entity_lock (dds_entity_t hdl, dds_entity_kind_t kind, dds_enti
   }
 }
 
+dds_return_t dds_entity_lock_for_create (dds_entity_t hdl, dds_entity_kind_t kind, dds_entity **eptr)
+{
+  dds_return_t res;
+  if ((res = dds_entity_lock (hdl, kind, eptr)) < 0)
+    return res;
+  else if (!dds_handle_is_closed (&(*eptr)->m_hdllink))
+    return DDS_RETCODE_OK;
+  else
+  {
+    ddsrt_mutex_unlock (&(*eptr)->m_mutex);
+    return DDS_RETCODE_BAD_PARAMETER;
+  }
+}
+
 void dds_entity_unlock (dds_entity *e)
 {
   ddsrt_mutex_unlock (&e->m_mutex);
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_guardcond.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_guardcond.c
index 1ff1d52..d71e703 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_guardcond.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_guardcond.c
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_guardcondition (dds_entity_t owner)
   if ((rc = dds_init ()) < 0)
     return rc;
 
-  if ((rc = dds_entity_lock (owner, DDS_KIND_DONTCARE, &e)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_entity_lock_for_create (owner, DDS_KIND_DONTCARE, &e)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     goto err_entity_lock;
 
   switch (dds_entity_kind (e))
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_publisher.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_publisher.c
index b06306c..5236870 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_publisher.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_publisher.c
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_publisher (dds_entity_t participant, const dds_qos_t *qo
   dds_qos_t *new_qos;
   dds_return_t ret;
 
-  if ((ret = dds_participant_lock (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((ret = dds_participant_lock_for_create (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     return ret;
 
   new_qos = dds_create_qos ();
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_querycond.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_querycond.c
index a589ce0..79e3c9c 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_querycond.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_querycond.c
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_querycondition (dds_entity_t reader, uint32_t mask, dds_
   dds_return_t rc;
   dds_reader *r;
 
-  if ((rc = dds_reader_lock (reader, &r)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_reader_lock_for_create (reader, &r)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     return rc;
   else
   {
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c
index acfd1b8..e3b8f1b 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_readcond.c
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_readcondition (dds_entity_t reader, uint32_t mask)
 {
   dds_reader *rd;
   dds_return_t rc;
-  if ((rc = dds_reader_lock (reader, &rd)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_reader_lock_for_create (reader, &rd)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     return rc;
   else
   {
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c
index b18fb06..45d754f 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_reader.c
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_reader (dds_entity_t participant_or_subscriber, dds_enti
     }
   }
 
-  if ((ret = dds_subscriber_lock (subscriber, &sub)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((ret = dds_subscriber_lock_for_create (subscriber, &sub)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
   {
     reader = ret;
     goto err_sub_lock;
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_reader (dds_entity_t participant_or_subscriber, dds_enti
     sub->m_entity.m_flags |= DDS_ENTITY_IMPLICIT;
   }
 
-  if ((ret = dds_topic_lock (t, &tp)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((ret = dds_topic_lock_for_create (t, &tp)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
   {
     reader = ret;
     goto err_tp_lock;
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_reader (dds_entity_t participant_or_subscriber, dds_enti
   ddsrt_mutex_lock (&tp->m_entity.m_mutex);
   assert (ret == DDS_RETCODE_OK); /* FIXME: can be out-of-resources at the very least */
   thread_state_asleep (lookup_thread_state ());
-  
+
   rd->m_entity.m_iid = get_entity_instance_id (&rd->m_entity.m_domain->gv, &rd->m_entity.m_guid);
   dds_entity_register_child (&sub->m_entity, &rd->m_entity);
 
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_subscriber.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_subscriber.c
index 2c3f6ae..362a375 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_subscriber.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_subscriber.c
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_subscriber (dds_entity_t participant, const dds_qos_t *q
   dds_participant *par;
   dds_entity_t hdl;
   dds_return_t ret;
-  if ((ret = dds_participant_lock (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((ret = dds_participant_lock_for_create (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     return ret;
   hdl = dds__create_subscriber_l (par, qos, listener);
   dds_participant_unlock (par);
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_topic.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_topic.c
index c7c15f9..1cfca94 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_topic.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_topic.c
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_topic_arbitrary (dds_entity_t participant, struct ddsi_s
 
   /* FIXME: just mutex_lock ought to be good enough, but there is the
      pesky "closed" check still ... */
-  if ((rc = dds_participant_lock (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_participant_lock_for_create (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     goto err_lock_participant;
 
   bool retry_lookup;
@@ -384,7 +384,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_topic_arbitrary (dds_entity_t participant, struct ddsi_s
           abort ();
       }
 
-      if ((rc = dds_participant_lock (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+      if ((rc = dds_participant_lock_for_create (participant, &par)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
         goto err_lock_participant;
     }
   } while (retry_lookup);
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_waitset.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_waitset.c
index 5dcd0bd..6e50c16 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_waitset.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_waitset.c
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #include "dds__rhc.h"
 #include "dds/ddsi/ddsi_iid.h"
 
-DEFINE_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK (static, dds_waitset, DDS_KIND_WAITSET)
+DEFINE_ENTITY_LOCK_UNLOCK_ONLY (static, dds_waitset, DDS_KIND_WAITSET)
 
 static bool is_triggered (struct dds_entity *e)
 {
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_waitset (dds_entity_t owner)
   if ((rc = dds_init ()) < 0)
     return rc;
 
-  if ((rc = dds_entity_lock (owner, DDS_KIND_DONTCARE, &e)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_entity_lock_for_create (owner, DDS_KIND_DONTCARE, &e)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     goto err_entity_lock;
 
   switch (dds_entity_kind (e))
diff --git a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c
index 7dc4579..0be56b5 100644
--- a/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c
+++ b/src/core/ddsc/src/dds_writer.c
@@ -261,14 +261,14 @@ dds_entity_t dds_create_writer (dds_entity_t participant_or_publisher, dds_entit
     dds_entity_unpin (p_or_p);
   }
 
-  if ((rc = dds_publisher_lock (publisher, &pub)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_publisher_lock_for_create (publisher, &pub)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     return rc;
 
   ddsi_tran_conn_t conn = pub->m_entity.m_domain->gv.data_conn_uc;
   if (publisher != participant_or_publisher)
     pub->m_entity.m_flags |= DDS_ENTITY_IMPLICIT;
 
-  if ((rc = dds_topic_lock (topic, &tp)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
+  if ((rc = dds_topic_lock_for_create (topic, &tp)) != DDS_RETCODE_OK)
     goto err_tp_lock;
   assert (tp->m_stopic);