diff --git a/src/ui-socket.c b/src/ui-socket.c
index d8cbdc8..2653545 100644
--- a/src/ui-socket.c
+++ b/src/ui-socket.c
@@ -30,6 +30,8 @@
 #define DIALOGUE_NO 1
 #define DIALOGUE_PERM 2
 
+pthread_mutex_t access_check_mutex = PTHREAD_MUTEX_INITIALIZER;
+
 struct dialogue_response {
   access_t decision;
   char *filename;
@@ -127,6 +129,7 @@ struct dialogue_response ask_access(const char *filename,
   }
 
   int dialogue_exit_code = WEXITSTATUS(pclose(fp));
+
   fprintf(stderr, "dialogue wrote out %s\n", first(&dialogue_output));
   fprintf(stderr, "dialogue returned %d\n", dialogue_exit_code);
 
@@ -172,6 +175,7 @@ struct dialogue_response ask_access(const char *filename,
 int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
                        int opts) {
   char *real_path = real_filename(filename);
+  pthread_mutex_lock(&access_check_mutex);
 
   access_t access = check_temp_access(real_path, proc_info);
   if (access == ALLOW) {
@@ -180,6 +184,7 @@ int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
             "permission table.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     free(real_path);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
     return 1;
   }
   if (access == DENY) {
@@ -188,6 +193,7 @@ int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
             "permission table.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     free(real_path);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
     return 0;
   }
 
@@ -198,6 +204,7 @@ int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
             "permission table.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     free(real_path);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
     return 1;
   }
   if (access == DENY) {
@@ -206,6 +213,7 @@ int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
             "permission table.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     free(real_path);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
     return 0;
   }
 
@@ -216,12 +224,14 @@ int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
     fprintf(stderr, "Permission granted permanently to %s.\n", proc_info.name);
     set_perm_access(real_path, proc_info, SET_ALLOW);
     free(real_path);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
     return 1;
   }
   if (opts & GRANT_TEMP) {
     fprintf(stderr, "Permission granted temporarily to %s.\n", proc_info.name);
     set_temp_access(real_path, proc_info, SET_ALLOW);
     free(real_path);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
     return 1;
   }
 
@@ -245,43 +255,36 @@ int interactive_access(const char *filename, struct process_info proc_info,
   real_path = real_filename(response.filename);
   free(response.filename);
 
+  int ret = 0;
+
   if (response.decision == ALLOW) {
     fprintf(stderr,
             "Permission granted permanently to %s based on zenty response.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     set_perm_access(real_path, proc_info, SET_ALLOW);
-    free(real_path);
-    return 1;
-  }
-
-  if (response.decision == ALLOW_TEMP) {
+    ret = 1;
+  } else if (response.decision == ALLOW_TEMP) {
     fprintf(stderr,
             "Permission granted temporarily to %s based on zenty response.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     set_temp_access(real_path, proc_info, SET_ALLOW);
-    free(real_path);
-    return 1;
-  }
-
-  if (response.decision == DENY_TEMP) {
+    ret = 1;
+  } else if (response.decision == DENY_TEMP) {
     fprintf(stderr,
             "Permission denied temporarily to %s based on zenty response.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     set_temp_access(real_path, proc_info, SET_DENY);
-    free(real_path);
-    return 0;
-  }
-
-  if (response.decision == DENY) {
+    ret = 0;
+  } else if (response.decision == DENY) {
     fprintf(stderr,
             "Permission denied permanently to %s based on zenty response.\n",
             proc_info.name);
     set_perm_access(real_path, proc_info, SET_DENY);
-    free(real_path);
-    return 0;
+    ret = 0;
   }
+  pthread_mutex_unlock(&access_check_mutex);
 
   free(real_path);
   // deny on unknown options.
-  return 0;
+  return ret;
 }