diff --git a/consulmq.go b/consulmq.go
index dd6c99a..c1bddff 100644
--- a/consulmq.go
+++ b/consulmq.go
@@ -216,37 +216,13 @@ func (mq *MQ) loadIndex(q string) ([]string, *api.KVPair, error) {
 	return idx, obj, nil
 }
 
-func (mq *MQ) writeIndex(q string, idx []string, kv *api.KVPair) error {
-	sess, _, err := mq.session.CreateNoChecks(nil, nil)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
+func (mq *MQ) writeIndex(idx []string, kv *api.KVPair) error {
 	b, err := json.MarshalIndent(idx, "", "    ")
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	k := &api.KVPair{
-		Key:     mq.q.RootPath + q + "/_index",
-		Value:   b,
-		Session: sess,
-	}
-	lock := false
-	kv.Session = sess
-	for i := 0; i <= 10; i++ {
-		locked, _, err := mq.kv.Acquire(kv, nil)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		if locked {
-			lock = locked
-		}
-	}
-	defer mq.unlock(k)
-	if !lock {
-		return fmt.Errorf("unable to acquire index lock for queue " + q)
-	}
-
-	_, err = mq.kv.Put(k, nil)
+	kv.Value = b
+	_, err = mq.kv.Put(kv, nil)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -264,12 +240,17 @@ func (mq *MQ) unlock(kv *api.KVPair) {
 }
 
 func (mq *MQ) indexPush(queue string, id string) error {
-	idx, kv, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
+	kv, err := mq.lock(queue)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer mq.unlock(kv)
+	idx, _, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	idx = append(idx, id)
-	err = mq.writeIndex(queue, idx, kv)
+	err = mq.writeIndex(idx, kv)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -277,12 +258,17 @@ func (mq *MQ) indexPush(queue string, id string) error {
 }
 
 func (mq *MQ) indexPushFirst(queue string, id string) error {
-	idx, kv, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
+	kv, err := mq.lock(queue)
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	defer mq.unlock(kv)
+	idx, _, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	idx = append([]string{id}, idx...)
-	err = mq.writeIndex(queue, idx, kv)
+	err = mq.writeIndex(idx, kv)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
@@ -290,14 +276,19 @@ func (mq *MQ) indexPushFirst(queue string, id string) error {
 }
 
 func (mq *MQ) indexPop(queue string) (string, int, error) {
-	idx, kv, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
+	kv, err := mq.lock(queue)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", -1, err
+	}
+	defer mq.unlock(kv)
+	idx, _, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", len(idx), err
 	}
 	var id string
 	if len(idx) > 0 {
 		id, idx = idx[0], idx[1:]
-		err = mq.writeIndex(queue, idx, kv)
+		err = mq.writeIndex(idx, kv)
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", len(idx), err
 		}
@@ -306,7 +297,12 @@ func (mq *MQ) indexPop(queue string) (string, int, error) {
 }
 
 func (mq *MQ) indexPopLast(queue string) (string, int, error) {
-	idx, kv, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
+	kv, err := mq.lock(queue)
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", -1, err
+	}
+	defer mq.unlock(kv)
+	idx, _, err := mq.loadIndex(queue)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", len(idx), err
 	}
@@ -315,13 +311,39 @@ func (mq *MQ) indexPopLast(queue string) (string, int, error) {
 		id = idx[len(idx)-1]
 		idx[len(idx)-1] = ""
 		idx = idx[:len(idx)-1]
-		err = mq.writeIndex(queue, idx, kv)
+		err = mq.writeIndex(idx, kv)
 		if err != nil {
 			return "", len(idx), err
 		}
 	}
 	return id, len(idx), nil
+}
 
+func (mq *MQ) lock(q string) (*api.KVPair, error) {
+	sess, _, err := mq.session.CreateNoChecks(nil, nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	kv := &api.KVPair{
+		Key:     mq.q.RootPath + q + "/_index",
+		Session: sess,
+	}
+	lock := false
+	kv.Session = sess
+	for i := 0; i <= 10; i++ {
+		locked, _, err := mq.kv.Acquire(kv, nil)
+		if err != nil {
+			return kv, err
+		}
+		if locked {
+			lock = locked
+		}
+	}
+	if !lock {
+		return kv, fmt.Errorf("unable to acquire index lock for queue " + q)
+	}
+	return kv, nil
 }
 
 // Push an object to the rear of the queue. Push returns a QueueObject with the object ID,