diff --git a/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c b/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
index e44b834f5f..317efc663c 100644
--- a/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
+++ b/servers/slapd/overlays/syncprov.c
@@ -1515,6 +1515,10 @@ syncprov_op_response( Operation *op, SlapReply *rs )
 				strcpy( si->si_ctxcsnbuf, cbuf );
 				si->si_ctxcsn.bv_len = maxcsn.bv_len;
 			}
+		} else {
+			/* internal ops that aren't meant to be replicated */
+			ldap_pvt_thread_rdwr_wunlock( &si->si_csn_rwlock );
+			return SLAP_CB_CONTINUE;
 		}
 
 		/* Don't do any processing for consumer contextCSN updates */