diff --git a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/gce/gce_cloud.go b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/gce/gce_cloud.go
index 8471c57449..3ff5b0316f 100644
--- a/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/gce/gce_cloud.go
+++ b/upup/pkg/fi/cloudup/gce/gce_cloud.go
@@ -121,7 +121,9 @@ func DefaultProject() (string, error) {
 }
 
 func NewGCECloud(region string, project string, labels map[string]string) (GCECloud, error) {
+	gceCloudInstancesMapMutex.RLock()
 	i := gceCloudInstances[region+"::"+project]
+	gceCloudInstancesMapMutex.RUnlock()
 	if i != nil {
 		return i.(gceCloudInternal).WithLabels(labels), nil
 	}