diff --git a/pkg/cache/cache.go b/pkg/cache/cache.go
index 3059f01..687a74e 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/cache.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/cache.go
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ func (localCache) delete(key string) {
 type redisCache struct {
 	log     *slog.Logger
 	writer  simpleredis.SimpleRedis
-	readers []simpleredis.SimpleRedis
+	readers []*simpleredis.SimpleRedis
 	counter atomic.Uint64
 }
 
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ func (rc *redisCache) nextReader() *simpleredis.SimpleRedis {
 		return &rc.writer
 	}
 	idx := rc.counter.Add(1) % uint64(n)
-	return &rc.readers[idx]
+	return rc.readers[idx]
 }
 
 func (rc *redisCache) get(key string) (string, error) {
@@ -115,7 +115,9 @@ func (c *Client) New(log *slog.Logger, isRedis bool, writeHost string, readHosts
 		rc := &redisCache{log: log}
 		rc.writer.Init(writeHost, pass, database)
 		for _, h := range readHosts {
-			var r simpleredis.SimpleRedis
+			// A pooled SimpleRedis holds a mutex, so it is kept by pointer:
+			// appending it by value would copy the lock along with it.
+			r := &simpleredis.SimpleRedis{}
 			r.Init(h, pass, database)
 			rc.readers = append(rc.readers, r)
 		}
diff --git a/pkg/cache/cache_test.go b/pkg/cache/cache_test.go
index 3aa3aea..ec114be 100644
--- a/pkg/cache/cache_test.go
+++ b/pkg/cache/cache_test.go
@@ -130,7 +130,7 @@ func indexOfReader(rc *redisCache, r *simpleredis.SimpleRedis) int {
 		return -1
 	}
 	for i := range rc.readers {
-		if r == &rc.readers[i] {
+		if r == rc.readers[i] {
 			return i
 		}
 	}
@@ -151,7 +151,10 @@ func Test_nextReader(t *testing.T) {
 	for _, tt := range tests {
 		t.Run(tt.name, func(t *testing.T) {
 			rc := &redisCache{log: logger.New("INFO", "")}
-			rc.readers = make([]simpleredis.SimpleRedis, tt.readers)
+			rc.readers = make([]*simpleredis.SimpleRedis, tt.readers)
+			for i := range rc.readers {
+				rc.readers[i] = &simpleredis.SimpleRedis{}
+			}
 			for call, want := range tt.want {
 				if got := indexOfReader(rc, rc.nextReader()); got != want {
 					t.Errorf("call %d: nextReader() -> reader[%d], want reader[%d]", call, got, want)