diff --git a/src/config_file.c b/src/config_file.c
index fdc9bc8a2..56271144b 100644
--- a/src/config_file.c
+++ b/src/config_file.c
@@ -270,7 +270,6 @@ static int config_open(git_config_backend *cfg, git_config_level_t level)
 	if ((res = refcounted_strmap_alloc(&b->header.values)) < 0)
 		return res;
 
-	git_mutex_init(&b->header.values_mutex);
 	git_array_init(b->readers);
 	reader = git_array_alloc(b->readers);
 	if (!reader) {
@@ -375,6 +374,7 @@ static void backend_free(git_config_backend *_backend)
 
 	git__free(backend->file_path);
 	refcounted_strmap_free(backend->header.values);
+	git_mutex_free(&backend->header.values_mutex);
 	git__free(backend);
 }
 
@@ -686,6 +686,7 @@ int git_config_file__ondisk(git_config_backend **out, const char *path)
 	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(backend);
 
 	backend->header.parent.version = GIT_CONFIG_BACKEND_VERSION;
+	git_mutex_init(&backend->header.values_mutex);
 
 	backend->file_path = git__strdup(path);
 	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(backend->file_path);
@@ -758,6 +759,7 @@ static void backend_readonly_free(git_config_backend *_backend)
 		return;
 
 	refcounted_strmap_free(backend->header.values);
+	git_mutex_free(&backend->header.values_mutex);
 	git__free(backend);
 }
 
@@ -784,6 +786,7 @@ int git_config_file__snapshot(git_config_backend **out, diskfile_backend *in)
 	GITERR_CHECK_ALLOC(backend);
 
 	backend->header.parent.version = GIT_CONFIG_BACKEND_VERSION;
+	git_mutex_init(&backend->header.values_mutex);
 
 	backend->snapshot_from = in;