diff --git a/core/src/cluster_nodes.rs b/core/src/cluster_nodes.rs
index d7bd52b88a..5729e0a09f 100644
--- a/core/src/cluster_nodes.rs
+++ b/core/src/cluster_nodes.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ use {
         cmp::Reverse,
         collections::HashMap,
         marker::PhantomData,
+        ops::Deref,
         sync::{Arc, Mutex},
         time::{Duration, Instant},
     },
@@ -47,9 +48,12 @@ pub struct ClusterNodes<T> {
     _phantom: PhantomData<T>,
 }
 
+type CacheEntry<T> = Option<(/*as of:*/ Instant, Arc<ClusterNodes<T>>)>;
+
 pub(crate) struct ClusterNodesCache<T> {
-    #[allow(clippy::type_complexity)]
-    cache: Mutex<LruCache<Epoch, (Instant, Arc<ClusterNodes<T>>)>>,
+    // Cache entries are wrapped in Arc<Mutex<...>>, so that, when needed, only
+    // one thread does the computations to update the entry for the epoch.
+    cache: Mutex<LruCache<Epoch, Arc<Mutex<CacheEntry<T>>>>>,
     ttl: Duration, // Time to live.
 }
 
@@ -241,6 +245,18 @@ impl<T> ClusterNodesCache<T> {
 }
 
 impl<T: 'static> ClusterNodesCache<T> {
+    fn get_cache_entry(&self, epoch: Epoch) -> Arc<Mutex<CacheEntry<T>>> {
+        let mut cache = self.cache.lock().unwrap();
+        match cache.get(&epoch) {
+            Some(entry) => Arc::clone(entry),
+            None => {
+                let entry = Arc::default();
+                cache.put(epoch, Arc::clone(&entry));
+                entry
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
     pub(crate) fn get(
         &self,
         shred_slot: Slot,
@@ -248,13 +264,13 @@ impl<T: 'static> ClusterNodesCache<T> {
         cluster_info: &ClusterInfo,
     ) -> Arc<ClusterNodes<T>> {
         let epoch = root_bank.get_leader_schedule_epoch(shred_slot);
-        {
-            let mut cache = self.cache.lock().unwrap();
-            if let Some((asof, nodes)) = cache.get(&epoch) {
-                if asof.elapsed() < self.ttl {
-                    return Arc::clone(nodes);
-                }
-                cache.pop(&epoch);
+        let entry = self.get_cache_entry(epoch);
+        // Hold the lock on the entry here so that, if needed, only
+        // one thread recomputes cluster-nodes for this epoch.
+        let mut entry = entry.lock().unwrap();
+        if let Some((asof, nodes)) = entry.deref() {
+            if asof.elapsed() < self.ttl {
+                return Arc::clone(nodes);
             }
         }
         let epoch_staked_nodes = root_bank.epoch_staked_nodes(epoch);
@@ -269,10 +285,7 @@ impl<T: 'static> ClusterNodesCache<T> {
             cluster_info,
             &epoch_staked_nodes.unwrap_or_default(),
         ));
-        {
-            let mut cache = self.cache.lock().unwrap();
-            cache.put(epoch, (Instant::now(), Arc::clone(&nodes)));
-        }
+        *entry = Some((Instant::now(), Arc::clone(&nodes)));
         nodes
     }
 }