diff --git a/src/engine/threaded_engine.cc b/src/engine/threaded_engine.cc
index dd7662095097..8e59c59ab30e 100644
--- a/src/engine/threaded_engine.cc
+++ b/src/engine/threaded_engine.cc
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ void ThreadedVar::CompleteReadDependency(Dispatcher dispatcher) {
 
 template <typename Dispatcher>
 bool ThreadedVar::CompleteWriteDependency(Dispatcher dispatcher) {
-  VersionedVarBlock *old_pending_write, *end_of_dispatch_chain;
+  VersionedVarBlock *old_pending_write, *end_of_read_chain;
+  bool trigger_write = false;
   {
     // this is lock scope
     std::lock_guard<std::mutex> lock{m_};
@@ -91,32 +92,31 @@ bool ThreadedVar::CompleteWriteDependency(Dispatcher dispatcher) {
     // detach pending write
     old_pending_write = pending_write_;
     // search for chains to trigger
-    VersionedVarBlock *p = old_pending_write->next;
+    end_of_read_chain = old_pending_write->next;
     assert(num_pending_reads_ == 0);
-    while (p->next != nullptr && p->write == false) {
+    while (end_of_read_chain->next != nullptr &&
+           end_of_read_chain->write == false) {
       ++num_pending_reads_;
-      p = p->next;
+      end_of_read_chain = end_of_read_chain->next;
     }
-    // mark end of dispatch chain
-    end_of_dispatch_chain = p;
-
-    if (p->next == nullptr) {
+    // check the states
+    if (end_of_read_chain->next == nullptr) {
       ready_to_read_ = true;
       pending_write_ = nullptr;
-      assert(p->trigger == nullptr);
-      assert(p->write ==false);
     } else {
-      assert(p->write == true);
-      pending_write_ = p;
+      assert(end_of_read_chain->write == true);
+      pending_write_ = end_of_read_chain;
       if (num_pending_reads_ == 0) {
-        if (--pending_write_->trigger->wait == 0) {
-          dispatcher(pending_write_->trigger);
-        }
+        trigger_write = true;
       }
     }
   }
-  // this is outside of lock scope
-  // the linked list is detached from variable
+  // This is outside of lock scope
+  // Be very carful, pending_write_ and num_pending_reads_
+  // can change now, do not reply ont the two variables.
+  // The linked list \in [old_pending_write, end_of_read_chain)
+  // is already detached from this Var.
+  // So it is safe to modify these
   VersionedVarBlock *cur_head = old_pending_write->next;
   VersionedVarBlock::Delete(old_pending_write);
   if (to_delete_) {
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ bool ThreadedVar::CompleteWriteDependency(Dispatcher dispatcher) {
     return true;
   }
   // dispatch all the events
-  while (cur_head != end_of_dispatch_chain) {
+  while (cur_head != end_of_read_chain) {
     if (--cur_head->trigger->wait == 0) {
       dispatcher(cur_head->trigger);
     }
@@ -134,6 +134,13 @@ bool ThreadedVar::CompleteWriteDependency(Dispatcher dispatcher) {
     assert(cur_head != nullptr);
     VersionedVarBlock::Delete(prev);
   }
+  // Be careful, do not use pending_write_  or num_pending_reads_ here.
+  // As they can change, use end_of_read_chain
+  if (trigger_write) {
+    if (--end_of_read_chain->trigger->wait == 0) {
+      dispatcher(end_of_read_chain->trigger);
+    }
+  }
   return false;
 }