diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
index e93801e..51b2792 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/live/mod.rs
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ use super::{
     ManagedTorrentInfo,
 };
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
 struct InflightPiece {
     peer: PeerHandle,
     started: Instant,
@@ -214,7 +215,7 @@ impl TorrentStateLive {
             peers: Default::default(),
             locked: RwLock::new(TorrentStateLocked {
                 chunks: Some(paused.chunk_tracker),
-                // TODO: move under per_piece_locks
+                // TODO: move under per_piece_locks?
                 inflight_pieces: Default::default(),
                 file_priorities,
                 fatal_errors_tx: Some(fatal_errors_tx),
@@ -1051,14 +1052,20 @@ impl PeerHandler {
 
             // heuristic for "too slow peer"
             if elapsed.as_secs_f64() > my_avg_time.as_secs_f64() * threshold {
-                debug!(
-                    "will steal piece {} from {}: elapsed time {:?}, my avg piece time: {:?}",
-                    idx, piece_req.peer, elapsed, my_avg_time
-                );
-                let old = piece_req.peer;
-                piece_req.peer = self.addr;
-                piece_req.started = Instant::now();
-                (*idx, old)
+                // If the piece is locked and someone is active writing to disk, don't steal it.
+                if let Some(_g) = self.state.per_piece_locks[idx.get_usize()].try_write() {
+                    debug!(
+                        "will steal piece {} from {}: elapsed time {:?}, my avg piece time: {:?}",
+                        idx, piece_req.peer, elapsed, my_avg_time
+                    );
+                    let old = piece_req.peer;
+                    piece_req.peer = self.addr;
+                    piece_req.started = Instant::now();
+                    (*idx, old)
+                } else {
+                    warn!(?idx, ?piece_req, "attempted to steal but peer was writing");
+                    return None;
+                }
             } else {
                 return None;
             }
@@ -1349,8 +1356,10 @@ impl PeerHandler {
         ) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
             let index = piece.index;
 
-            let full_piece_download_time = {
-                let mut g = state.lock_write("mark_chunk_downloaded");
+            let ppl_guard = {
+                let g = state.lock_read("check_steal");
+
+                let ppl = state.per_piece_locks[piece.index as usize].read();
 
                 match g.inflight_pieces.get(&chunk_info.piece_index) {
                     Some(InflightPiece { peer, .. }) if *peer == addr => {}
@@ -1370,10 +1379,26 @@ impl PeerHandler {
                     }
                 };
 
+                ppl
+            };
+
+            // While we hold per piece lock, noone can steal it.
+            // So we can proceed writing knowing that the piece is ours now and will still be by the time
+            // the write is finished.
+            match state.file_ops().write_chunk(addr, piece, chunk_info) {
+                Ok(()) => {}
+                Err(e) => {
+                    error!("FATAL: error writing chunk to disk: {:?}", e);
+                    return state.on_fatal_error(e);
+                }
+            };
+
+            let full_piece_download_time = {
+                let mut g = state.lock_write("mark_chunk_downloaded");
                 let chunk_marking_result = g.get_chunks_mut()?.mark_chunk_downloaded(piece);
                 trace!(?piece, chunk_marking_result=?chunk_marking_result);
 
-                let full_piece_download_time = match chunk_marking_result {
+                match chunk_marking_result {
                     Some(ChunkMarkingResult::Completed) => {
                         trace!("piece={} done, will write and checksum", piece.index);
                         // This will prevent others from stealing it.
@@ -1395,24 +1420,13 @@ impl PeerHandler {
                             piece
                         );
                     }
-                };
-
-                // By this time we reach here, no other peer can request this piece. All others, even if they steal pieces would
-                // have fallen off above in one of the defensive checks.
-
-                // Not being able to write to storage is a fatal error. You need to unpause the
-                // torrent to recover from it.
-                match state.file_ops().write_chunk(addr, piece, chunk_info) {
-                    Ok(()) => {}
-                    Err(e) => {
-                        error!("FATAL: error writing chunk to disk: {:?}", e);
-                        return state.on_fatal_error(e);
-                    }
-                };
-
-                full_piece_download_time
+                }
             };
 
+            // We don't care about per piece lock anymore, as it's removed from inflight pieces.
+            // It shouldn't impact perf anyway, but dropping just in case.
+            drop(ppl_guard);
+
             let full_piece_download_time = match full_piece_download_time {
                 Some(t) => t,
                 None => return Ok(()),
diff --git a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/utils.rs b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/utils.rs
index 3323cba..72e5118 100644
--- a/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/utils.rs
+++ b/crates/librqbit/src/torrent_state/utils.rs
@@ -74,6 +74,7 @@ mod timed_existence {
         fn drop(&mut self) {
             let elapsed = self.started.elapsed();
             let reason = self.reason;
+            tracing::trace!(name=%self.reason, ?elapsed, "dropping guard");
             if elapsed > MAX {
                 warn!("elapsed on lock {reason:?}: {elapsed:?}")
             }
@@ -96,10 +97,12 @@ mod timed_existence {
 
     pub fn timeit<R>(name: impl std::fmt::Display, f: impl FnOnce() -> R) -> R {
         let now = Instant::now();
+        tracing::trace!(%name, "starting");
         let r = f();
+        tracing::trace!(%name, "done");
         let elapsed = now.elapsed();
         if elapsed > MAX {
-            warn!("elapsed on \"{name:}\": {elapsed:?}")
+            warn!(%name, ?elapsed, max = ?MAX, "elapsed > MAX");
         }
         r
     }