diff --git a/src/usb/ftdi_ft4222.c b/src/usb/ftdi_ft4222.c
index 4664b34..18a3d91 100644
--- a/src/usb/ftdi_ft4222.c
+++ b/src/usb/ftdi_ft4222.c
@@ -220,18 +220,15 @@ mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_read_internal(FT_HANDLE handle, uint8_t addr, uint8_t* data
     uint16 bytesRead = 0;
     uint8 controllerStatus;
     // syslog(LOG_NOTICE, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Read(%#02X, %#02X)", addr, length);
-    mraa_ftdi_ft4222_sleep_ms(1);
-    pthread_mutex_lock(&ft4222_lock);
+    // mraa_ftdi_ft4222_sleep_ms(1);
     FT4222_STATUS ft4222Status = FT4222_I2CMaster_Read(handle, addr, data, length, &bytesRead);
     ft4222Status = FT4222_I2CMaster_GetStatus(ftHandleI2c, &controllerStatus);
     if (FT4222_OK != ft4222Status || I2CM_ERROR(controllerStatus)) {
         syslog(LOG_ERR, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Read failed for address %#02x\n", addr);
         FT4222_I2CMaster_Reset(handle);
-        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ft4222_lock);
         return 0;
     }
     // syslog(LOG_NOTICE, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Read completed");
-    pthread_mutex_unlock(&ft4222_lock);
     return bytesRead;
 }
 
@@ -241,20 +238,17 @@ mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_write_internal(FT_HANDLE handle, uint8_t addr, const uint8_
     uint16 bytesWritten = 0;
     uint8 controllerStatus;
     // syslog(LOG_NOTICE, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Write(%#02X, %#02X, %d)", addr, *data, bytesToWrite);
-    pthread_mutex_lock(&ft4222_lock);
     FT4222_STATUS ft4222Status = FT4222_I2CMaster_Write(handle, addr, (uint8_t*) data, bytesToWrite, &bytesWritten);
     ft4222Status = FT4222_I2CMaster_GetStatus(ftHandleI2c, &controllerStatus);
     if (FT4222_OK != ft4222Status || I2CM_ERROR(controllerStatus)) {
         syslog(LOG_ERR, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Write failed address %#02x\n", addr);
         FT4222_I2CMaster_Reset(handle);
-        pthread_mutex_unlock(&ft4222_lock);
         return 0;
     }
-    pthread_mutex_unlock(&ft4222_lock);
     if (bytesWritten != bytesToWrite)
         syslog(LOG_ERR, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Write wrote %u of %u bytes.\n", bytesWritten, bytesToWrite);
 
-    syslog(LOG_NOTICE, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Write completed");
+    // syslog(LOG_NOTICE, "FT4222_I2CMaster_Write completed");
     return bytesWritten;
 }
 
@@ -322,19 +316,23 @@ mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_select_bus(int bus)
 static int
 mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_context_read(mraa_i2c_context dev, uint8_t* data, int length)
 {
+    int bytes_read = 0;
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&ft4222_lock);
     if (mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_select_bus(dev->busnum) == MRAA_SUCCESS)
-        return mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_read_internal(dev->handle, dev->addr, data, length);
-    else
-        return 0;
+        bytes_read = mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_read_internal(dev->handle, dev->addr, data, length);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&ft4222_lock);
+    return bytes_read;
 }
 
 static int
 mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_context_write(mraa_i2c_context dev, uint8_t* data, int length)
 {
+    int bytes_written = 0;
+    pthread_mutex_lock(&ft4222_lock);
     if (mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_select_bus(dev->busnum) == MRAA_SUCCESS)
-        return mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_write_internal(dev->handle, dev->addr, data, length);
-    else
-        return 0;
+        bytes_written = mraa_ftdi_ft4222_i2c_write_internal(dev->handle, dev->addr, data, length);
+    pthread_mutex_unlock(&ft4222_lock);
+    return bytes_written;
 }