diff --git a/openide.loaders/src/org/openide/loaders/DataObject.java b/openide.loaders/src/org/openide/loaders/DataObject.java
--- a/openide.loaders/src/org/openide/loaders/DataObject.java
+++ b/openide.loaders/src/org/openide/loaders/DataObject.java
@@ -129,9 +129,12 @@
      * objects. It is static and shared among all DataObjects.
      */
     private static final Object listenersMethodLock = new Object();
-    
-    /** Lock used for ensuring there will be just one node delegate */
-    private final Object nodeCreationLock = new Object();
+
+    /**
+     * Does not guarantee that {@link #createNodeDelegate} will be called only once.
+     * But does guarantee that only one resulting node will actually be used.
+     */
+    private final static Object NODE_CREATION_LOCK = new Object();
     
     /** Lock for copy/move/rename/etc. operations */
     private static Object synchObject = new Object ();
@@ -274,26 +277,18 @@
     }
     
     private final Node getNodeDelegateImpl() {
-        if (nodeDelegate == null) {
-            // synchronize on something private, so only one delegate can be created
-            // do not synchronize on this, because we could deadlock with
-            // subclasses could synchronize too.
-            Children.MUTEX.readAccess (new Runnable() {
-                public void run() {
-                    synchronized(nodeCreationLock) {
-                        if (nodeDelegate == null) {
-                            nodeDelegate = createNodeDelegate();
-                        }
-                    }
+        if (getNodeDelegateOrNull() == null) {
+            Node _nodeDelegate = createNodeDelegate();
+            if (_nodeDelegate == null) {
+                throw new IllegalStateException(this + " has null node delegate"); // NOI18N
+            }
+            synchronized (NODE_CREATION_LOCK) {
+                if (nodeDelegate == null) {
+                    nodeDelegate = _nodeDelegate;
                 }
-            });
-
-            // JST: debuging code
-            if (nodeDelegate == null) {
-                throw new IllegalStateException("DataObject " + this + " has null node delegate"); // NOI18N
             }
         }
-        return nodeDelegate;
+        return getNodeDelegateOrNull();
     }
     
     /** This method allows DataFolder to filter its nodes.
@@ -310,11 +305,15 @@
      * @return node delegate or null
      */
     final Node getNodeDelegateOrNull () {
-        return nodeDelegate;
+        synchronized (NODE_CREATION_LOCK) {
+            return nodeDelegate;
+        }
     }
 
     final void setNodeDelegate(Node n) {
-        nodeDelegate = n;
+        synchronized (NODE_CREATION_LOCK) {
+            nodeDelegate = n;
+        }
     }
 
     /** Provides node that should represent this data object.