diff --git a/holder.go b/holder.go
index d54fae43e..7fbb1b52c 100644
--- a/holder.go
+++ b/holder.go
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ func (h *Holder) CreateIndex(name string, opt IndexOptions) (*Index, error) {
 	defer h.mu.Unlock()
 
 	// Ensure index doesn't already exist.
-	if h.indexes[name] != nil {
+	if h.index(name) != nil {
 		return nil, newConflictError(ErrIndexExists)
 	}
 	return h.createIndex(name, opt)
@@ -407,21 +407,15 @@ func (h *Holder) CreateIndex(name string, opt IndexOptions) (*Index, error) {
 // CreateIndexIfNotExists returns an index by name.
 // The index is created if it does not already exist.
 func (h *Holder) CreateIndexIfNotExists(name string, opt IndexOptions) (*Index, error) {
-	h.mu.RLock()
+	h.mu.Lock()
+	defer h.mu.Unlock()
 
-	// Find index in cache first.
-	if index := h.indexes[name]; index != nil {
-		h.mu.RUnlock()
+	// Return index if it exists.
+	if index := h.index(name); index != nil {
 		return index, nil
 	}
 
-	h.mu.RUnlock()
-
-	index, err := h.CreateIndex(name, opt)
-	if _, ok := err.(ConflictError); err != nil && !ok {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-	return index, nil
+	return h.createIndex(name, opt)
 }
 
 func (h *Holder) createIndex(name string, opt IndexOptions) (*Index, error) {
@@ -429,11 +423,6 @@ func (h *Holder) createIndex(name string, opt IndexOptions) (*Index, error) {
 		return nil, errors.New("index name required")
 	}
 
-	// Return index if it exists.
-	if index := h.index(name); index != nil {
-		return index, nil
-	}
-
 	// Otherwise create a new index.
 	index, err := h.newIndex(h.IndexPath(name), name)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -443,9 +432,10 @@ func (h *Holder) createIndex(name string, opt IndexOptions) (*Index, error) {
 	index.keys = opt.Keys
 	index.trackExistence = opt.TrackExistence
 
-	if err := index.Open(); err != nil {
+	if err = index.Open(); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "opening")
-	} else if err := index.saveMeta(); err != nil {
+	}
+	if err = index.saveMeta(); err != nil {
 		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "meta")
 	}
 
diff --git a/holder_test.go b/holder_test.go
index 3f88703e5..24d42d1a0 100644
--- a/holder_test.go
+++ b/holder_test.go
@@ -197,7 +197,31 @@ func TestHolder_Open(t *testing.T) {
 			t.Fatalf("unexpected error: %s", err)
 		}
 	})
+	// Try to re-create existing index
+	t.Run("CreateIndexIfNotExists", func(t *testing.T) {
+		h := test.MustOpenHolder()
+		defer h.Close()
 
+		idx1, err := h.CreateIndexIfNotExists("aaa", pilosa.IndexOptions{})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if _, err = h.CreateIndex("aaa", pilosa.IndexOptions{}); err == nil {
+			t.Fatalf("expected: ConflictError, got: nil")
+		} else if _, ok := err.(pilosa.ConflictError); !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("expected: ConflictError, got: %s", err)
+		}
+
+		idx2, err := h.CreateIndexIfNotExists("aaa", pilosa.IndexOptions{})
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+
+		if idx1 != idx2 {
+			t.Fatalf("expected the same indexes, got: %s and %s", idx1.Name(), idx2.Name())
+		}
+	})
 }
 
 func TestHolder_HasData(t *testing.T) {