diff --git a/include/proto/freq_ctr.h b/include/proto/freq_ctr.h
index 0d04110..c6ea5c2 100644
--- a/include/proto/freq_ctr.h
+++ b/include/proto/freq_ctr.h
@@ -24,22 +24,9 @@
 
 #include <common/config.h>
 #include <common/time.h>
+#include <common/hathreads.h>
 #include <types/freq_ctr.h>
 
-/* Rotate a frequency counter when current period is over. Must not be called
- * during a valid period. It is important that it correctly initializes a null
- * area.
- */
-static inline void rotate_freq_ctr(struct freq_ctr *ctr)
-{
-	ctr->prev_ctr = ctr->curr_ctr;
-	if (likely(now.tv_sec - ctr->curr_sec != 1)) {
-		/* we missed more than one second */
-		ctr->prev_ctr = 0;
-	}
-	ctr->curr_sec = now.tv_sec;
-	ctr->curr_ctr = 0; /* leave it at the end to help gcc optimize it away */
-}
 
 /* Update a frequency counter by <inc> incremental units. It is automatically
  * rotated if the period is over. It is important that it correctly initializes
@@ -47,32 +34,33 @@
  */
 static inline unsigned int update_freq_ctr(struct freq_ctr *ctr, unsigned int inc)
 {
-	if (likely(ctr->curr_sec == now.tv_sec)) {
-		ctr->curr_ctr += inc;
-		return ctr->curr_ctr;
+	unsigned int elapsed;
+	unsigned int tot_inc;
+	unsigned int curr_sec;
+
+	do {
+		/* remove the bit, used for the lock */
+		curr_sec = ctr->curr_sec & 0x7fffffff;
 	}
-	rotate_freq_ctr(ctr);
-	ctr->curr_ctr = inc;
-	return ctr->curr_ctr;
-	/* Note: later we may want to propagate the update to other counters */
-}
+	while (!HA_ATOMIC_CAS(&ctr->curr_sec, &curr_sec, curr_sec | 0x8000000));
 
-/* Rotate a frequency counter when current period is over. Must not be called
- * during a valid period. It is important that it correctly initializes a null
- * area. This one works on frequency counters which have a period different
- * from one second.
- */
-static inline void rotate_freq_ctr_period(struct freq_ctr_period *ctr,
-					  unsigned int period)
-{
-	ctr->prev_ctr = ctr->curr_ctr;
-	ctr->curr_tick += period;
-	if (likely(now_ms - ctr->curr_tick >= period)) {
-		/* we missed at least two periods */
-		ctr->prev_ctr = 0;
-		ctr->curr_tick = now_ms;
+	elapsed = (now.tv_sec & 0x7fffffff)- curr_sec;
+	if (unlikely(elapsed)) {
+		ctr->prev_ctr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		ctr->curr_ctr = 0;
+		if (likely(elapsed != 1)) {
+			/* we missed more than one second */
+			ctr->prev_ctr = 0;
+		}
 	}
-	ctr->curr_ctr = 0; /* leave it at the end to help gcc optimize it away */
+
+	ctr->curr_ctr += inc;
+	tot_inc = ctr->curr_ctr;
+
+	/* release the lock and update the time in case of rotate. */
+	HA_ATOMIC_STORE(&ctr->curr_sec, now.tv_sec & 0x7fffffff);
+	return tot_inc;
+	/* Note: later we may want to propagate the update to other counters */
 }
 
 /* Update a frequency counter by <inc> incremental units. It is automatically
@@ -83,13 +71,31 @@
 static inline unsigned int update_freq_ctr_period(struct freq_ctr_period *ctr,
 						  unsigned int period, unsigned int inc)
 {
-	if (likely(now_ms - ctr->curr_tick < period)) {
-		ctr->curr_ctr += inc;
-		return ctr->curr_ctr;
+	unsigned int tot_inc;
+	unsigned int curr_tick;
+
+	do {
+		/* remove the bit, used for the lock */
+		curr_tick = (ctr->curr_tick >> 1) << 1;
+	}
+	while (!HA_ATOMIC_CAS(&ctr->curr_tick, &curr_tick, curr_tick | 0x1));
+
+	if (now_ms - curr_tick >= period) {
+		ctr->prev_ctr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		ctr->curr_ctr = 0;
+		curr_tick += period;
+		if (likely(now_ms - curr_tick >= period)) {
+			/* we missed at least two periods */
+			ctr->prev_ctr = 0;
+			curr_tick = now_ms;
+		}
 	}
-	rotate_freq_ctr_period(ctr, period);
-	ctr->curr_ctr = inc;
-	return ctr->curr_ctr;
+
+	ctr->curr_ctr += inc;
+	tot_inc = ctr->curr_ctr;
+	/* release the lock and update the time in case of rotate. */
+	HA_ATOMIC_STORE(&ctr->curr_tick, (curr_tick >> 1) << 1);
+	return tot_inc;
 	/* Note: later we may want to propagate the update to other counters */
 }
 
diff --git a/src/freq_ctr.c b/src/freq_ctr.c
index 6dec970..37fb1f3 100644
--- a/src/freq_ctr.c
+++ b/src/freq_ctr.c
@@ -31,17 +31,25 @@
 unsigned int read_freq_ctr(struct freq_ctr *ctr)
 {
 	unsigned int curr, past;
-	unsigned int age;
+	unsigned int age, curr_sec;
 
-	age = now.tv_sec - ctr->curr_sec;
+	do {
+		curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+		curr_sec = ctr->curr_sec;
+
+	} while (curr != ctr->curr_ctr
+		 || past != ctr->prev_ctr
+		 || curr_sec !=  ctr->curr_sec
+		 || (curr_sec & 0x80000000));
+
+	age = now.tv_sec - curr_sec;
 	if (unlikely(age > 1))
 		return 0;
 
-	curr = 0;		
-	past = ctr->curr_ctr;
-	if (likely(!age)) {
-		curr = past;
-		past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+	if (unlikely(age)) {
+		past = curr;
+		curr = 0;
 	}
 
 	if (past <= 1 && !curr)
@@ -57,16 +65,25 @@
 unsigned int freq_ctr_remain(struct freq_ctr *ctr, unsigned int freq, unsigned int pend)
 {
 	unsigned int curr, past;
-	unsigned int age;
+	unsigned int age, curr_sec;
+
+	do {
+		curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+		curr_sec = ctr->curr_sec;
 
-	curr = 0;		
-	age = now.tv_sec - ctr->curr_sec;
+	} while (curr != ctr->curr_ctr
+		 || past != ctr->prev_ctr
+		 || curr_sec !=  ctr->curr_sec
+		 || (curr_sec & 0x80000000));
 
-	if (likely(age <= 1)) {
-		past = ctr->curr_ctr;
-		if (likely(!age)) {
-			curr = past;
-			past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+	age = now.tv_sec - curr_sec;
+	if (unlikely(age > 1))
+		curr = 0;
+	else {
+		if (unlikely(age == 1)) {
+			past = curr;
+			curr = 0;
 		}
 		curr += mul32hi(past, ms_left_scaled);
 	}
@@ -86,17 +103,25 @@
 unsigned int next_event_delay(struct freq_ctr *ctr, unsigned int freq, unsigned int pend)
 {
 	unsigned int curr, past;
-	unsigned int wait, age;
+	unsigned int wait, age, curr_sec;
+
+	do {
+		curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+		curr_sec = ctr->curr_sec;
 
-	past = 0;
-	curr = 0;		
-	age = now.tv_sec - ctr->curr_sec;
+	} while (curr != ctr->curr_ctr
+		 || past != ctr->prev_ctr
+		 || curr_sec !=  ctr->curr_sec
+		 || (curr_sec & 0x80000000));
 
-	if (likely(age <= 1)) {
-		past = ctr->curr_ctr;
-		if (likely(!age)) {
-			curr = past;
-			past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+	age = now.tv_sec - curr_sec;
+	if (unlikely(age > 1))
+		curr = 0;
+	else {
+		if (unlikely(age == 1)) {
+			past = curr;
+			curr = 0;
 		}
 		curr += mul32hi(past, ms_left_scaled);
 	}
@@ -128,12 +153,19 @@
 unsigned int read_freq_ctr_period(struct freq_ctr_period *ctr, unsigned int period)
 {
 	unsigned int curr, past;
-	unsigned int remain;
+	unsigned int remain, curr_tick;
 
-	curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
-	past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+	do {
+		curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+		curr_tick = ctr->curr_tick;
+
+	} while (curr != ctr->curr_ctr
+		 ||  past != ctr->prev_ctr
+		 || curr_tick !=  ctr->curr_tick
+		 || (curr_tick & 0x1));
 
-	remain = ctr->curr_tick + period - now_ms;
+	remain = curr_tick + period - now_ms;
 	if (unlikely((int)remain < 0)) {
 		/* We're past the first period, check if we can still report a
 		 * part of last period or if we're too far away.
@@ -159,12 +191,19 @@
 				    unsigned int freq, unsigned int pend)
 {
 	unsigned int curr, past;
-	unsigned int remain;
+	unsigned int remain, curr_tick;
 
-	curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
-	past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+	do {
+		curr = ctr->curr_ctr;
+		past = ctr->prev_ctr;
+		curr_tick = ctr->curr_tick;
+
+	} while (curr != ctr->curr_ctr
+		 ||  past != ctr->prev_ctr
+		 || curr_tick !=  ctr->curr_tick
+		 || (curr_tick & 0x1));
 
-	remain = ctr->curr_tick + period - now_ms;
+	remain = curr_tick + period - now_ms;
 	if (likely((int)remain < 0)) {
 		/* We're past the first period, check if we can still report a
 		 * part of last period or if we're too far away.