diff --git a/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs b/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs
index 44ed870e3fb86b..d7455038d6410e 100644
--- a/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs
+++ b/core/src/banking_stage/latest_unprocessed_votes.rs
@@ -203,7 +203,10 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
         let pubkey = vote.pubkey();
         let slot = vote.slot();
         let timestamp = vote.timestamp();
-        if let Some(latest_vote) = self.get_entry(pubkey) {
+
+        let with_latest_vote = |latest_vote: &RwLock<LatestValidatorVotePacket>,
+                                vote: LatestValidatorVotePacket|
+         -> Option<LatestValidatorVotePacket> {
             let (latest_slot, latest_timestamp) = latest_vote
                 .read()
                 .map(|vote| (vote.slot(), vote.timestamp()))
@@ -225,15 +228,24 @@ impl LatestUnprocessedVotes {
                     }
                 }
             }
-            return Some(vote);
-        }
+            Some(vote)
+        };
 
-        // Should have low lock contention because this is only hit on the first few blocks of startup
-        // and when a new vote account starts voting.
-        let mut latest_votes_per_pubkey = self.latest_votes_per_pubkey.write().unwrap();
-        latest_votes_per_pubkey.insert(pubkey, Arc::new(RwLock::new(vote)));
-        self.num_unprocessed_votes.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
-        None
+        if let Some(latest_vote) = self.get_entry(pubkey) {
+            with_latest_vote(&latest_vote, vote)
+        } else {
+            // Grab write-lock to insert new vote.
+            match self.latest_votes_per_pubkey.write().unwrap().entry(pubkey) {
+                std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Occupied(entry) => {
+                    with_latest_vote(entry.get(), vote)
+                }
+                std::collections::hash_map::Entry::Vacant(entry) => {
+                    entry.insert(Arc::new(RwLock::new(vote)));
+                    self.num_unprocessed_votes.fetch_add(1, Ordering::Relaxed);
+                    None
+                }
+            }
+        }
     }
 
     #[cfg(test)]
@@ -682,6 +694,47 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_update_latest_vote_race() {
+        // There was a race condition in updating the same pubkey in the hashmap
+        // when the entry does not initially exist.
+        let latest_unprocessed_votes = Arc::new(LatestUnprocessedVotes::new());
+
+        const NUM_VOTES: usize = 100;
+        let keypairs = Arc::new(
+            (0..NUM_VOTES)
+                .map(|_| ValidatorVoteKeypairs::new_rand())
+                .collect_vec(),
+        );
+
+        // Insert votes in parallel
+        let insert_vote = |latest_unprocessed_votes: &LatestUnprocessedVotes,
+                           keypairs: &Arc<Vec<ValidatorVoteKeypairs>>,
+                           i: usize| {
+            let vote = from_slots(vec![(i as u64, 1)], VoteSource::Gossip, &keypairs[i], None);
+            latest_unprocessed_votes.update_latest_vote(vote);
+        };
+
+        let hdl = Builder::new()
+            .spawn({
+                let latest_unprocessed_votes = latest_unprocessed_votes.clone();
+                let keypairs = keypairs.clone();
+                move || {
+                    for i in 0..NUM_VOTES {
+                        insert_vote(&latest_unprocessed_votes, &keypairs, i);
+                    }
+                }
+            })
+            .unwrap();
+
+        for i in 0..NUM_VOTES {
+            insert_vote(&latest_unprocessed_votes, &keypairs, i);
+        }
+
+        hdl.join().unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(NUM_VOTES, latest_unprocessed_votes.len());
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_simulate_threads() {
         let latest_unprocessed_votes = Arc::new(LatestUnprocessedVotes::new());