diff --git a/src/dbnode/integration/dynamic_namespace_add_test.go b/src/dbnode/integration/dynamic_namespace_add_test.go
index 44889dd8bb..bf5f0be2ba 100644
--- a/src/dbnode/integration/dynamic_namespace_add_test.go
+++ b/src/dbnode/integration/dynamic_namespace_add_test.go
@@ -23,14 +23,17 @@
 package integration
 
 import (
+	"sync"
 	"testing"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/cluster/integration/etcd"
 	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/dbnode/integration/generate"
 	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/dbnode/namespace"
+	"github.com/m3db/m3/src/dbnode/storage/block"
 	xtime "github.com/m3db/m3/src/x/time"
 
+	"github.com/golang/mock/gomock"
 	"github.com/golang/protobuf/proto"
 	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
 )
@@ -39,6 +42,8 @@ func TestDynamicNamespaceAdd(t *testing.T) {
 	if testing.Short() {
 		t.SkipNow() // Just skip if we're doing a short run
 	}
+	ctrl := gomock.NewController(t)
+	defer ctrl.Finish()
 
 	// test options
 	testOpts := newTestOptions(t).
@@ -86,11 +91,40 @@ func TestDynamicNamespaceAdd(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, testSetup.startServer())
 
 	// Stop the server
+	stopped := false
 	defer func() {
+		stopped = true
 		require.NoError(t, testSetup.stopServer())
 		log.Info("server is now down")
 	}()
 
+	// NB(bodu): concurrently do work on the leaseManager to ensure no race cond deadlock regressions by
+	// calling OpenLease or OpenLatestLease (blocked on DB lock).
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	leaser := block.NewMockLeaser(ctrl)
+	leaseState := block.LeaseState{}
+	for i := 0; i < 100; i++ {
+		leaseDescriptor := block.LeaseDescriptor{
+			Namespace:  ns0.ID(),
+			Shard:      uint32(0),
+			BlockStart: time.Now().Truncate(ns0.Options().RetentionOptions().BlockSize()),
+		}
+		wg.Add(2)
+		go func() {
+			wg.Done()
+			for !stopped {
+				testSetup.blockLeaseManager.OpenLease(leaser, leaseDescriptor, leaseState)
+			}
+		}()
+		go func() {
+			wg.Done()
+			for !stopped {
+				testSetup.blockLeaseManager.OpenLatestLease(leaser, leaseDescriptor)
+			}
+		}()
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+
 	// Write test data
 	blockSize := ns0.Options().RetentionOptions().BlockSize()
 	now := testSetup.getNowFn()
diff --git a/src/dbnode/storage/block/lease.go b/src/dbnode/storage/block/lease.go
index c37ae8088a..0f684f28c8 100644
--- a/src/dbnode/storage/block/lease.go
+++ b/src/dbnode/storage/block/lease.go
@@ -88,17 +88,21 @@ func (m *leaseManager) OpenLease(
 ) error {
 	// NB(r): Take exclusive lock so that upgrade leases can't be called
 	// while we are verifying a lease (racey)
+	// NB(bodu): We don't use defer here since the lease verifier takes out a
+	// a db lock when retrieving flush states resulting in a potential deadlock.
 	m.Lock()
-	defer m.Unlock()
 
 	if m.verifier == nil {
+		m.Unlock()
 		return errOpenLeaseVerifierNotSet
 	}
 
 	if !m.isRegistered(leaser) {
+		m.Unlock()
 		return errLeaserNotRegistered
 	}
 
+	m.Unlock()
 	return m.verifier.VerifyLease(descriptor, state)
 }
 
@@ -108,17 +112,21 @@ func (m *leaseManager) OpenLatestLease(
 ) (LeaseState, error) {
 	// NB(r): Take exclusive lock so that upgrade leases can't be called
 	// while we are verifying a lease (racey)
+	// NB(bodu): We don't use defer here since the lease verifier takes out a
+	// a db lock when retrieving flush states resulting in a potential deadlock.
 	m.Lock()
-	defer m.Unlock()
 
 	if m.verifier == nil {
+		m.Unlock()
 		return LeaseState{}, errOpenLeaseVerifierNotSet
 	}
 
 	if !m.isRegistered(leaser) {
+		m.Unlock()
 		return LeaseState{}, errLeaserNotRegistered
 	}
 
+	m.Unlock()
 	return m.verifier.LatestState(descriptor)
 }