diff --git a/broker/src/chain_tracker.rs b/broker/src/chain_tracker.rs
index b018c86..11a8bd6 100644
--- a/broker/src/chain_tracker.rs
+++ b/broker/src/chain_tracker.rs
@@ -1,10 +1,11 @@
 use crate::conn::{ChannelRequest, LssReq};
-use crate::looper::{done_being_busy, try_to_get_busy};
+use crate::looper::{is_my_turn, my_turn_is_done, take_a_ticket};
 use anyhow::Result;
 use async_trait::async_trait;
 use rocket::tokio;
 use sphinx_signer::{parser, sphinx_glyph::topics};
 use std::time::Duration;
+use std::thread;
 use tokio::sync::mpsc;
 use vls_protocol::Error;
 use vls_protocol_client::{ClientResult, SignerPort};
@@ -32,12 +33,15 @@ impl MqttSignerPort {
 
     async fn send_and_wait(&self, message: Vec<u8>) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
         // wait until not busy
+        let ticket = take_a_ticket();
         loop {
-            match try_to_get_busy() {
-                Ok(_) => break,
-                Err(_) => tokio::time::sleep(Duration::from_millis(5)).await,
-            };
+            if is_my_turn(ticket) {
+                break;
+            } else {
+                thread::sleep(Duration::from_millis(5));
+            }
         }
+
         // add the serial request header
         let m = parser::raw_request_from_bytes(message, 0, [0; 33], 0)?;
         let (res_topic, res) = self.send_request_wait(topics::VLS, m).await?;
@@ -53,7 +57,9 @@ impl MqttSignerPort {
         }
         // remove the serial request header
         let r = parser::raw_response_from_bytes(the_res, 0)?;
-        done_being_busy();
+
+        my_turn_is_done();
+
         Ok(r)
     }
 
diff --git a/broker/src/looper.rs b/broker/src/looper.rs
index 670fa4d..87298d4 100644
--- a/broker/src/looper.rs
+++ b/broker/src/looper.rs
@@ -5,24 +5,17 @@ use log::*;
 use rocket::tokio::sync::mpsc;
 use secp256k1::PublicKey;
 use sphinx_signer::{parser, sphinx_glyph::topics};
-use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicBool, AtomicU16, Ordering};
+use std::sync::atomic::{AtomicU16, Ordering};
 use std::thread;
 use std::time::Duration;
 use vls_protocol::{msgs, msgs::Message, Error, Result};
 use vls_proxy::client::Client;
 
-pub static BUSY: AtomicBool = AtomicBool::new(false);
-pub static COUNTER: AtomicU16 = AtomicU16::new(0u16);
-pub static CURRENT: AtomicU16 = AtomicU16::new(0u16);
+static COUNTER: AtomicU16 = AtomicU16::new(0u16);
+static CURRENT: AtomicU16 = AtomicU16::new(0u16);
 
-// set BUSY to true if its false
-pub fn try_to_get_busy() -> std::result::Result<bool, bool> {
-    BUSY.compare_exchange(false, true, Ordering::Acquire, Ordering::Relaxed)
-}
-
-// set BUSY back to false
-pub fn done_being_busy() {
-    BUSY.store(false, Ordering::Release);
+pub fn take_a_ticket() -> u16 {
+    COUNTER.fetch_add(1u16, Ordering::Relaxed)
 }
 
 pub fn is_my_turn(ticket: u16) -> bool {
@@ -30,6 +23,10 @@ pub fn is_my_turn(ticket: u16) -> bool {
     curr == ticket
 }
 
+pub fn my_turn_is_done() {
+    CURRENT.fetch_add(1u16, Ordering::Relaxed);
+}
+
 #[derive(Clone, Debug)]
 pub struct ClientId {
     pub peer_id: PublicKey,
@@ -151,7 +148,7 @@ impl<C: 'static + Client> SignerLoop<C> {
 
     fn handle_message(&mut self, message: Vec<u8>, catch_init: bool) -> Result<Vec<u8>> {
         // wait until not busy
-        let ticket = COUNTER.fetch_add(1u16, Ordering::Relaxed);
+        let ticket = take_a_ticket();
         loop {
             if is_my_turn(ticket) {
                 break;
@@ -195,7 +192,7 @@ impl<C: 'static + Client> SignerLoop<C> {
         }
 
         // next turn
-        CURRENT.fetch_add(1u16, Ordering::Relaxed);
+        my_turn_is_done();
 
         Ok(reply)
     }