diff --git a/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c b/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c
index 0ae579c5a..0862bc8e8 100644
--- a/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c
+++ b/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.c
@@ -390,7 +390,6 @@ static void free_connection_IO(void *context)
     }
 
     sys_atomic_destroy(&conn->core_activation);
-    sys_atomic_destroy(&conn->raw_opened);
     qd_timer_free(conn->close_timer);
     sys_mutex_free(&conn->activation_lock);
     free_tcplite_connection_t(conn);
@@ -403,12 +402,12 @@ static void close_raw_connection_XSIDE_IO(tcplite_connection_t *conn)
     if (conn->state != XSIDE_CLOSING) {
         set_state_XSIDE_IO(conn, XSIDE_CLOSING);
         if (!!conn->raw_conn) {
-            CLEAR_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->raw_opened);
             pn_raw_connection_close(conn->raw_conn);
             drain_read_buffers_XSIDE_IO(conn->raw_conn);
             drain_write_buffers_XSIDE_IO(conn->raw_conn);
 
             sys_mutex_lock(&conn->activation_lock);
+            conn->raw_opened = false;
             pn_raw_connection_set_context(conn->raw_conn, 0);
             conn->raw_conn = 0;
             sys_mutex_unlock(&conn->activation_lock);
@@ -964,7 +963,6 @@ static void handle_first_outbound_delivery_CSIDE(tcplite_connector_t *cr, qdr_li
     conn->common.parent       = (tcplite_common_t*) cr;
 
     sys_atomic_init(&conn->core_activation, 0);
-    sys_atomic_init(&conn->raw_opened, 0);
 
     conn->listener_side     = false;
     conn->state             = CSIDE_RAW_CONNECTION_OPENING;
@@ -1007,7 +1005,7 @@ static void handle_first_outbound_delivery_CSIDE(tcplite_connector_t *cr, qdr_li
     // of the new connection to handle raw connection events.
     // ISSUE-1202 - Set the conn->raw_opened flag before calling pn_proactor_raw_connect()
     //
-    SET_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->raw_opened);
+    conn->raw_opened = true;
     pn_proactor_raw_connect(tcplite_context->proactor, conn->raw_conn, cr->adaptor_config->host_port);
 }
 
@@ -1026,7 +1024,7 @@ static void handle_outbound_delivery_CSIDE(tcplite_connection_t *conn, qdr_link_
     // continued processing in the correct context.
     //
     sys_mutex_lock(&conn->activation_lock);
-    if (IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened)) {
+    if (conn->raw_opened) {
         pn_raw_connection_wake(conn->raw_conn);
     }
     sys_mutex_unlock(&conn->activation_lock);
@@ -1375,7 +1373,6 @@ void on_accept(qd_adaptor_listener_t *listener, pn_listener_t *pn_listener, void
 
     sys_mutex_init(&conn->activation_lock);
     sys_atomic_init(&conn->core_activation, 0);
-    sys_atomic_init(&conn->raw_opened, 1);
 
     conn->listener_side = true;
     conn->state         = LSIDE_INITIAL;
@@ -1419,7 +1416,7 @@ static void CORE_activate(void *context, qdr_connection_t *core_conn)
     case TL_CONNECTION:
         conn = (tcplite_connection_t*) common;
         sys_mutex_lock(&conn->activation_lock);
-        if (IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened)) {
+        if (conn->raw_opened) {
             SET_ATOMIC_FLAG(&conn->core_activation);
             pn_raw_connection_wake(conn->raw_conn);
         }
diff --git a/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.h b/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.h
index 0f4868435..135651a0c 100644
--- a/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.h
+++ b/src/adaptors/tcp_lite/tcp_lite.h
@@ -120,7 +120,6 @@ typedef struct tcplite_connection_t {
     pn_raw_connection_t        *raw_conn;
     sys_mutex_t                 activation_lock;
     sys_atomic_t                core_activation;
-    sys_atomic_t                raw_opened;
     qd_timer_t                 *close_timer;
     qdr_link_t                 *inbound_link;
     qd_message_t               *inbound_stream;
@@ -145,6 +144,7 @@ typedef struct tcplite_connection_t {
     bool                        inbound_first_octet;
     bool                        outbound_first_octet;
     bool                        outbound_body_complete;
+    bool                        raw_opened;
 } tcplite_connection_t;
 
 
diff --git a/src/cutthrough_utils.c b/src/cutthrough_utils.c
index c6e1b4ec3..26f689859 100644
--- a/src/cutthrough_utils.c
+++ b/src/cutthrough_utils.c
@@ -64,9 +64,11 @@ static void activate_connection(qd_message_activation_t *activation, qd_directio
 
     case QD_ACTIVATION_TCP: {
         tcplite_connection_t *conn = safe_deref_tcplite_connection_t(activation->safeptr);
-        if (!!conn && IS_ATOMIC_FLAG_SET(&conn->raw_opened)) {
+        sys_mutex_lock(&conn->activation_lock);
+        if (!!conn && conn->raw_opened) {
             pn_raw_connection_wake(conn->raw_conn);
         }
+        sys_mutex_unlock(&conn->activation_lock);
         break;
     }
     }