diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc
index c04c68fa231..96d327d6a17 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/dns/c_ares/dns_resolver_ares.cc
@@ -111,41 +111,49 @@ class AresClientChannelDNSResolver : public PollingResolver {
         : resolver_(std::move(resolver)) {
       // TODO(hork): replace this callback bookkeeping with promises.
       // Locking to prevent completion before all records are queried
-      MutexLock lock(&on_resolved_mu_);
       Ref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnHostnameResolved").release();
-      GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_hostname_resolved_, OnHostnameResolved, this,
-                        nullptr);
-      hostname_request_.reset(grpc_dns_lookup_hostname_ares(
-          resolver_->authority().c_str(), resolver_->name_to_resolve().c_str(),
-          kDefaultSecurePort, resolver_->interested_parties(),
-          &on_hostname_resolved_, &addresses_, resolver_->query_timeout_ms_));
-      GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
-          "resolver:%p Started resolving hostnames. hostname_request_:%p",
-          resolver_.get(), hostname_request_.get());
-      if (resolver_->enable_srv_queries_) {
-        Ref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnSRVResolved").release();
-        GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_srv_resolved_, OnSRVResolved, this, nullptr);
-        srv_request_.reset(grpc_dns_lookup_srv_ares(
-            resolver_->authority().c_str(),
-            resolver_->name_to_resolve().c_str(),
-            resolver_->interested_parties(), &on_srv_resolved_,
-            &balancer_addresses_, resolver_->query_timeout_ms_));
-        GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
-            "resolver:%p Started resolving SRV records. srv_request_:%p",
-            resolver_.get(), srv_request_.get());
-      }
-      if (resolver_->request_service_config_) {
-        Ref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnTXTResolved").release();
-        GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_txt_resolved_, OnTXTResolved, this, nullptr);
-        txt_request_.reset(grpc_dns_lookup_txt_ares(
-            resolver_->authority().c_str(),
-            resolver_->name_to_resolve().c_str(),
-            resolver_->interested_parties(), &on_txt_resolved_,
-            &service_config_json_, resolver_->query_timeout_ms_));
-        GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
-            "resolver:%p Started resolving TXT records. txt_request_:%p",
-            resolver_.get(), srv_request_.get());
-      }
+      resolver_->work_serializer()->Run(
+          [this] {
+            // Run in the work serializer to ensure all requests are started
+            // before any results are processed.
+            GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_hostname_resolved_, OnHostnameResolved, this,
+                              nullptr);
+            hostname_request_.reset(grpc_dns_lookup_hostname_ares(
+                resolver_->authority().c_str(),
+                resolver_->name_to_resolve().c_str(), kDefaultSecurePort,
+                resolver_->interested_parties(), &on_hostname_resolved_,
+                &addresses_, resolver_->query_timeout_ms_));
+            GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
+                "resolver:%p Started resolving hostnames. hostname_request_:%p",
+                resolver_.get(), hostname_request_.get());
+            if (resolver_->enable_srv_queries_) {
+              Ref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnSRVResolved").release();
+              GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_srv_resolved_, OnSRVResolved, this,
+                                nullptr);
+              srv_request_.reset(grpc_dns_lookup_srv_ares(
+                  resolver_->authority().c_str(),
+                  resolver_->name_to_resolve().c_str(),
+                  resolver_->interested_parties(), &on_srv_resolved_,
+                  &balancer_addresses_, resolver_->query_timeout_ms_));
+              GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
+                  "resolver:%p Started resolving SRV records. srv_request_:%p",
+                  resolver_.get(), srv_request_.get());
+            }
+            if (resolver_->request_service_config_) {
+              Ref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnTXTResolved").release();
+              GRPC_CLOSURE_INIT(&on_txt_resolved_, OnTXTResolved, this,
+                                nullptr);
+              txt_request_.reset(grpc_dns_lookup_txt_ares(
+                  resolver_->authority().c_str(),
+                  resolver_->name_to_resolve().c_str(),
+                  resolver_->interested_parties(), &on_txt_resolved_,
+                  &service_config_json_, resolver_->query_timeout_ms_));
+              GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
+                  "resolver:%p Started resolving TXT records. txt_request_:%p",
+                  resolver_.get(), srv_request_.get());
+            }
+          },
+          DEBUG_LOCATION);
     }
 
     ~AresRequestWrapper() override {
@@ -157,7 +165,6 @@ class AresClientChannelDNSResolver : public PollingResolver {
     // OrphanablePtr<>, and there's no way to pass the lock annotation through
     // there.
     void Orphan() override ABSL_NO_THREAD_SAFETY_ANALYSIS {
-      MutexLock lock(&on_resolved_mu_);
       if (hostname_request_ != nullptr) {
         grpc_cancel_ares_request(hostname_request_.get());
       }
@@ -174,26 +181,19 @@ class AresClientChannelDNSResolver : public PollingResolver {
     static void OnHostnameResolved(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error);
     static void OnSRVResolved(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error);
     static void OnTXTResolved(void* arg, grpc_error_handle error);
-    absl::StatusOr<Result> OnResolvedLocked(grpc_error_handle error)
-        ABSL_EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(on_resolved_mu_);
+    void OnResolvedLocked(grpc_error_handle error);
 
-    Mutex on_resolved_mu_;
     RefCountedPtr<AresClientChannelDNSResolver> resolver_;
     grpc_closure on_hostname_resolved_;
-    std::unique_ptr<grpc_ares_request> hostname_request_
-        ABSL_GUARDED_BY(on_resolved_mu_);
+    std::unique_ptr<grpc_ares_request> hostname_request_;
     grpc_closure on_srv_resolved_;
-    std::unique_ptr<grpc_ares_request> srv_request_
-        ABSL_GUARDED_BY(on_resolved_mu_);
+    std::unique_ptr<grpc_ares_request> srv_request_;
     grpc_closure on_txt_resolved_;
-    std::unique_ptr<grpc_ares_request> txt_request_
-        ABSL_GUARDED_BY(on_resolved_mu_);
+    std::unique_ptr<grpc_ares_request> txt_request_;
     // Output fields from ares request.
-    std::unique_ptr<ServerAddressList> addresses_
-        ABSL_GUARDED_BY(on_resolved_mu_);
-    std::unique_ptr<ServerAddressList> balancer_addresses_
-        ABSL_GUARDED_BY(on_resolved_mu_);
-    char* service_config_json_ ABSL_GUARDED_BY(on_resolved_mu_) = nullptr;
+    std::unique_ptr<ServerAddressList> addresses_;
+    std::unique_ptr<ServerAddressList> balancer_addresses_;
+    char* service_config_json_ = nullptr;
   };
 
   ~AresClientChannelDNSResolver() override;
@@ -330,55 +330,45 @@ std::string ChooseServiceConfig(char* service_config_choice_json,
 void AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnHostnameResolved(
     void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
   auto* self = static_cast<AresRequestWrapper*>(arg);
-  absl::StatusOr<Result> result;
-  {
-    MutexLock lock(&self->on_resolved_mu_);
-    self->hostname_request_.reset();
-    result = self->OnResolvedLocked(error);
-  }
-  if (result.ok()) {
-    self->resolver_->OnRequestComplete(std::move(*result));
-  }
-  self->Unref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnHostnameResolved");
+  self->resolver_->work_serializer()->Run(
+      [self, error] {
+        self->hostname_request_.reset();
+        self->OnResolvedLocked(error);
+        self->Unref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnHostnameResolved");
+      },
+      DEBUG_LOCATION);
 }
 
 void AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnSRVResolved(
     void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
   auto* self = static_cast<AresRequestWrapper*>(arg);
-  absl::StatusOr<Result> result;
-  {
-    MutexLock lock(&self->on_resolved_mu_);
-    self->srv_request_.reset();
-    result = self->OnResolvedLocked(error);
-  }
-  if (result.ok()) {
-    self->resolver_->OnRequestComplete(std::move(*result));
-  }
-  self->Unref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnSRVResolved");
+  self->resolver_->work_serializer()->Run(
+      [self, error] {
+        self->srv_request_.reset();
+        self->OnResolvedLocked(error);
+        self->Unref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnSRVResolved");
+      },
+      DEBUG_LOCATION);
 }
 
 void AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnTXTResolved(
     void* arg, grpc_error_handle error) {
   auto* self = static_cast<AresRequestWrapper*>(arg);
-  absl::StatusOr<Result> result;
-  {
-    MutexLock lock(&self->on_resolved_mu_);
-    self->txt_request_.reset();
-    result = self->OnResolvedLocked(error);
-  }
-  if (result.ok()) {
-    self->resolver_->OnRequestComplete(std::move(*result));
-  }
-  self->Unref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnTXTResolved");
+  self->resolver_->work_serializer()->Run(
+      [self, error] {
+        self->txt_request_.reset();
+        self->OnResolvedLocked(error);
+        self->Unref(DEBUG_LOCATION, "OnTXTResolved");
+      },
+      DEBUG_LOCATION);
 }
 
 // Returns a Result if resolution is complete, and a non-OK status otherwise;
 // callers must release the lock and call OnRequestComplete if a Result is
 // returned. This is because OnRequestComplete may Orphan the resolver, which
 // requires taking the lock.
-absl::StatusOr<AresClientChannelDNSResolver::Result>
-AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnResolvedLocked(
-    grpc_error_handle error) ABSL_EXCLUSIVE_LOCKS_REQUIRED(on_resolved_mu_) {
+void AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnResolvedLocked(
+    grpc_error_handle error) {
   if (hostname_request_ != nullptr || srv_request_ != nullptr ||
       txt_request_ != nullptr) {
     GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG(
@@ -387,7 +377,7 @@ AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnResolvedLocked(
         this, hostname_request_ != nullptr ? "waiting" : "done",
         srv_request_ != nullptr ? "waiting" : "done",
         txt_request_ != nullptr ? "waiting" : "done");
-    return absl::FailedPreconditionError("Waiting for results.");
+    return;
   }
   GRPC_CARES_TRACE_LOG("resolver:%p OnResolved() proceeding", this);
   Result result;
@@ -439,7 +429,7 @@ AresClientChannelDNSResolver::AresRequestWrapper::OnResolvedLocked(
   }
   result.args = grpc_channel_args_copy_and_add(
       resolver_->channel_args(), new_args.data(), new_args.size());
-  return std::move(result);
+  resolver_->OnRequestComplete(std::move(result));
 }
 
 //
diff --git a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/polling_resolver.h b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/polling_resolver.h
index 224f8dc0815..ae5ff46386f 100644
--- a/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/polling_resolver.h
+++ b/src/core/ext/filters/client_channel/resolver/polling_resolver.h
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ class PollingResolver : public Resolver {
   const std::string& name_to_resolve() const { return name_to_resolve_; }
   grpc_pollset_set* interested_parties() const { return interested_parties_; }
   const grpc_channel_args* channel_args() const { return channel_args_; }
+  WorkSerializer* work_serializer() { return work_serializer_.get(); }
 
  private:
   void MaybeStartResolvingLocked();