diff --git a/src/core/lib/surface/call.c b/src/core/lib/surface/call.c
index 00ec9c7c9a7..e82d538d294 100644
--- a/src/core/lib/surface/call.c
+++ b/src/core/lib/surface/call.c
@@ -170,9 +170,6 @@ struct grpc_call {
   gpr_atm any_ops_sent_atm;
   gpr_atm received_final_op_atm;
 
-  /* have we received initial metadata */
-  bool has_initial_md_been_received;
-
   batch_control *active_batches[MAX_CONCURRENT_BATCHES];
   grpc_transport_stream_op_batch_payload stream_op_payload;
 
@@ -226,7 +223,10 @@ struct grpc_call {
     } server;
   } final_op;
 
-  void *saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp;
+  // Either 0 (no initial metadata and messages received),
+  // 1 (recieved initial metadata first)
+  // or a batch_control* (received messages first the lowest bit is 0)
+  gpr_atm saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp;
 };
 
 grpc_tracer_flag grpc_call_error_trace =
@@ -1290,11 +1290,10 @@ static void receiving_stream_ready(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx, void *bctlp,
     cancel_with_error(exec_ctx, call, STATUS_FROM_SURFACE,
                       GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
   }
-  if (call->has_initial_md_been_received || error != GRPC_ERROR_NONE ||
-      call->receiving_stream == NULL) {
+  if (error != GRPC_ERROR_NONE || call->receiving_stream == NULL ||
+      !gpr_atm_rel_cas(&call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp, 0,
+                       (gpr_atm)bctlp)) {
     process_data_after_md(exec_ctx, bctlp);
-  } else {
-    call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp = bctlp;
   }
 }
 
@@ -1384,12 +1383,28 @@ static void receiving_initial_metadata_ready(grpc_exec_ctx *exec_ctx,
     }
   }
 
-  call->has_initial_md_been_received = true;
-  if (call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp != NULL) {
-    grpc_closure *saved_rsr_closure = GRPC_CLOSURE_CREATE(
-        receiving_stream_ready, call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp,
-        grpc_schedule_on_exec_ctx);
-    call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp = NULL;
+  grpc_closure *saved_rsr_closure = NULL;
+  while (true) {
+    gpr_atm rsr_bctlp =
+        gpr_atm_acq_load(&call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp);
+    /* Should only receive initial metadata once */
+    GPR_ASSERT(rsr_bctlp != 1);
+    if (rsr_bctlp == 0) {
+      /* Not received initial metadata and messages */
+      if (gpr_atm_no_barrier_cas(&call->saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp, 0,
+                                 1)) {
+        break;
+      }
+    } else {
+      /* Already received messages */
+      saved_rsr_closure = GRPC_CLOSURE_CREATE(receiving_stream_ready,
+                                              (batch_control *)rsr_bctlp,
+                                              grpc_schedule_on_exec_ctx);
+      /* No need to modify saved_receiving_stream_ready_bctlp */
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+  if (saved_rsr_closure != NULL) {
     GRPC_CLOSURE_RUN(exec_ctx, saved_rsr_closure, GRPC_ERROR_REF(error));
   }