diff --git a/src/core/surface/server.c b/src/core/surface/server.c
index c8ac559a0d0..546b17c1ff2 100644
--- a/src/core/surface/server.c
+++ b/src/core/surface/server.c
@@ -141,7 +141,15 @@ struct grpc_server {
   grpc_pollset **pollsets;
   size_t cq_count;
 
-  gpr_mu mu;
+  /* The two following mutexes control access to server-state
+     mu_global controls access to non-call-related state (e.g., channel state)
+     mu_call controls access to call-related state (e.g., the call lists)
+
+     If they are ever required to be nested, you must lock mu_global
+     before mu_call. This is currently used in shutdown processing
+     (grpc_server_shutdown_and_notify and maybe_finish_shutdown) */
+  gpr_mu mu_global; /* mutex for server and channel state */
+  gpr_mu mu_call; /* mutex for call-specific state */
 
   registered_method *registered_methods;
   requested_call_array requested_calls;
@@ -200,6 +208,8 @@ static void begin_call(grpc_server *server, call_data *calld,
 static void fail_call(grpc_server *server, requested_call *rc);
 static void shutdown_channel(channel_data *chand, int send_goaway,
                              int send_disconnect);
+/* Before calling maybe_finish_shutdown, we must hold mu_global and not
+   hold mu_call */
 static void maybe_finish_shutdown(grpc_server *server);
 
 static int call_list_join(call_data **root, call_data *call, call_list list) {
@@ -273,7 +283,8 @@ static void server_delete(grpc_server *server) {
   registered_method *rm;
   size_t i;
   grpc_channel_args_destroy(server->channel_args);
-  gpr_mu_destroy(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_destroy(&server->mu_global);
+  gpr_mu_destroy(&server->mu_call);
   gpr_free(server->channel_filters);
   requested_call_array_destroy(&server->requested_calls);
   while ((rm = server->registered_methods) != NULL) {
@@ -335,11 +346,11 @@ static void finish_start_new_rpc_and_unlock(grpc_server *server,
   if (array->count == 0) {
     calld->state = PENDING;
     call_list_join(pending_root, calld, PENDING_START);
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
   } else {
     rc = array->calls[--array->count];
     calld->state = ACTIVATED;
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
     begin_call(server, calld, &rc);
   }
 }
@@ -352,7 +363,7 @@ static void start_new_rpc(grpc_call_element *elem) {
   gpr_uint32 hash;
   channel_registered_method *rm;
 
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_call);
   if (chand->registered_methods && calld->path && calld->host) {
     /* TODO(ctiller): unify these two searches */
     /* check for an exact match with host */
@@ -404,11 +415,16 @@ static void maybe_finish_shutdown(grpc_server *server) {
   if (!server->shutdown || server->shutdown_published) {
     return;
   }
+
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_call);
   if (server->lists[ALL_CALLS] != NULL) {
     gpr_log(GPR_DEBUG,
             "Waiting for all calls to finish before destroying server");
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
     return;
   }
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
+
   if (server->root_channel_data.next != &server->root_channel_data) {
     gpr_log(GPR_DEBUG,
             "Waiting for all channels to close before destroying server");
@@ -452,6 +468,7 @@ static void server_on_recv(void *ptr, int success) {
   grpc_call_element *elem = ptr;
   call_data *calld = elem->call_data;
   channel_data *chand = elem->channel_data;
+  int remove_res;
 
   if (success && !calld->got_initial_metadata) {
     size_t i;
@@ -476,16 +493,16 @@ static void server_on_recv(void *ptr, int success) {
     case GRPC_STREAM_SEND_CLOSED:
       break;
     case GRPC_STREAM_RECV_CLOSED:
-      gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu);
+      gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_call);
       if (calld->state == NOT_STARTED) {
         calld->state = ZOMBIED;
         grpc_iomgr_closure_init(&calld->kill_zombie_closure, kill_zombie, elem);
         grpc_iomgr_add_callback(&calld->kill_zombie_closure);
       }
-      gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu);
+      gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_call);
       break;
     case GRPC_STREAM_CLOSED:
-      gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu);
+      gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_call);
       if (calld->state == NOT_STARTED) {
         calld->state = ZOMBIED;
         grpc_iomgr_closure_init(&calld->kill_zombie_closure, kill_zombie, elem);
@@ -496,10 +513,13 @@ static void server_on_recv(void *ptr, int success) {
         grpc_iomgr_closure_init(&calld->kill_zombie_closure, kill_zombie, elem);
         grpc_iomgr_add_callback(&calld->kill_zombie_closure);
       }
-      if (call_list_remove(calld, ALL_CALLS)) {
+      remove_res = call_list_remove(calld, ALL_CALLS);
+      gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_call);
+      gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_global);
+      if (remove_res) {
         decrement_call_count(chand);
       }
-      gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu);
+      gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_global);
       break;
   }
 
@@ -542,10 +562,10 @@ static void channel_op(grpc_channel_element *elem,
     case GRPC_TRANSPORT_CLOSED:
       /* if the transport is closed for a server channel, we destroy the
          channel */
-      gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+      gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_global);
       server_ref(server);
       destroy_channel(chand);
-      gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+      gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_global);
       server_unref(server);
       break;
     case GRPC_TRANSPORT_GOAWAY:
@@ -612,10 +632,13 @@ static void init_call_elem(grpc_call_element *elem,
   calld->deadline = gpr_inf_future;
   calld->call = grpc_call_from_top_element(elem);
 
-  gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_call);
   call_list_join(&chand->server->lists[ALL_CALLS], calld, ALL_CALLS);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_call);
+
+  gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_global);
   chand->num_calls++;
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_global);
 
   server_ref(chand->server);
 
@@ -628,14 +651,16 @@ static void destroy_call_elem(grpc_call_element *elem) {
   int removed[CALL_LIST_COUNT];
   size_t i;
 
-  gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_call);
   for (i = 0; i < CALL_LIST_COUNT; i++) {
     removed[i] = call_list_remove(elem->call_data, i);
   }
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_call);
   if (removed[ALL_CALLS]) {
+    gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_global);
     decrement_call_count(chand);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_global);
   }
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu);
 
   if (calld->host) {
     grpc_mdstr_unref(calld->host);
@@ -678,12 +703,12 @@ static void destroy_channel_elem(grpc_channel_element *elem) {
     gpr_free(chand->registered_methods);
   }
   if (chand->server) {
-    gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_lock(&chand->server->mu_global);
     chand->next->prev = chand->prev;
     chand->prev->next = chand->next;
     chand->next = chand->prev = chand;
     maybe_finish_shutdown(chand->server);
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&chand->server->mu_global);
     grpc_mdstr_unref(chand->path_key);
     grpc_mdstr_unref(chand->authority_key);
     server_unref(chand->server);
@@ -730,7 +755,8 @@ grpc_server *grpc_server_create_from_filters(grpc_channel_filter **filters,
 
   memset(server, 0, sizeof(grpc_server));
 
-  gpr_mu_init(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_init(&server->mu_global);
+  gpr_mu_init(&server->mu_call);
 
   /* decremented by grpc_server_destroy */
   gpr_ref_init(&server->internal_refcount, 1);
@@ -880,11 +906,11 @@ grpc_transport_setup_result grpc_server_setup_transport(
   result = grpc_connected_channel_bind_transport(
       grpc_channel_get_channel_stack(channel), transport);
 
-  gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&s->mu_global);
   chand->next = &s->root_channel_data;
   chand->prev = chand->next->prev;
   chand->next->prev = chand->prev->next = chand;
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&s->mu_global);
 
   gpr_free(filters);
 
@@ -901,7 +927,7 @@ void grpc_server_shutdown_and_notify(grpc_server *server,
   shutdown_tag *sdt;
 
   /* lock, and gather up some stuff to do */
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_global);
   grpc_cq_begin_op(cq, NULL);
   server->shutdown_tags =
       gpr_realloc(server->shutdown_tags,
@@ -910,7 +936,7 @@ void grpc_server_shutdown_and_notify(grpc_server *server,
   sdt->tag = tag;
   sdt->cq = cq;
   if (server->shutdown) {
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_global);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -920,6 +946,7 @@ void grpc_server_shutdown_and_notify(grpc_server *server,
   }
 
   /* collect all unregistered then registered calls */
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_call);
   requested_calls = server->requested_calls;
   memset(&server->requested_calls, 0, sizeof(server->requested_calls));
   for (rm = server->registered_methods; rm; rm = rm->next) {
@@ -938,10 +965,11 @@ void grpc_server_shutdown_and_notify(grpc_server *server,
     gpr_free(rm->requested.calls);
     memset(&rm->requested, 0, sizeof(rm->requested));
   }
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
 
   server->shutdown = 1;
   maybe_finish_shutdown(server);
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_global);
 
   /* terminate all the requested calls */
   for (i = 0; i < requested_calls.count; i++) {
@@ -957,10 +985,10 @@ void grpc_server_shutdown_and_notify(grpc_server *server,
 
 void grpc_server_listener_destroy_done(void *s) {
   grpc_server *server = s;
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_global);
   server->listeners_destroyed++;
   maybe_finish_shutdown(server);
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_global);
 }
 
 void grpc_server_cancel_all_calls(grpc_server *server) {
@@ -971,12 +999,12 @@ void grpc_server_cancel_all_calls(grpc_server *server) {
   int is_first = 1;
   size_t i;
 
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_call);
 
   GPR_ASSERT(server->shutdown);
 
   if (!server->lists[ALL_CALLS]) {
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
     return;
   }
 
@@ -996,7 +1024,7 @@ void grpc_server_cancel_all_calls(grpc_server *server) {
     is_first = 0;
   }
 
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
 
   for (i = 0; i < call_count; i++) {
     grpc_call_cancel_with_status(calls[i], GRPC_STATUS_UNAVAILABLE,
@@ -1010,7 +1038,7 @@ void grpc_server_cancel_all_calls(grpc_server *server) {
 void grpc_server_destroy(grpc_server *server) {
   listener *l;
 
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_global);
   GPR_ASSERT(server->shutdown || !server->listeners);
   GPR_ASSERT(server->listeners_destroyed == num_listeners(server));
 
@@ -1020,7 +1048,7 @@ void grpc_server_destroy(grpc_server *server) {
     gpr_free(l);
   }
 
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_global);
 
   server_unref(server);
 }
@@ -1042,9 +1070,9 @@ static grpc_call_error queue_call_request(grpc_server *server,
                                           requested_call *rc) {
   call_data *calld = NULL;
   requested_call_array *requested_calls = NULL;
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_call);
   if (server->shutdown) {
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
     fail_call(server, rc);
     return GRPC_CALL_OK;
   }
@@ -1063,12 +1091,12 @@ static grpc_call_error queue_call_request(grpc_server *server,
   if (calld) {
     GPR_ASSERT(calld->state == PENDING);
     calld->state = ACTIVATED;
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
     begin_call(server, calld, rc);
     return GRPC_CALL_OK;
   } else {
     *requested_call_array_add(requested_calls) = *rc;
-    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+    gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_call);
     return GRPC_CALL_OK;
   }
 }
@@ -1212,8 +1240,8 @@ const grpc_channel_args *grpc_server_get_channel_args(grpc_server *server) {
 
 int grpc_server_has_open_connections(grpc_server *server) {
   int r;
-  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_lock(&server->mu_global);
   r = server->root_channel_data.next != &server->root_channel_data;
-  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu);
+  gpr_mu_unlock(&server->mu_global);
   return r;
 }
diff --git a/src/cpp/server/server.cc b/src/cpp/server/server.cc
index dbd88c5b8c1..024537c34aa 100644
--- a/src/cpp/server/server.cc
+++ b/src/cpp/server/server.cc
@@ -71,7 +71,8 @@ class Server::SyncRequest GRPC_FINAL : public CompletionQueueTag {
                                  RpcMethod::SERVER_STREAMING),
         has_response_payload_(method->method_type() == RpcMethod::NORMAL_RPC ||
                               method->method_type() ==
-                                  RpcMethod::CLIENT_STREAMING) {
+                              RpcMethod::CLIENT_STREAMING),
+        cq_(nullptr) {
     grpc_metadata_array_init(&request_metadata_);
   }
 
@@ -90,10 +91,18 @@ class Server::SyncRequest GRPC_FINAL : public CompletionQueueTag {
     return mrd;
   }
 
+  void SetupRequest() {
+    cq_ = grpc_completion_queue_create();
+  }
+
+  void TeardownRequest() {
+    grpc_completion_queue_destroy(cq_);
+    cq_ = nullptr;
+  }
+
   void Request(grpc_server* server, grpc_completion_queue* notify_cq) {
-    GPR_ASSERT(!in_flight_);
+    GPR_ASSERT(cq_ && !in_flight_);
     in_flight_ = true;
-    cq_ = grpc_completion_queue_create();
     GPR_ASSERT(GRPC_CALL_OK ==
                grpc_server_request_registered_call(
                    server, tag_, &call_, &deadline_, &request_metadata_,
@@ -288,6 +297,7 @@ bool Server::Start() {
   // Start processing rpcs.
   if (!sync_methods_->empty()) {
     for (auto m = sync_methods_->begin(); m != sync_methods_->end(); m++) {
+      m->SetupRequest();
       m->Request(server_, cq_.cq());
     }
 
@@ -472,9 +482,13 @@ void Server::RunRpc() {
     if (ok) {
       SyncRequest::CallData cd(this, mrd);
       {
+        mrd->SetupRequest();
         grpc::unique_lock<grpc::mutex> lock(mu_);
         if (!shutdown_) {
           mrd->Request(server_, cq_.cq());
+        } else {
+          // destroy the structure that was created
+          mrd->TeardownRequest();
         }
       }
       cd.Run();