diff --git a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/PluginBag.java b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/PluginBag.java
index 1122d4943e4..1a4141203e4 100644
--- a/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/PluginBag.java
+++ b/solr/core/src/java/org/apache/solr/core/PluginBag.java
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ public class PluginBag<T> implements AutoCloseable {
    * subclasses may choose to lazily load the plugin
    */
   public static class PluginHolder<T> implements AutoCloseable {
-    protected T inst;
+    private T inst;
     protected final PluginInfo pluginInfo;
 
     public PluginHolder(PluginInfo info) {
@@ -257,8 +257,14 @@ public class PluginBag<T> implements AutoCloseable {
 
     @Override
     public void close() throws Exception {
-      if (inst != null && inst instanceof AutoCloseable) ((AutoCloseable) inst).close();
-
+      // TODO: there may be a race here.  One thread can be creating a plugin
+      // and another thread can come along and close everything (missing the plugin
+      // that is in the state of being created and will probably never have close() called on it).
+      // can close() be called concurrently with other methods?
+      if (isLoaded()) {
+        T myInst = get();
+        if (myInst != null && myInst instanceof AutoCloseable) ((AutoCloseable) myInst).close();
+      }
     }
 
     public String getClassName() {
@@ -273,6 +279,7 @@ public class PluginBag<T> implements AutoCloseable {
    * the Plugin is initialized and returned.
    */
   public static class LazyPluginHolder<T> extends PluginHolder<T> {
+    private volatile T lazyInst;
     private final SolrConfig.SolrPluginInfo pluginMeta;
     protected SolrException solrException;
     private final SolrCore core;
@@ -294,36 +301,45 @@ public class PluginBag<T> implements AutoCloseable {
     }
 
     @Override
-    public T get() {
-      if (inst != null) return inst;
-      if (solrException != null) throw solrException;
-      createInst();
-      registerMBean(inst, core, pluginInfo.name);
-      return inst;
+    public boolean isLoaded() {
+      return lazyInst != null;
     }
 
-    protected synchronized void createInst() {
-      if (inst != null) return;
+    @Override
+    public T get() {
+      if (lazyInst != null) return lazyInst;
+      if (solrException != null) throw solrException;
+      if (createInst()) {
+        // check if we created the instance to avoid registering it again
+        registerMBean(lazyInst, core, pluginInfo.name);
+      }
+      return lazyInst;
+    }
+
+    private synchronized boolean createInst() {
+      if (lazyInst != null) return false;
       log.info("Going to create a new {} with {} ", pluginMeta.tag, pluginInfo.toString());
       if (resourceLoader instanceof MemClassLoader) {
         MemClassLoader loader = (MemClassLoader) resourceLoader;
         loader.loadJars();
       }
       Class<T> clazz = (Class<T>) pluginMeta.clazz;
-      inst = core.createInstance(pluginInfo.className, clazz, pluginMeta.tag, null, resourceLoader);
-      initInstance(inst, pluginInfo, core);
-      if (inst instanceof SolrCoreAware) {
-        SolrResourceLoader.assertAwareCompatibility(SolrCoreAware.class, inst);
-        ((SolrCoreAware) inst).inform(core);
+      T localInst = core.createInstance(pluginInfo.className, clazz, pluginMeta.tag, null, resourceLoader);
+      initInstance(localInst, pluginInfo, core);
+      if (localInst instanceof SolrCoreAware) {
+        SolrResourceLoader.assertAwareCompatibility(SolrCoreAware.class, localInst);
+        ((SolrCoreAware) localInst).inform(core);
       }
-      if (inst instanceof ResourceLoaderAware) {
-        SolrResourceLoader.assertAwareCompatibility(ResourceLoaderAware.class, inst);
+      if (localInst instanceof ResourceLoaderAware) {
+        SolrResourceLoader.assertAwareCompatibility(ResourceLoaderAware.class, localInst);
         try {
-          ((ResourceLoaderAware) inst).inform(core.getResourceLoader());
+          ((ResourceLoaderAware) localInst).inform(core.getResourceLoader());
         } catch (IOException e) {
           throw new SolrException(SolrException.ErrorCode.SERVER_ERROR, "error initializing component", e);
         }
       }
+      lazyInst = localInst;  // only assign the volatile until after the plugin is completely ready to use
+      return true;
     }