diff --git a/include/openspace/engine/syncengine.h b/include/openspace/engine/syncengine.h
index 3adc64aabb..b3dd233978 100644
--- a/include/openspace/engine/syncengine.h
+++ b/include/openspace/engine/syncengine.h
@@ -41,9 +41,11 @@ class SyncBuffer;
 class SyncEngine {
 public:
 
+    void presync(bool isMaster);
     void encode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer);
     void decode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer);
-    void applySyncedUpdates();
+    void postsync(bool isMaster);
+    
 
     void addSyncable(Syncable* syncable);
     void addSyncables(const std::vector<Syncable*>& syncables);
diff --git a/include/openspace/util/syncdata.h b/include/openspace/util/syncdata.h
index bf5494a4dd..b9cfe67dc3 100644
--- a/include/openspace/util/syncdata.h
+++ b/include/openspace/util/syncdata.h
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@
 #define __SYNC_DATA_H__
 
 #include <memory>
+#include <mutex>
 
 #include <ghoul/misc/assert.h>
 #include <openspace/util/syncbuffer.h>
@@ -41,9 +42,10 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     friend class SyncEngine;
+    virtual void presync(bool isMaster) {};
     virtual void encode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer) = 0;
-    virtual void decode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer, bool directDecode = false) = 0;
-    virtual void applySyncedUpdate() = 0;
+    virtual void decode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer) = 0;
+    virtual void postsync(bool isMaster) {};
 };
 
 
@@ -53,6 +55,9 @@ public:
 
     SyncData() {};
     SyncData(const T& val) : data(val) {};
+    SyncData(const SyncData<T>& o) : data(o.data) {
+        // should not be copied!
+    };
 
     SyncData& operator=(const T& rhs) {
         data = rhs;
@@ -69,24 +74,30 @@ public:
 
 protected:
     virtual void encode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer) {
+        _mutex.lock();
         syncBuffer->encode(data);
+        _mutex.unlock();
     }
 
-    virtual void decode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer, bool directDecode = false) {
-        if (directDecode) {
-            syncBuffer->decode(data);
-        }
-        else {
-            syncBuffer->decode(doubleBufferedData);
-        }
+    virtual void decode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer) {
+        _mutex.lock();
+        syncBuffer->decode(doubleBufferedData);
+        _mutex.unlock();
     }
 
-    virtual void applySyncedUpdate() {
-        data = doubleBufferedData;
+    virtual void postsync(bool isMaster) {
+        // apply synced update
+        if (!isMaster) {
+            _mutex.lock();
+            data = doubleBufferedData;
+            _mutex.unlock();
+        }
     };
 
     T data;
     T doubleBufferedData;
+    std::mutex _mutex;
+
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp b/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp
index 36ef7ff861..d0dcf0acf3 100644
--- a/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/openspaceengine.cpp
@@ -787,11 +787,7 @@ void OpenSpaceEngine::preSynchronization() {
 void OpenSpaceEngine::postSynchronizationPreDraw() {
     double t1 = Time::ref().j2000Seconds();
 
-    if (!_isMaster) {
-        if (_settingsEngine->useDoubleBuffering()) {
-            _syncEngine->applySyncedUpdates();
-        }
-    }
+    _syncEngine->postsync(_isMaster);
 
     if (_isInShutdownMode) {
         if (_shutdownCountdown <= 0.f) {
@@ -972,7 +968,7 @@ void OpenSpaceEngine::decode() {
         _syncEngine->decode(_syncBuffer.get());
 
         _scriptEngine->deserialize(_syncBuffer.get());
-        //_renderEngine->deserialize(_syncBuffer.get(), _settingsEngine->useDoubleBuffering());
+
     }
 }
 
diff --git a/src/engine/syncengine.cpp b/src/engine/syncengine.cpp
index 333d826d7b..46401da7cb 100644
--- a/src/engine/syncengine.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/syncengine.cpp
@@ -37,6 +37,11 @@ namespace {
 
 namespace openspace {
 
+    void SyncEngine::presync(bool isMaster) {
+        for (const auto& syncable : _syncables) {
+            syncable->presync(isMaster);
+        }
+    }
 
     // should be called on sgct master
     void SyncEngine::encode(SyncBuffer* syncBuffer) {
@@ -52,12 +57,14 @@ namespace openspace {
         }
     }
 
-    void SyncEngine::applySyncedUpdates() {
+    void SyncEngine::postsync(bool isMaster) {
         for (const auto& syncable : _syncables) {
-            syncable->applySyncedUpdate();
+            syncable->postsync(isMaster);
         }
     }
 
+
+
     void SyncEngine::addSyncable(Syncable*  syncable) {
         _syncables.push_back(syncable);
     }