diff --git a/value.go b/value.go
index c7bc13ef5..5ce999010 100644
--- a/value.go
+++ b/value.go
@@ -762,7 +762,7 @@ func (vlog *valueLog) dropAll() (int, error) {
 // lfDiscardStats keeps track of the amount of data that could be discarded for
 // a given logfile.
 type lfDiscardStats struct {
-	sync.Mutex
+	sync.RWMutex
 	m                 map[uint32]int64
 	flushChan         chan map[uint32]int64
 	closer            *y.Closer
@@ -1440,7 +1440,7 @@ func (vlog *valueLog) pickLog(head valuePointer, tr trace.Trace) (files []*logFi
 		fid     uint32
 		discard int64
 	}{math.MaxUint32, 0}
-	vlog.lfDiscardStats.Lock()
+	vlog.lfDiscardStats.RLock()
 	for _, fid := range fids {
 		if fid >= head.Fid {
 			break
@@ -1450,7 +1450,7 @@ func (vlog *valueLog) pickLog(head valuePointer, tr trace.Trace) (files []*logFi
 			candidate.discard = vlog.lfDiscardStats.m[fid]
 		}
 	}
-	vlog.lfDiscardStats.Unlock()
+	vlog.lfDiscardStats.RUnlock()
 
 	if candidate.fid != math.MaxUint32 { // Found a candidate
 		tr.LazyPrintf("Found candidate via discard stats: %v", candidate)
@@ -1691,7 +1691,7 @@ func (vlog *valueLog) updateDiscardStats(stats map[uint32]int64) {
 func (vlog *valueLog) flushDiscardStats() {
 	defer vlog.lfDiscardStats.closer.Done()
 
-	mergeStats := func(stats map[uint32]int64) (encodedDS []byte) {
+	mergeStats := func(stats map[uint32]int64) ([]byte, error) {
 		vlog.lfDiscardStats.Lock()
 		defer vlog.lfDiscardStats.Unlock()
 		for fid, count := range stats {
@@ -1700,20 +1700,20 @@ func (vlog *valueLog) flushDiscardStats() {
 		}
 
 		if vlog.lfDiscardStats.updatesSinceFlush > discardStatsFlushThreshold {
-			var err error
-			encodedDS, err = json.Marshal(vlog.lfDiscardStats.m)
+			encodedDS, err := json.Marshal(vlog.lfDiscardStats.m)
 			if err != nil {
-				return
+				return nil, err
 			}
 			vlog.lfDiscardStats.updatesSinceFlush = 0
+			return encodedDS, nil
 		}
-		return
+		return nil, nil
 	}
 
 	process := func(stats map[uint32]int64) error {
-		encodedDS := mergeStats(stats)
-		if encodedDS == nil {
-			return nil
+		encodedDS, err := mergeStats(stats)
+		if err != nil || encodedDS == nil {
+			return err
 		}
 
 		entries := []*Entry{{
@@ -1721,19 +1721,18 @@ func (vlog *valueLog) flushDiscardStats() {
 			Value: encodedDS,
 		}}
 		req, err := vlog.db.sendToWriteCh(entries)
-		if err == ErrBlockedWrites {
-			// Writes will be blocked if DropAll() call is made, to avoid crash ignore
-			// ErrBlockedWrites https://github.com/dgraph-io/badger/issues/970.
-			return nil
-		} else if err != nil {
+		// No special handling of ErrBlockedWrites is required as err is just logged in
+		// for loop below.
+		if err != nil {
 			return errors.Wrapf(err, "failed to push discard stats to write channel")
 		}
 		return req.Wait()
 	}
 
+	closer := vlog.lfDiscardStats.closer
 	for {
 		select {
-		case <-vlog.lfDiscardStats.closer.HasBeenClosed():
+		case <-closer.HasBeenClosed():
 			// For simplicity just return without processing already present in stats in flushChan.
 			return
 		case stats := <-vlog.lfDiscardStats.flushChan:
diff --git a/value_test.go b/value_test.go
index 54d6ccc68..ca4cfcf15 100644
--- a/value_test.go
+++ b/value_test.go
@@ -493,10 +493,10 @@ func TestPersistLFDiscardStats(t *testing.T) {
 	require.NoError(t, err)
 	defer db.Close()
 	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second) // Wait for discardStats to be populated by populateDiscardStats().
-	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.Lock()
+	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.RLock()
 	require.True(t, reflect.DeepEqual(persistedMap, db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.m),
 		"Discard maps are not equal")
-	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.Unlock()
+	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.RUnlock()
 }
 
 func TestChecksums(t *testing.T) {
@@ -1108,9 +1108,9 @@ func TestDiscardStatsMove(t *testing.T) {
 	// to vlog.lfDiscardStats.flushChan. Hence wait for some time, for discard stats to be updated.
 	time.Sleep(1 * time.Second)
 	require.NoError(t, err)
-	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.Lock()
+	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.RLock()
 	require.Equal(t, stat, db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.m)
-	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.Unlock()
+	db.vlog.lfDiscardStats.RUnlock()
 	require.NoError(t, db.Close())
 }