diff --git a/services/rfq/relayer/service/chainindexer.go b/services/rfq/relayer/service/chainindexer.go
index 7b11646c4b..935167c8f0 100644
--- a/services/rfq/relayer/service/chainindexer.go
+++ b/services/rfq/relayer/service/chainindexer.go
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/accounts/abi/bind"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
+	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/core/types"
 	"github.com/synapsecns/sanguine/core/metrics"
 	"github.com/synapsecns/sanguine/services/rfq/contracts/fastbridge"
@@ -77,6 +78,10 @@ func (r *Relayer) runChainIndexer(ctx context.Context, chainID int) (err error)
 				return fmt.Errorf("could not handle request: %w", err)
 			}
 		case *fastbridge.FastBridgeBridgeRelayed:
+			// blocking lock on the txid mutex to ensure state transitions are not overrwitten
+			unlocker := r.relayMtx.Lock(hexutil.Encode(event.TransactionId[:]))
+			defer unlocker.Unlock()
+
 			// it wasn't me
 			if event.Relayer != r.signer.Address() {
 				//nolint: wrapcheck
@@ -88,6 +93,9 @@ func (r *Relayer) runChainIndexer(ctx context.Context, chainID int) (err error)
 				return fmt.Errorf("could not handle relay: %w", err)
 			}
 		case *fastbridge.FastBridgeBridgeProofProvided:
+			unlocker := r.relayMtx.Lock(hexutil.Encode(event.TransactionId[:]))
+			defer unlocker.Unlock()
+
 			// it wasn't me
 			if event.Relayer != r.signer.Address() {
 				//nolint: wrapcheck
@@ -99,6 +107,9 @@ func (r *Relayer) runChainIndexer(ctx context.Context, chainID int) (err error)
 				return fmt.Errorf("could not handle proof provided: %w", err)
 			}
 		case *fastbridge.FastBridgeBridgeDepositClaimed:
+			unlocker := r.relayMtx.Lock(hexutil.Encode(event.TransactionId[:]))
+			defer unlocker.Unlock()
+
 			// it wasn't me
 			if event.Relayer != r.signer.Address() {
 				//nolint: wrapcheck
diff --git a/services/rfq/relayer/service/statushandler.go b/services/rfq/relayer/service/statushandler.go
index 64208e5a5b..4f8b9bbdc2 100644
--- a/services/rfq/relayer/service/statushandler.go
+++ b/services/rfq/relayer/service/statushandler.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common"
 	"github.com/ethereum/go-ethereum/common/hexutil"
 	"github.com/jellydator/ttlcache/v3"
+	"github.com/synapsecns/sanguine/core/mapmutex"
 	"github.com/synapsecns/sanguine/core/metrics"
 	"github.com/synapsecns/sanguine/services/rfq/api/client"
 	"github.com/synapsecns/sanguine/services/rfq/relayer/chain"
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ type QuoteRequestHandler struct {
 	// mutexMiddlewareFunc is used to wrap the handler in a mutex middleware.
 	// this should only be done if Handling, not forwarding.
 	mutexMiddlewareFunc func(func(ctx context.Context, span trace.Span, req reldb.QuoteRequest) error) func(ctx context.Context, span trace.Span, req reldb.QuoteRequest) error
+	// relayMtx is the mutex for relaying.
+	relayMtx mapmutex.StringMapMutex
 }
 
 // Handler is the handler for a quote request.
@@ -76,6 +79,7 @@ func (r *Relayer) requestToHandler(ctx context.Context, req reldb.QuoteRequest)
 		claimCache:          r.claimCache,
 		apiClient:           r.apiClient,
 		mutexMiddlewareFunc: r.mutexMiddleware,
+		relayMtx:            r.relayMtx,
 	}
 
 	// wrap in deadline middleware since the relay has not yet happened
@@ -221,14 +225,19 @@ func (q *QuoteRequestHandler) Handle(ctx context.Context, request reldb.QuoteReq
 // Forward forwards a quote request.
 // this ignores the mutex middleware.
 func (q *QuoteRequestHandler) Forward(ctx context.Context, request reldb.QuoteRequest) (err error) {
+	txID := hexutil.Encode(request.TransactionID[:])
 	ctx, span := q.metrics.Tracer().Start(ctx, fmt.Sprintf("forward-%s", request.Status.String()), trace.WithAttributes(
-		attribute.String("transaction_id", hexutil.Encode(request.TransactionID[:])),
+		attribute.String("transaction_id", txID),
 	))
 	defer func() {
 		metrics.EndSpanWithErr(span, err)
 	}()
 
-	// TODO: consider adding a lock attempt/fail here as a defensive coding strategy. We *expect* stuff to be locked by the time we get to forward.
+	// sanity check to make sure that the lock is already acquired for this tx
+	_, ok := q.relayMtx.TryLock(txID)
+	if ok {
+		panic(fmt.Sprintf("attempted forward while lock was not acquired for tx: %s", txID))
+	}
 
 	return q.handlers[request.Status](ctx, span, request)
 }