diff --git a/pipeline.go b/pipeline.go
index 1cbc00f3..f3be4d5d 100644
--- a/pipeline.go
+++ b/pipeline.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package redis
 
 import (
 	"sync"
-	"sync/atomic"
 
 	"gopkg.in/redis.v5/internal"
 	"gopkg.in/redis.v5/internal/pool"
@@ -17,10 +16,9 @@ type Pipeline struct {
 
 	exec func([]Cmder) error
 
-	mu   sync.Mutex // protects cmds
-	cmds []Cmder
-
-	closed int32
+	mu     sync.Mutex
+	cmds   []Cmder
+	closed bool
 }
 
 func (c *Pipeline) Process(cmd Cmder) error {
@@ -32,20 +30,23 @@ func (c *Pipeline) Process(cmd Cmder) error {
 
 // Close closes the pipeline, releasing any open resources.
 func (c *Pipeline) Close() error {
-	atomic.StoreInt32(&c.closed, 1)
-	c.Discard()
+	c.mu.Lock()
+	c.discard()
+	c.closed = true
+	c.mu.Unlock()
 	return nil
 }
 
-func (c *Pipeline) isClosed() bool {
-	return atomic.LoadInt32(&c.closed) == 1
-}
-
 // Discard resets the pipeline and discards queued commands.
 func (c *Pipeline) Discard() error {
-	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 	c.mu.Lock()
-	if c.isClosed() {
+	err := c.discard()
+	c.mu.Unlock()
+	return err
+}
+
+func (c *Pipeline) discard() error {
+	if c.closed {
 		return pool.ErrClosed
 	}
 	c.cmds = c.cmds[:0]
@@ -58,13 +59,13 @@ func (c *Pipeline) Discard() error {
 // Exec always returns list of commands and error of the first failed
 // command if any.
 func (c *Pipeline) Exec() ([]Cmder, error) {
-	if c.isClosed() {
-		return nil, pool.ErrClosed
-	}
-
 	defer c.mu.Unlock()
 	c.mu.Lock()
 
+	if c.closed {
+		return nil, pool.ErrClosed
+	}
+
 	if len(c.cmds) == 0 {
 		return c.cmds, nil
 	}