diff --git a/include/etl/ireference_counted_message_pool.h b/include/etl/ireference_counted_message_pool.h
index a875875b..39095d4b 100644
--- a/include/etl/ireference_counted_message_pool.h
+++ b/include/etl/ireference_counted_message_pool.h
@@ -46,6 +46,24 @@ namespace etl
 
     virtual ~ireference_counted_message_pool() {}
     virtual void release(const etl::ireference_counted_message& msg) = 0;
+
+    //***************************************************************************
+    /// The pool lock function.
+    /// Override to add thread or interrupt locking to the pool.
+    //***************************************************************************
+    virtual void lock()
+    {
+      // The default implementation does nothing.
+    }
+
+    //***************************************************************************
+    /// The pool unlock function.
+    /// Override to add thread or interrupt unlocking to the pool.
+    //***************************************************************************
+    virtual void unlock()
+    {
+      // The default implementation does nothing.
+    }
   };
 }
 
diff --git a/include/etl/reference_counted_message_pool.h b/include/etl/reference_counted_message_pool.h
index 29a80b5e..2bc45e08 100644
--- a/include/etl/reference_counted_message_pool.h
+++ b/include/etl/reference_counted_message_pool.h
@@ -116,7 +116,9 @@ namespace etl
 
       prcm_t p = ETL_NULLPTR;
 
+      lock();
       p = static_cast<prcm_t>(memory_block_allocator.allocate(sizeof(rcm_t)));
+      unlock();
 
       if (p != ETL_NULLPTR)
       {
@@ -134,7 +136,9 @@ namespace etl
     void release(const etl::ireference_counted_message& rcmessage)
     {
       rcmessage.~ireference_counted_message();
+      lock();
       bool released = memory_block_allocator.release(&rcmessage);
+      unlock();
 
       ETL_ASSERT(released, ETL_ERROR(etl::reference_counted_message_pool_release_failure));
     }