diff --git a/vfs/file.go b/vfs/file.go
index 967adae60..c556fb5d8 100644
--- a/vfs/file.go
+++ b/vfs/file.go
@@ -29,8 +29,7 @@ type File struct {
 	modified          bool       // has the cache file be modified by a RWFileHandle?
 	pendingModTime    time.Time  // will be applied once o becomes available, i.e. after file was written
 
-	muClose sync.Mutex // synchonize RWFileHandle.close()
-	muOpen  sync.Mutex // synchonize RWFileHandle.openPending()
+	muRW sync.Mutex // synchonize RWFileHandle.openPending(), RWFileHandle.close() and File.Remove
 }
 
 // newFile creates a new File
@@ -385,6 +384,8 @@ func (f *File) Sync() error {
 
 // Remove the file
 func (f *File) Remove() error {
+	f.muRW.Lock()
+	defer f.muRW.Unlock()
 	if f.d.vfs.Opt.ReadOnly {
 		return EROFS
 	}
diff --git a/vfs/read_write.go b/vfs/read_write.go
index b612fdf1d..9817027f4 100644
--- a/vfs/read_write.go
+++ b/vfs/read_write.go
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ func (fh *RWFileHandle) openPending(truncate bool) (err error) {
 		return nil
 	}
 
-	fh.file.muOpen.Lock()
-	defer fh.file.muOpen.Unlock()
+	fh.file.muRW.Lock()
+	defer fh.file.muRW.Unlock()
 
 	o := fh.file.getObject()
 
@@ -240,8 +240,8 @@ func (fh *RWFileHandle) modified() bool {
 // to give the user a chance to recover it.
 func (fh *RWFileHandle) close() (err error) {
 	defer log.Trace(fh.logPrefix(), "")("err=%v", &err)
-	fh.file.muClose.Lock()
-	defer fh.file.muClose.Unlock()
+	fh.file.muRW.Lock()
+	defer fh.file.muRW.Unlock()
 
 	if fh.closed {
 		return ECLOSED