diff --git a/stats/out_graphite.go b/stats/out_graphite.go
index ac971bbcea..8eb4878484 100644
--- a/stats/out_graphite.go
+++ b/stats/out_graphite.go
@@ -3,7 +3,6 @@ package stats
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"net"
-	"sync"
 	"time"
 
 	"github.com/raintank/worldping-api/pkg/log"
@@ -86,60 +85,47 @@ func (g *Graphite) reporter(interval int) {
 }
 
 // graphiteWriter is the background workers that connects to graphite and submits all pending data to it
-// TODO: conn.Write() returns no error for a while when the remote endpoint is down, the reconnect happens with a delay
+// TODO: conn.Write() returns no error for a while when the remote endpoint is down, the reconnect happens with a delay. this can also cause lost data for a second or two.
 func (g *Graphite) writer() {
 	connectTicker := time.Tick(time.Second)
-
-	lock := &sync.Mutex{}
 	var conn net.Conn
-
 	var err error
-	go func() {
-		for range connectTicker {
-			lock.Lock()
-			if conn == nil {
-				conn, err = net.Dial("tcp", g.addr)
-				if err == nil {
-					log.Info("stats now connected to %s", g.addr)
-				} else {
-					log.Warn("stats dialing %s failed: %s. will retry", g.addr, err.Error())
-				}
-			}
-			lock.Unlock()
-		}
-	}()
-	for buf := range g.toGraphite {
-		queueItems.Value(len(g.toGraphite))
-		var ok bool
-		for !ok {
-			for {
-				lock.Lock()
-				haveConn := (conn != nil)
-				connected.Set(haveConn)
-				lock.Unlock()
-				if haveConn {
-					break
-				}
-				time.Sleep(time.Second)
-			}
-			pre := time.Now()
-			lock.Lock()
-			_, err = conn.Write(buf)
+
+	assureConn := func() net.Conn {
+		connected.Set(conn != nil)
+		for conn == nil {
+			time.Sleep(time.Second)
+			conn, err = net.Dial("tcp", g.addr)
 			if err == nil {
-				ok = true
-				flushDuration.Value(time.Since(pre))
+				log.Info("stats now connected to %s", g.addr)
 			} else {
-				log.Warn("stats failed to write to graphite: %s (took %s). will retry...", err, time.Now().Sub(pre))
-				conn.Close()
-				conn = nil
-				connected.SetFalse()
+				log.Warn("stats dialing %s failed: %s. will retry", g.addr, err.Error())
 			}
-			lock.Unlock()
+			connected.Set(conn != nil)
 		}
+		return conn
 	}
-	lock.Lock()
-	if conn != nil {
-		conn.Close()
+
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-connectTicker:
+			conn = assureConn()
+		case buf := <-g.toGraphite:
+			queueItems.Value(len(g.toGraphite))
+			var ok bool
+			for !ok {
+				conn = assureConn()
+				pre := time.Now()
+				_, err = conn.Write(buf)
+				if err == nil {
+					ok = true
+					flushDuration.Value(time.Since(pre))
+				} else {
+					log.Warn("stats failed to write to graphite: %s (took %s). will retry...", err, time.Now().Sub(pre))
+					conn.Close()
+					conn = nil
+				}
+			}
+		}
 	}
-	lock.Unlock()
 }