diff --git a/lib/krb5/error_string.c b/lib/krb5/error_string.c
index 7191090c0..7567b25bd 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/error_string.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/error_string.c
@@ -111,12 +111,9 @@ krb5_have_error_string(krb5_context context)
 char * KRB5_LIB_FUNCTION
 krb5_get_error_message(krb5_context context, krb5_error_code code)
 {
-    char *str = NULL;
+    char *str;
 
-    HEIMDAL_MUTEX_lock(context->mutex);
-    if (context->error_string)
-	str = strdup(context->error_string);
-    HEIMDAL_MUTEX_unlock(context->mutex);
+    str = krb5_get_error_string(context);
     if (str)
 	return str;