diff --git a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java
index c61f1693a68..a8437b3520c 100644
--- a/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java
+++ b/bookkeeper-server/src/main/java/org/apache/bookkeeper/client/LedgerHandle.java
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ private enum HandleState {
     public static final long INVALID_LEDGER_ID = -0xABCDABCDL;
 
     final Object metadataLock = new Object();
-    boolean changingEnsemble = false;
+    volatile boolean changingEnsemble = false;
     final AtomicInteger numEnsembleChanges = new AtomicInteger(0);
     Queue<PendingAddOp> pendingAddOps;
     ExplicitLacFlushPolicy explicitLacFlushPolicy;