diff --git a/src/load_balancing.cpp b/src/load_balancing.cpp
index 06ce918ed..5d9d577d8 100644
--- a/src/load_balancing.cpp
+++ b/src/load_balancing.cpp
@@ -18,16 +18,18 @@
 namespace cass {
 
 ControlConnection* LoadBalancingPolicy::control_connection() {
-  return session_ == NULL ? NULL : session_->control_connection();
+  auto* session = session_.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+  return session ? session->control_connection() : nullptr;
 }
 
 const Metadata* LoadBalancingPolicy::metadata() const {
-  const Session* s = session_; // const cast
-  return s == NULL ? NULL : &s->metadata();
+  const auto* session = session_.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+  return session ? &session->metadata() : nullptr;
 }
 
 const TokenMap* LoadBalancingPolicy::token_map() const {
-  return session_ == NULL ? NULL : session_->token_map();
+  auto* session = session_.load(std::memory_order_acquire);
+  return session ? session->token_map() : nullptr;
 }
 
 } // namespace cass
diff --git a/src/load_balancing.hpp b/src/load_balancing.hpp
index b42b26edf..d4831b0da 100644
--- a/src/load_balancing.hpp
+++ b/src/load_balancing.hpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <list>
 #include <set>
 #include <string>
+#include <atomic>
 
 #include <uv.h>
 
@@ -82,7 +83,7 @@ class LoadBalancingPolicy : public Host::StateListener, public RefCounted<LoadBa
   typedef SharedRefPtr<LoadBalancingPolicy> Ptr;
 
   LoadBalancingPolicy()
-    : RefCounted<LoadBalancingPolicy>(), session_(NULL) {}
+    : RefCounted<LoadBalancingPolicy>() {}
 
   virtual ~LoadBalancingPolicy() {}
 
@@ -112,7 +113,8 @@ class LoadBalancingPolicy : public Host::StateListener, public RefCounted<LoadBa
   const Metadata* metadata() const;
   const TokenMap* token_map() const;
 
-  Session* session_;
+private:
+  std::atomic<Session*> session_{nullptr};
 };
 
 
diff --git a/src/partition_aware_policy.cpp b/src/partition_aware_policy.cpp
index 204d77df0..d4140e2ff 100644
--- a/src/partition_aware_policy.cpp
+++ b/src/partition_aware_policy.cpp
@@ -202,7 +202,8 @@ QueryPlan* PartitionAwarePolicy::new_query_plan(const std::string& keyspace,
                                                 RequestHandler* request_handler) {
   QueryPlan* const child_plan = child_policy_->new_query_plan(keyspace, request_handler);
 
-  if (request_handler == NULL || request_handler->request() == NULL || metadata() == NULL) {
+  auto* metadata = this->metadata();
+  if (request_handler == NULL || request_handler->request() == NULL || metadata == NULL) {
     LOG_TRACE("Request or metadata is not available - child policy will be used");
     return child_plan;
   }
@@ -215,7 +216,7 @@ QueryPlan* PartitionAwarePolicy::new_query_plan(const std::string& keyspace,
     return child_plan;
   }
 
-  const Metadata::SchemaSnapshot schema = metadata()->schema_snapshot(
+  const Metadata::SchemaSnapshot schema = metadata->schema_snapshot(
       CASS_HIGHEST_SUPPORTED_PROTOCOL_VERSION, VersionNumber(3, 0, 0));
   const TableSplitMetadata::MapPtr& partitions = schema.get_partitions();