diff --git a/nodepool/launcher.py b/nodepool/launcher.py
index 9c4c2c085..de4267285 100755
--- a/nodepool/launcher.py
+++ b/nodepool/launcher.py
@@ -553,8 +553,10 @@ class CleanupWorker(BaseCleanupWorker):
                     continue
 
                 # Double check the state now that we have a lock since it
-                # may have changed on us.
-                if node.state != zk.READY:
+                # may have changed on us. We keep using the original node
+                # since it's holding the lock.
+                _node = zk_conn.getNode(node.id)
+                if _node.state != zk.READY:
                     zk_conn.unlockNode(node)
                     continue
 
@@ -605,8 +607,10 @@ class CleanupWorker(BaseCleanupWorker):
                 continue
 
             # Double check the state now that we have a lock since it
-            # may have changed on us.
-            if node.state != zk.HOLD:
+            # may have changed on us. We keep using the original node
+            # since it's holding the lock.
+            _node = zk_conn.getNode(node.id)
+            if _node.state != zk.HOLD:
                 zk_conn.unlockNode(node)
                 continue
 
@@ -716,8 +720,10 @@ class DeletedNodeWorker(BaseCleanupWorker):
                     continue
 
                 # Double check the state now that we have a lock since it
-                # may have changed on us.
-                if node.state not in cleanup_states:
+                # may have changed on us. We keep using the original node
+                # since it's holding the lock.
+                _node = zk_conn.getNode(node.id)
+                if _node.state not in cleanup_states:
                     zk_conn.unlockNode(node)
                     continue