diff --git a/activemq-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/Topic.java b/activemq-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/Topic.java
index 714f95ef694..fea004093e2 100644
--- a/activemq-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/Topic.java
+++ b/activemq-broker/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/broker/region/Topic.java
@@ -860,11 +860,12 @@ protected void dispatch(final ConnectionContext context, Message message) throws
                 }
             }
 
-            synchronized (consumers) {
-                if (consumers.isEmpty()) {
-                    onMessageWithNoConsumers(context, message);
-                    return;
-                }
+            // CopyOnWriteArrayList.isEmpty() is a volatile snapshot read; no
+            // monitor needed — the check is advisory at message granularity
+            // either way (subscription cutover is quiesced by dispatchLock).
+            if (consumers.isEmpty()) {
+                onMessageWithNoConsumers(context, message);
+                return;
             }
 
             // Clear memory before dispatch - need to clear here because the call to