diff --git a/rust/nix-flake/src/lib.rs b/rust/nix-flake/src/lib.rs
index b7ea7ba..e4c45e5 100644
--- a/rust/nix-flake/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/nix-flake/src/lib.rs
@@ -259,9 +259,16 @@ mod tests {
     use nix_store::store::Store;
 
     use super::*;
+    use std::sync::Once;
+
+    static INIT: Once = Once::new();
 
     fn init() {
-        nix_util::settings::set("experimental-features", "flakes").unwrap();
+        // Only set experimental-features once to minimize the window where
+        // concurrent Nix operations might read the setting while it's being modified
+        INIT.call_once(|| {
+            nix_util::settings::set("experimental-features", "flakes").unwrap();
+        });
     }
 
     #[test]
diff --git a/rust/nix-util/src/settings.rs b/rust/nix-util/src/settings.rs
index fc29810..93d305d 100644
--- a/rust/nix-util/src/settings.rs
+++ b/rust/nix-util/src/settings.rs
@@ -1,22 +1,54 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
 use nix_c_raw as raw;
+use std::sync::Mutex;
 
 use crate::{
     check_call, context, result_string_init,
     string_return::{callback_get_result_string, callback_get_result_string_data},
 };
 
+// Global mutex to protect concurrent access to Nix settings
+// See the documentation on `set()` for important thread safety information.
+static SETTINGS_MUTEX: Mutex<()> = Mutex::new(());
+
+/// Set a Nix setting.
+///
+/// # Thread Safety
+///
+/// This function uses a mutex to serialize access through the Rust API.
+/// However, the underlying Nix settings system uses global mutable state
+/// without internal synchronization.
+///
+/// The mutex provides protection between Rust callers but cannot prevent:
+/// - C++ Nix code from modifying settings concurrently
+/// - Other Nix operations from reading settings during modification
+///
+/// For multi-threaded applications, ensure that no other Nix operations
+/// are running while changing settings. Settings are best modified during
+/// single-threaded initialization.
 pub fn set(key: &str, value: &str) -> Result<()> {
+    // Lock the mutex to ensure thread-safe access to global settings
+    let guard = SETTINGS_MUTEX.lock().unwrap();
+
     let mut ctx = context::Context::new();
     let key = std::ffi::CString::new(key)?;
     let value = std::ffi::CString::new(value)?;
     unsafe {
         check_call!(raw::setting_set(&mut ctx, key.as_ptr(), value.as_ptr()))?;
     }
+    drop(guard);
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Get a Nix setting.
+///
+/// # Thread Safety
+///
+/// See the documentation on [`set()`] for important thread safety information.
 pub fn get(key: &str) -> Result<String> {
+    // Lock the mutex to ensure thread-safe access to global settings
+    let guard = SETTINGS_MUTEX.lock().unwrap();
+
     let mut ctx = context::Context::new();
     let key = std::ffi::CString::new(key)?;
     let mut r: Result<String> = result_string_init!();
@@ -28,6 +60,7 @@ pub fn get(key: &str) -> Result<String> {
             callback_get_result_string_data(&mut r)
         ))?;
     }
+    drop(guard);
     r
 }