diff --git a/libs/ardour/vst3_plugin.cc b/libs/ardour/vst3_plugin.cc
index f602fece01..a7629b185c 100644
--- a/libs/ardour/vst3_plugin.cc
+++ b/libs/ardour/vst3_plugin.cc
@@ -1676,7 +1676,7 @@ VST3PI::restartComponent (int32 flags)
 
 	if (flags & Vst::kReloadComponent) {
 		Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock pl (_process_lock, Glib::Threads::NOT_LOCK);
-		if (!AudioEngine::instance ()->in_process_thread () && !_is_loading_state && !_restart_component_is_synced) {
+		if (!AudioEngine::instance ()->in_process_thread () && !_is_loading_state && !_restart_component_is_synced && !_process_offline) {
 			pl.acquire ();
 		} else {
 			assert (0); // a plugin should not call this while processing
@@ -1694,7 +1694,7 @@ VST3PI::restartComponent (int32 flags)
 	}
 	if (flags & Vst::kParamValuesChanged) {
 		Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock pl (_process_lock, Glib::Threads::NOT_LOCK);
-		if (!AudioEngine::instance ()->in_process_thread () && !_is_loading_state && !_restart_component_is_synced) {
+		if (!AudioEngine::instance ()->in_process_thread () && !_is_loading_state && !_restart_component_is_synced && !_process_offline) {
 			pl.acquire ();
 		}
 		update_shadow_data ();
@@ -1709,7 +1709,7 @@ VST3PI::restartComponent (int32 flags)
 		 * changes are automatically picked up.
 		 */
 		Glib::Threads::Mutex::Lock pl (_process_lock, Glib::Threads::NOT_LOCK);
-		if (!AudioEngine::instance ()->in_process_thread () && !_is_loading_state && !_restart_component_is_synced) {
+		if (!AudioEngine::instance ()->in_process_thread () && !_is_loading_state && !_restart_component_is_synced && !_process_offline) {
 			/* Some plugins (e.g BlendEQ) call this from the process,
 			 * IPlugProcessor::ProcessBuffers. In that case taking the
 			 * _process_lock would deadlock.