diff --git a/src/engine/Join.cpp b/src/engine/Join.cpp
index 6d2376bb9..967ebfe55 100644
--- a/src/engine/Join.cpp
+++ b/src/engine/Join.cpp
@@ -435,43 +435,64 @@ Result::Generator Join::runLazyJoinAndConvertToGenerator(
         Result::IdTableVocabPair,
         std::function<void(IdTable&, LocalVocab&)>> auto action,
     OptionalPermutation permutation) const {
-  std::atomic_flag write = true;
+  // TODO<joka921, RobinTF> This heavily mixes a synchronization algorithm with
+  // the actual logic. This should be refactored.
+  std::mutex mutex;
+  std::condition_variable cv;
+  enum struct State { Inner, Outer, Finished };
+  State state = State::Inner;
+  struct CancelException : public std::exception {};
   std::variant<std::monostate, Result::IdTableVocabPair, std::exception_ptr>
       storage;
-  ad_utility::JThread thread{[&write, &storage, &action, &permutation]() {
-    auto writeValue = [&write, &storage](auto value) noexcept {
-      storage = std::move(value);
-      write.clear();
-      write.notify_one();
-    };
-    auto writeValueAndWait = [&permutation, &write,
-                              &writeValue](Result::IdTableVocabPair value) {
-      AD_CORRECTNESS_CHECK(write.test());
-      applyPermutation(value.idTable_, permutation);
-      writeValue(std::move(value));
-      // Wait until we are allowed to write again.
-      write.wait(false);
-    };
-    auto addValue = [&writeValueAndWait](IdTable& idTable,
-                                         LocalVocab& localVocab) {
-      if (idTable.size() < CHUNK_SIZE) {
-        return;
-      }
-      writeValueAndWait({std::move(idTable), std::move(localVocab)});
-    };
-    try {
-      auto finalValue = action(addValue);
-      if (!finalValue.idTable_.empty()) {
-        writeValueAndWait(std::move(finalValue));
-      }
-      writeValue(std::monostate{});
-    } catch (...) {
-      writeValue(std::current_exception());
-    }
+  ad_utility::JThread thread{
+      [&mutex, &cv, &state, &storage, &action, &permutation]() {
+        std::unique_lock lock(mutex);
+        auto wait = [&]() {
+          cv.wait(lock, [&]() { return state != State::Outer; });
+          if (state == State::Finished) {
+            throw CancelException{};
+          }
+        };
+
+        auto writeValue = [&cv, &state, &storage](auto value) noexcept {
+          storage = std::move(value);
+          state = State::Outer;
+          cv.notify_one();
+        };
+        auto writeValueAndWait = [&state, &permutation, &writeValue,
+                                  &wait](Result::IdTableVocabPair value) {
+          AD_CORRECTNESS_CHECK(state == State::Inner);
+          applyPermutation(value.idTable_, permutation);
+          writeValue(std::move(value));
+          wait();
+        };
+        auto addValue = [&writeValueAndWait](IdTable& idTable,
+                                             LocalVocab& localVocab) {
+          if (idTable.size() < CHUNK_SIZE) {
+            return;
+          }
+          writeValueAndWait({std::move(idTable), std::move(localVocab)});
+        };
+        try {
+          auto finalValue = action(addValue);
+          if (!finalValue.idTable_.empty()) {
+            writeValueAndWait(std::move(finalValue));
+          }
+          writeValue(std::monostate{});
+        } catch (...) {
+          writeValue(std::current_exception());
+        }
+      }};
+  std::unique_lock lock{mutex};
+  cv.wait(lock, [&state]() { return state == State::Outer; });
+  auto cleanup = absl::Cleanup{[&cv, &state, &lock]() {
+    state = State::Finished;
+    lock.unlock();
+    cv.notify_one();
   }};
   while (true) {
     // Wait for read phase.
-    write.wait(true);
+    cv.wait(lock, [&state] { return state == State::Outer; });
     if (std::holds_alternative<std::monostate>(storage)) {
       break;
     }
@@ -479,9 +500,10 @@ Result::Generator Join::runLazyJoinAndConvertToGenerator(
       std::rethrow_exception(std::get<std::exception_ptr>(storage));
     }
     co_yield std::get<Result::IdTableVocabPair>(storage);
-    // Initiate write phase.
-    write.test_and_set();
-    write.notify_one();
+    state = State::Inner;
+    lock.unlock();
+    cv.notify_one();
+    lock.lock();
   }
 }