diff --git a/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/binary/handler.go b/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/binary/handler.go
index 5930eb42d..f5eca6741 100644
--- a/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/binary/handler.go
+++ b/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/binary/handler.go
@@ -52,10 +52,10 @@ type binaryRuntimeHandler struct {
 	inputDirMountPoint   string
 	imageCleanup         func()
 	ready                bool
-
-	mu sync.Mutex
 }
 
+var mu sync.Mutex
+
 func New(ctx context.Context, config types.PluginConfig) (runtimehandler.PluginRuntimeHandler, error) {
 	return &binaryRuntimeHandler{
 		config:         config,
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, config types.PluginConfig) (runtimehandler.PluginR
 
 //nolint:cyclop
 func (h *binaryRuntimeHandler) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
-	h.mu.Lock()
-	defer h.mu.Unlock()
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
 
 	image, cleanup, err := containerrootfs.GetImageWithCleanup(ctx, h.config.ImageName)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/docker/handler.go b/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/docker/handler.go
index ed0d99d6b..1971b3791 100644
--- a/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/docker/handler.go
+++ b/plugins/runner/internal/runtimehandler/docker/handler.go
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ import (
 	"net"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 
@@ -62,6 +63,8 @@ type containerRuntimeHandler struct {
 	runningErr       atomic.Pointer[error]
 }
 
+var mu sync.Mutex
+
 func New(ctx context.Context, config types.PluginConfig) (runtimehandler.PluginRuntimeHandler, error) {
 	// Load docker client
 	client, err := newDockerClient()
@@ -76,6 +79,9 @@ func New(ctx context.Context, config types.PluginConfig) (runtimehandler.PluginR
 }
 
 func (h *containerRuntimeHandler) Start(ctx context.Context) error {
+	mu.Lock()
+	defer mu.Unlock()
+
 	// Pull scanner image if required
 	err := h.pullPluginImage(ctx)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/scanner/families/plugins/runner/runner.go b/scanner/families/plugins/runner/runner.go
index 4b8f8449b..b85c7d384 100644
--- a/scanner/families/plugins/runner/runner.go
+++ b/scanner/families/plugins/runner/runner.go
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"io"
-	"sync"
 
 	apitypes "github.com/openclarity/vmclarity/api/types"
 	"github.com/openclarity/vmclarity/core/log"
@@ -39,8 +38,6 @@ import (
 type Scanner struct {
 	name   string
 	config config.Config
-
-	mu sync.Mutex
 }
 
 func New(_ context.Context, name string, config types.ScannersConfig) (families.Scanner[*types.ScannerResult], error) {
@@ -104,13 +101,11 @@ func (s *Scanner) Scan(ctx context.Context, inputType common.InputType, userInpu
 			Err:    nil,
 		}
 
-		s.mu.Lock()
 		if err := rr.Start(ctx); err != nil {
 			res.Err = fmt.Errorf("failed to start plugin runner: %w", err)
 			resChan <- res
 			return
 		}
-		s.mu.Unlock()
 
 		if err := rr.WaitReady(ctx); err != nil {
 			res.Err = fmt.Errorf("failed to wait for plugin scanner to be ready: %w", err)