diff --git a/src/client/client_send.c b/src/client/client_send.c
index 41c54ed..bb293c1 100644
--- a/src/client/client_send.c
+++ b/src/client/client_send.c
@@ -458,8 +458,8 @@ static int scan_directory_multithreaded(void* pipeline_context) {
   PipelineContextSender* context = (PipelineContextSender*)pipeline_context;
   protocol_session_bind(&context->allocation_session);
   ScannerOptions options = scanner_options_from_config(context->config, 4);
-  ParallelScanner* scanner =
-      parallel_scanner_create_with_options(context->config->send_directory, &options);
+  ParallelScanner* scanner = parallel_scanner_create_with_options(
+      context->config->send_directory, &options, &context->allocation_session);
 
   Chunk* current_chunk;
   if (scanner == NULL) {
diff --git a/src/client/scanner.c b/src/client/scanner.c
index 46b70c7..276ddfb 100644
--- a/src/client/scanner.c
+++ b/src/client/scanner.c
@@ -351,10 +351,14 @@ typedef struct {
   char** dirs;
   int dir_count;
   ScannerOptions options;
+  ProtocolSession* allocation_session;
 } ParallelWorkerArg;
 
 static int parallel_worker_thread(void* arg) {
   ParallelWorkerArg* wa = (ParallelWorkerArg*)arg;
+  ProtocolSession* allocation_session = wa->allocation_session;
+  if (allocation_session)
+    protocol_session_bind(allocation_session);
   for (int i = 0; i < wa->dir_count; i++) {
     DirectoryScanner* ds = directory_scanner_create_with_options(wa->dirs[i], &wa->options);
     if (!ds) {
@@ -398,6 +402,8 @@ static int parallel_worker_thread(void* arg) {
     cnd_signal(&ps->result_not_empty);
   }
   mtx_unlock(&ps->result_mutex);
+  if (allocation_session)
+    protocol_session_unbind();
   return thrd_success;
 }
 
@@ -633,6 +639,7 @@ static void spawn_parallel_workers(ParallelScanner* ps, ArrayList* subdirs,
     wa->dir_count = count;
     wa->options = *options;
     wa->options.chunk_size = cs;
+    wa->allocation_session = ps->allocation_session;
     start += count;
     if (thrd_create(&ps->threads[t], parallel_worker_thread, wa) != thrd_success) {
       for (int j = 0; j < count; j++)
@@ -648,7 +655,8 @@ static void spawn_parallel_workers(ParallelScanner* ps, ArrayList* subdirs,
 }
 
 ParallelScanner* parallel_scanner_create_with_options(const char* root_directory,
-                                                      const ScannerOptions* options) {
+                                                      const ScannerOptions* options,
+                                                      ProtocolSession* allocation_session) {
   if (!root_directory || !options)
     return NULL;
   ParallelScanner* ps = calloc(1, sizeof(ParallelScanner));
@@ -658,6 +666,7 @@ ParallelScanner* parallel_scanner_create_with_options(const char* root_directory
     free(ps);
     return NULL;
   }
+  ps->allocation_session = allocation_session;
 
   ArrayList* root_files = array_list_create(file_destroy);
   ArrayList* subdirs = array_list_create(free);
diff --git a/src/client/scanner.h b/src/client/scanner.h
index 9bb24f8..f699218 100644
--- a/src/client/scanner.h
+++ b/src/client/scanner.h
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #define SCANNER_H
 
 #include "chunk.h"
+#include "protocol.h"
 #include "queue.h"
 #include <dirent.h>
 #include <stdbool.h>
@@ -62,6 +63,7 @@ typedef struct {
   atomic_bool cancelled;
   int completed;
   Chunk* initial_chunk;
+  ProtocolSession* allocation_session;
 } ParallelScanner;
 
 DirectoryScanner* directory_scanner_create(const char* root_directory, bool use_metadata,
@@ -78,7 +80,8 @@ bool directory_scanner_failed(const DirectoryScanner* scanner);
 void directory_scanner_destroy(DirectoryScanner* scanner);
 
 ParallelScanner* parallel_scanner_create_with_options(const char* root_directory,
-                                                      const ScannerOptions* options);
+                                                      const ScannerOptions* options,
+                                                      ProtocolSession* allocation_session);
 Chunk* parallel_scanner_next(ParallelScanner* scanner);
 bool parallel_scanner_failed(const ParallelScanner* scanner);
 void parallel_scanner_destroy(ParallelScanner* scanner);
diff --git a/src/server/server.c b/src/server/server.c
index d7221ef..a81f7f2 100644
--- a/src/server/server.c
+++ b/src/server/server.c
@@ -295,7 +295,8 @@ void handler(int file_descriptor) {
       return;
     }
     protocol_session_set_max_alloc(&context->session, config->max_alloc);
-    context->session.total_allocated_bytes = session.total_allocated_bytes;
+    atomic_store(&context->session.total_allocated_bytes,
+                 atomic_load(&session.total_allocated_bytes));
     thrd_t receiver, writer;
     bool receiver_created = thrd_create(&receiver, receive_thread, context) == thrd_success;
     bool writer_created = false;
diff --git a/src/shared/multiprocessing.c b/src/shared/multiprocessing.c
index f58e946..aa8a1f9 100644
--- a/src/shared/multiprocessing.c
+++ b/src/shared/multiprocessing.c
@@ -181,6 +181,7 @@ int receive_thread(void* pipeline_context) {
 
 int write_thread(void* pipeline_context) {
   PipelineContextReceiver* context = (PipelineContextReceiver*)pipeline_context;
+  protocol_session_bind(&context->session);
   mtx_lock(&context->mutex);
   bool save_to_disk = context->config->save_to_disk;
   char* root_directory = str_dup(context->config->receive_root_directory);
@@ -192,6 +193,7 @@ int write_thread(void* pipeline_context) {
     cnd_broadcast(&context->condition_not_full);
     cnd_broadcast(&context->condition_not_empty);
     mtx_unlock(&context->mutex);
+    protocol_session_unbind();
     return thrd_error;
   }
 
@@ -201,6 +203,7 @@ int write_thread(void* pipeline_context) {
                                     &context->condition_not_full, &context->receiver_done);
     if (file == NULL) {
       free(root_directory);
+      protocol_session_unbind();
       return thrd_success;
     }
     if (save_to_disk && !file_save_to_disk(root_directory, file, context->config)) {
@@ -212,6 +215,7 @@ int write_thread(void* pipeline_context) {
       cnd_broadcast(&context->condition_not_empty);
       mtx_unlock(&context->mutex);
       free(root_directory);
+      protocol_session_unbind();
       return thrd_error;
     }
     file_destroy(file);
diff --git a/src/shared/protocol.c b/src/shared/protocol.c
index bb499fd..8624893 100644
--- a/src/shared/protocol.c
+++ b/src/shared/protocol.c
@@ -30,10 +30,12 @@ static unsigned long long global_bwlimit(void);
 
 void protocol_release_memory(size_t charge) {
   ProtocolSession* session = bound_session ? bound_session : &legacy_io_session;
-  if ((unsigned long long)charge >= session->total_allocated_bytes)
-    session->total_allocated_bytes = 0;
-  else
-    session->total_allocated_bytes -= charge;
+  unsigned long long allocated = atomic_load(&session->total_allocated_bytes);
+  while (true) {
+    unsigned long long remaining = (unsigned long long)charge >= allocated ? 0 : allocated - charge;
+    if (atomic_compare_exchange_weak(&session->total_allocated_bytes, &allocated, remaining))
+      break;
+  }
 }
 void io_set_fds(int read_fd, int write_fd) {
   bound_session = NULL;
@@ -45,7 +47,7 @@ void io_set_fds(int read_fd, int write_fd) {
   legacy_io_session.read_fd = read_fd;
   legacy_io_session.write_fd = write_fd;
   legacy_io_session.ssl = NULL;
-  legacy_io_session.total_allocated_bytes = 0;
+  atomic_store(&legacy_io_session.total_allocated_bytes, 0);
   legacy_io_session.max_alloc = DEFAULT_MAX_ALLOC;
   protocol_session_set_bwlimit(&legacy_io_session, global_bwlimit());
 }
@@ -57,6 +59,7 @@ void protocol_session_init(ProtocolSession* session, int read_fd, int write_fd)
   session->read_fd = read_fd;
   session->write_fd = write_fd;
   session->max_alloc = DEFAULT_MAX_ALLOC;
+  atomic_init(&session->total_allocated_bytes, 0);
   protocol_session_set_bwlimit(session, global_bwlimit());
 }
 
@@ -179,7 +182,7 @@ static ProtocolSession* legacy_session(int read_fd, int write_fd) {
       legacy_io_session.write_fd != target_write_fd) {
     legacy_io_session.read_fd = target_read_fd;
     legacy_io_session.write_fd = target_write_fd;
-    legacy_io_session.total_allocated_bytes = 0;
+    atomic_store(&legacy_io_session.total_allocated_bytes, 0);
     legacy_io_session.max_alloc = DEFAULT_MAX_ALLOC;
     protocol_session_set_bwlimit(&legacy_io_session, global_bwlimit());
   } else if (legacy_io_session.bwlimit != global_bwlimit()) {
@@ -364,7 +367,7 @@ char* protocol_receive_str(ProtocolSession* session) {
   if (!protocol_receive_n_data(session, &size, sizeof(size_t)))
     return NULL;
   if (size > MAX_STRING_SIZE || size > SIZE_MAX - 1 ||
-      size + 1 > MAX_CONNECTION_MEMORY - session->total_allocated_bytes) {
+      size + 1 > MAX_CONNECTION_MEMORY - atomic_load(&session->total_allocated_bytes)) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "String size %zu exceeds maximum %llu", size,
                 (unsigned long long)MAX_STRING_SIZE);
     return NULL;
@@ -382,7 +385,7 @@ char* protocol_receive_str(ProtocolSession* session) {
     return NULL;
   }
   data[size] = '\0';
-  session->total_allocated_bytes += size + 1;
+  atomic_fetch_add(&session->total_allocated_bytes, size + 1);
   log_message(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Received String: %s", data);
   return data;
 }
@@ -415,9 +418,9 @@ Data* protocol_receive_data_limited(ProtocolSession* session, unsigned long long
   if (size > SIZE_MAX)
     return NULL;
   size_t allocation_size = size == 0 ? 1 : (size_t)size;
-  if (allocation_size > MAX_CONNECTION_MEMORY - session->total_allocated_bytes) {
+  if (allocation_size > MAX_CONNECTION_MEMORY - atomic_load(&session->total_allocated_bytes)) {
     log_message(LOG_LEVEL_ERROR, "Per-connection memory limit exceeded (%llu + %llu > %llu)",
-                (unsigned long long)session->total_allocated_bytes, size,
+                (unsigned long long)atomic_load(&session->total_allocated_bytes), size,
                 (unsigned long long)MAX_CONNECTION_MEMORY);
     return NULL;
   }
@@ -428,11 +431,11 @@ Data* protocol_receive_data_limited(ProtocolSession* session, unsigned long long
     free(data);
     return NULL;
   }
-  session->total_allocated_bytes += allocation_size;
+  atomic_fetch_add(&session->total_allocated_bytes, allocation_size);
   log_message(LOG_LEVEL_DEBUG, "Received %lld data", size);
   Data* result = data_create(data, (size_t)size);
   if (!result) {
-    session->total_allocated_bytes -= allocation_size;
+    protocol_release_memory(allocation_size);
     return NULL;
   }
   result->protocol_charge = allocation_size;
diff --git a/src/shared/protocol.h b/src/shared/protocol.h
index 9022e22..7d67ac8 100644
--- a/src/shared/protocol.h
+++ b/src/shared/protocol.h
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 #include "data.h"
 #include <stdbool.h>
 #include <stddef.h>
+#include <stdatomic.h>
 
 /* Maximum allowed string size for receive_str (64 KB) */
 #define MAX_STRING_SIZE (64 * 1024)
@@ -38,7 +39,7 @@ typedef struct ProtocolSession {
   long long bw_tokens;
   long long bw_last_refill_sec;
   long bw_last_refill_nsec;
-  unsigned long long total_allocated_bytes;
+  atomic_ullong total_allocated_bytes;
   unsigned long long max_alloc;
 } ProtocolSession;
 
diff --git a/tests/test_protocol.c b/tests/test_protocol.c
index fb325fa..53063d9 100644
--- a/tests/test_protocol.c
+++ b/tests/test_protocol.c
@@ -3,6 +3,40 @@
 #include <limits.h>
 #include <string.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
+#include <threads.h>
+
+typedef struct {
+  ProtocolSession* session;
+  bool allocation_allowed;
+} AllocationWorkerArg;
+
+static int allocation_worker(void* arg) {
+  AllocationWorkerArg* worker = arg;
+  protocol_session_bind(worker->session);
+  void* allocation = protocol_alloc(8);
+  worker->allocation_allowed = allocation != NULL;
+  free(allocation);
+  protocol_session_unbind();
+  return thrd_success;
+}
+
+typedef struct {
+  ProtocolSession* session;
+  int read_fd;
+  bool released;
+} AccountingWorkerArg;
+
+static int accounting_worker(void* arg) {
+  AccountingWorkerArg* worker = arg;
+  protocol_session_bind(worker->session);
+  Data* data = protocol_receive_data_limited(worker->session, 8);
+  if (data) {
+    data_destroy(data);
+    worker->released = atomic_load(&worker->session->total_allocated_bytes) == 0;
+  }
+  protocol_session_unbind();
+  return data ? thrd_success : thrd_error;
+}
 
 static void test_send_receive_n_data() {
   int p[2];
@@ -215,6 +249,53 @@ static void test_max_alloc_allows_configured_buffer() {
   protocol_session_unbind();
 }
 
+static void test_max_alloc_is_bound_in_worker_threads() {
+  enum { WORKER_COUNT = 4 };
+  ProtocolSession sessions[WORKER_COUNT];
+  AllocationWorkerArg args[WORKER_COUNT] = {0};
+  thrd_t threads[WORKER_COUNT];
+  for (int i = 0; i < WORKER_COUNT; i++) {
+    protocol_session_init(&sessions[i], -1, -1);
+    protocol_session_set_max_alloc(&sessions[i], 4);
+    args[i].session = &sessions[i];
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(thrd_create(&threads[i], allocation_worker, &args[i]), thrd_success);
+  }
+  for (int i = 0; i < WORKER_COUNT; i++) {
+    int result;
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(thrd_join(threads[i], &result), thrd_success);
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(result, thrd_success);
+    EXPECT_FALSE(args[i].allocation_allowed);
+  }
+}
+
+static void test_protocol_accounting_is_released_in_worker_threads() {
+  enum { WORKER_COUNT = 4 };
+  ProtocolSession sessions[WORKER_COUNT];
+  AccountingWorkerArg args[WORKER_COUNT] = {0};
+  thrd_t threads[WORKER_COUNT];
+  for (int i = 0; i < WORKER_COUNT; i++) {
+    int p[2];
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(pipe(p), 0);
+    protocol_session_init(&sessions[i], p[0], p[1]);
+    protocol_session_set_max_alloc(&sessions[i], 64);
+    unsigned long long size = 8;
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT((int)write(p[1], &size, sizeof(size)), (int)sizeof(size));
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT((int)write(p[1], "12345678", 8), 8);
+    close(p[1]);
+    args[i].session = &sessions[i];
+    args[i].read_fd = p[0];
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(thrd_create(&threads[i], accounting_worker, &args[i]), thrd_success);
+  }
+  for (int i = 0; i < WORKER_COUNT; i++) {
+    int result;
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(thrd_join(threads[i], &result), thrd_success);
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT(result, thrd_success);
+    EXPECT_TRUE(args[i].released);
+    EXPECT_EQ_INT((int)atomic_load(&sessions[i].total_allocated_bytes), 0);
+    close(args[i].read_fd);
+  }
+}
+
 void test_protocol() {
   test_send_receive_n_data();
   test_send_receive_n_data_zero();
@@ -228,4 +309,6 @@ void test_protocol() {
   test_receive_str_truncated();
   test_max_alloc_rejects_single_buffer();
   test_max_alloc_allows_configured_buffer();
+  test_max_alloc_is_bound_in_worker_threads();
+  test_protocol_accounting_is_released_in_worker_threads();
 }
diff --git a/tests/test_scanner.c b/tests/test_scanner.c
index 71d8a20..37a0565 100644
--- a/tests/test_scanner.c
+++ b/tests/test_scanner.c
@@ -396,7 +396,7 @@ static void test_parallel_scanner_root_chunks_without_workers() {
 
   ScannerOptions options = {false, 1, NULL,  0,     NULL,  0,     0,    0,
                             0,     0, false, false, false, false, false};
-  ParallelScanner* scanner = parallel_scanner_create_with_options(dir, &options);
+  ParallelScanner* scanner = parallel_scanner_create_with_options(dir, &options, NULL);
   EXPECT_NOT_NULL(scanner);
 
   int total_files = 0;