diff --git a/enforcer.go b/enforcer.go
index 91e4c420e..42328d3d3 100644
--- a/enforcer.go
+++ b/enforcer.go
@@ -281,10 +281,38 @@ func (e *Enforcer) ClearPolicy() {
 
 // LoadPolicy reloads the policy from file/database.
 func (e *Enforcer) LoadPolicy() error {
-	needToRebuild := false
+	newModel, err := e.prepareNewModel()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	return e.setNewModel(newModel)
+}
+
+// prepareNewModel prepares a new model with the policy from file/database.
+func (e *Enforcer) prepareNewModel() (model.Model, error) {
 	newModel := e.model.Copy()
 	newModel.ClearPolicy()
 
+	if err := e.adapter.LoadPolicy(newModel); err != nil && err.Error() != "invalid file path, file path cannot be empty" {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if err := newModel.SortPoliciesBySubjectHierarchy(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	if err := newModel.SortPoliciesByPriority(); err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+
+	return newModel, nil
+}
+
+// setNewModel replaces the current model with a new one
+func (e *Enforcer) setNewModel(newModel model.Model) error {
+	needToRebuild := false
+
 	var err error
 	defer func() {
 		if err != nil {
@@ -294,18 +322,6 @@ func (e *Enforcer) LoadPolicy() error {
 		}
 	}()
 
-	if err = e.adapter.LoadPolicy(newModel); err != nil && err.Error() != "invalid file path, file path cannot be empty" {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if err = newModel.SortPoliciesBySubjectHierarchy(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	if err = newModel.SortPoliciesByPriority(); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
 	if e.autoBuildRoleLinks {
 		needToRebuild = true
 		for _, rm := range e.rmMap {
diff --git a/enforcer_synced.go b/enforcer_synced.go
index 9bd192ac5..07fc37b61 100644
--- a/enforcer_synced.go
+++ b/enforcer_synced.go
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ func (e *SyncedEnforcer) StartAutoLoadPolicy(d time.Duration) {
 			select {
 			case <-ticker.C:
 				// error intentionally ignored
-				_ = e.LoadPolicy()
+				_ = e.reloadPolicy()
 				// Uncomment this line to see when the policy is loaded.
 				// log.Print("Load policy for time: ", n)
 				n++
@@ -116,6 +116,18 @@ func (e *SyncedEnforcer) LoadPolicy() error {
 	return e.Enforcer.LoadPolicy()
 }
 
+// reloadPolicy reloads the policy from file/database, but only locks when replacing the model
+func (e *SyncedEnforcer) reloadPolicy() error {
+	newModel, err := e.prepareNewModel()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	e.m.Lock()
+	defer e.m.Unlock()
+	return e.setNewModel(newModel)
+}
+
 // LoadFilteredPolicy reloads a filtered policy from file/database.
 func (e *SyncedEnforcer) LoadFilteredPolicy(filter interface{}) error {
 	e.m.Lock()
diff --git a/enforcer_synced_test.go b/enforcer_synced_test.go
index 4377869b9..9576632a3 100644
--- a/enforcer_synced_test.go
+++ b/enforcer_synced_test.go
@@ -40,6 +40,15 @@ func TestSync(t *testing.T) {
 	testEnforceSync(t, e, "bob", "data2", "read", false)
 	testEnforceSync(t, e, "bob", "data2", "write", true)
 
+	// Simulate a policy change
+	e.ClearPolicy()
+	testEnforceSync(t, e, "bob", "data2", "write", false)
+
+	// Wait for at least one sync
+	time.Sleep(time.Millisecond * 300)
+
+	testEnforceSync(t, e, "bob", "data2", "write", true)
+
 	// Stop the reloading policy periodically.
 	e.StopAutoLoadPolicy()
 }