diff --git a/motionplan/armplanning/node.go b/motionplan/armplanning/node.go
index c14b6bf82b9..69a06b4d200 100644
--- a/motionplan/armplanning/node.go
+++ b/motionplan/armplanning/node.go
@@ -118,6 +118,7 @@ type solutionSolvingState struct {
 	processCalls int
 	failures     *IkConstraintError
 
+	solutionScoreMu   sync.Mutex
 	solutions         []*node
 	startTime         time.Time
 	bestScore         float64
@@ -218,6 +219,10 @@ func (sss *solutionSolvingState) nonchainMinimize(seed, step referenceframe.Fram
 // return bool is if we should stop because we're done.
 func (sss *solutionSolvingState) process(ctx context.Context, stepSolution *ik.Solution,
 ) bool {
+	if ctx.Err() != nil {
+		return true
+	}
+
 	ctx, span := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "process")
 	defer span.End()
 	sss.processCalls++
@@ -254,6 +259,8 @@ func (sss *solutionSolvingState) process(ctx context.Context, stepSolution *ik.S
 		return false
 	}
 
+	sss.solutionScoreMu.Lock()
+	defer sss.solutionScoreMu.Unlock()
 	for _, oldSol := range sss.solutions {
 		similarity := &motionplan.SegmentFS{
 			StartConfiguration: oldSol.inputs,
@@ -275,7 +282,16 @@ func (sss *solutionSolvingState) process(ctx context.Context, stepSolution *ik.S
 	if myNode.cost < sss.goodCost || // this checks the absolute score of the plan
 		// if we've got something sane, and it's really good, let's check
 		myNode.cost < (sss.bestScore*defaultOptimalityMultiple) {
+		if ctx.Err() != nil {
+			// Check here before the expensive `checkPath` call. We put this check inside the lock
+			// to avoid playing games with the deferred unlock.
+			return true
+		}
+
+		sss.solutionScoreMu.Unlock()
 		whyNot := sss.psc.checkPath(ctx, sss.psc.start, step)
+		sss.solutionScoreMu.Lock()
+
 		sss.psc.pc.logger.Debugf("got score %0.4f and goodCost: %0.2f - result: %v", myNode.cost, sss.goodCost, whyNot)
 		if whyNot == nil {
 			myNode.checkPath = true
@@ -372,20 +388,30 @@ func getSolutions(ctx context.Context, psc *planSegmentContext) ([]*node, error)
 		}
 	})
 
-solutionLoop:
-	for {
-		select {
-		case <-ctx.Done():
-			// We've been canceled. So have our workers. Can just return.
-			return nil, ctx.Err()
-		case stepSolution, ok := <-solutionGen:
-			if !ok || solvingState.process(ctx, stepSolution) {
-				// No longer using the generated solutions. Cancel the workers.
-				cancel()
-				break solutionLoop
+	processCtx, processForkJoinSpan := trace.StartSpan(ctx, "processForkJoin")
+	wg := sync.WaitGroup{}
+	for processCPUs := 0; processCPUs < 8; processCPUs++ {
+		wg.Add(1)
+		go func() {
+			defer wg.Done()
+
+			for {
+				select {
+				case <-processCtx.Done():
+					// We've been canceled. So have our workers. Can just return.
+					return
+				case stepSolution, ok := <-solutionGen:
+					if !ok || solvingState.process(processCtx, stepSolution) {
+						// No longer using the generated solutions. Cancel the workers.
+						cancel()
+						return
+					}
+				}
 			}
-		}
+		}()
 	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	processForkJoinSpan.End()
 
 	solveErrorLock.Lock()
 	defer solveErrorLock.Unlock()
@@ -393,6 +419,8 @@ solutionLoop:
 		return nil, fmt.Errorf("solver had an error: %w", solveError)
 	}
 
+	solvingState.solutionScoreMu.Lock()
+	defer solvingState.solutionScoreMu.Unlock()
 	if len(solvingState.solutions) == 0 {
 		// We have failed to produce a usable IK solution. Let the user know if zero IK solutions
 		// were produced, or if non-zero solutions were produced, which constraints were violated.