diff --git a/server/base/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/server/AbstractServer.java b/server/base/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/server/AbstractServer.java
index ea676349173..fe4845affe0 100644
--- a/server/base/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/server/AbstractServer.java
+++ b/server/base/src/main/java/org/apache/accumulo/server/AbstractServer.java
@@ -161,7 +161,7 @@ public void startServiceLockVerificationThread() {
     final long interval =
         getConfiguration().getTimeInMillis(Property.GENERAL_SERVER_LOCK_VERIFICATION_INTERVAL);
     if (interval > 0) {
-      final Thread lockVerificationThread = Threads.createThread("service-lock-verification-thread",
+      verificationThread = Threads.createThread("service-lock-verification-thread",
           OptionalInt.of(Thread.NORM_PRIORITY + 1), () -> {
             while (true && serverThread.isAlive()) {
               ServiceLock lock = getLock();
@@ -180,7 +180,7 @@ public void startServiceLockVerificationThread() {
               }
             }
           });
-      lockVerificationThread.start();
+      verificationThread.start();
     }
   }