diff --git a/histogram.go b/histogram.go
index 1ad45ee1..7f876f05 100644
--- a/histogram.go
+++ b/histogram.go
@@ -135,12 +135,9 @@ func BucketPairs(buckets Buckets) []BucketPair {
 		}
 	}
 
-	// Sort before iterating to create pairs
-	sort.Sort(buckets)
-
 	var (
-		asValueBuckets    = buckets.AsValues()
-		asDurationBuckets = buckets.AsDurations()
+		asValueBuckets    = copyAndSortValues(buckets.AsValues())
+		asDurationBuckets = copyAndSortDurations(buckets.AsDurations())
 		pairs             = make([]BucketPair, 0, buckets.Len()+2)
 	)
 
@@ -175,6 +172,24 @@ func BucketPairs(buckets Buckets) []BucketPair {
 	return pairs
 }
 
+func copyAndSortValues(values []float64) []float64 {
+	valuesCopy := make([]float64, len(values))
+	for i := range values {
+		valuesCopy[i] = values[i]
+	}
+	sort.Sort(ValueBuckets(valuesCopy))
+	return valuesCopy
+}
+
+func copyAndSortDurations(durations []time.Duration) []time.Duration {
+	durationsCopy := make([]time.Duration, len(durations))
+	for i := range durations {
+		durationsCopy[i] = durations[i]
+	}
+	sort.Sort(DurationBuckets(durationsCopy))
+	return durationsCopy
+}
+
 type bucketPair struct {
 	lowerBoundValue    float64
 	upperBoundValue    float64
diff --git a/histogram_test.go b/histogram_test.go
index 2a4a4b35..c1eb57b1 100644
--- a/histogram_test.go
+++ b/histogram_test.go
@@ -165,3 +165,31 @@ func TestMustMakeExponentialDurationBucketsPanicsOnBadFactor(t *testing.T) {
 		MustMakeExponentialDurationBuckets(2*time.Second, 1, 2)
 	})
 }
+
+func TestBucketPairsNoRaceWhenSorted(t *testing.T) {
+	buckets := DurationBuckets{}
+	for i := 0; i < 99; i++ {
+		buckets = append(buckets, time.Duration(i) * time.Second)
+	}
+	newPair := func() {
+		pairs := BucketPairs(buckets)
+		require.Equal(t, 100, len(pairs))
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		go newPair()
+	}
+}
+
+func TestBucketPairsNoRaceWhenUnsorted(t *testing.T) {
+	buckets := DurationBuckets{}
+	for i := 100; i > 1; i-- {
+		buckets = append(buckets, time.Duration(i) * time.Second)
+	}
+	newPair := func() {
+		pairs := BucketPairs(buckets)
+		require.Equal(t, 100, len(pairs))
+	}
+	for i := 0; i < 10; i++ {
+		go newPair()
+	}
+}