diff --git a/src/engine/engine_crossplatform.h b/src/engine/engine_crossplatform.h
index 2cf6dff9..5f6b1b5d 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine_crossplatform.h
+++ b/src/engine/engine_crossplatform.h
@@ -85,6 +85,20 @@
       __atomic_fetch_add(ptr, val, __ATOMIC_RELAXED)
 #endif
 
+// Atomics helpers for mjtBool (1-byte _Bool) with acquire/release semantics.
+#if defined(_MSC_VER) && !defined(__clang__)
+  #define mj_atomic_load_bool(ptr) \
+      (mjtBool) _InterlockedCompareExchange8((volatile char*)(ptr), 0, 0)
+  #define mj_atomic_store_bool(ptr, val) \
+      (void)_InterlockedExchange8((volatile char*)(ptr), (char)(val))
+  #define mj_atomic_exchange_bool(ptr, val) \
+      (mjtBool) _InterlockedExchange8((volatile char*)(ptr), (char)(val))
+#else
+  #define mj_atomic_load_bool(ptr) __atomic_load_n(ptr, __ATOMIC_ACQUIRE)
+  #define mj_atomic_store_bool(ptr, val) __atomic_store_n(ptr, val, __ATOMIC_RELEASE)
+  #define mj_atomic_exchange_bool(ptr, val) __atomic_exchange_n(ptr, val, __ATOMIC_ACQ_REL)
+#endif
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 extern "C" {
 #endif
diff --git a/src/engine/engine_util_errmem.c b/src/engine/engine_util_errmem.c
index f5e7f8a4..f6c51988 100644
--- a/src/engine/engine_util_errmem.c
+++ b/src/engine/engine_util_errmem.c
@@ -104,7 +104,8 @@ static mjLogConfig log_config = {.logto_console = true,
                                  .logto_file = true,
                                  .logfile = "MUJOCO_LOG.TXT",
                                  .topics = 0};
-static mjtBool env_checked = 0;
+static mjtBool env_init_claimed = 0;  // claimed by first thread to enter init
+static mjtBool env_init_done = 0;     // set after log_config init completes
 
 // parse MUJOCO_LOG_TOPICS env var to seed initial topic bitmask
 // example: MUJOCO_LOG_TOPICS="time_stp,sleep"
@@ -143,9 +144,17 @@ static void mju_initLogTopicsFromEnv(void) {
 
 // private pointer getter encapsulates lazy init with zero copy overhead
 static const mjLogConfig* mju_getLogConfigPtr(void) {
-  if (!env_checked) {
-    mju_initLogTopicsFromEnv();
-    env_checked = 1;
+  if (!mj_atomic_load_bool(&env_init_done)) {
+    // atomically claim right to initialize; only one thread gets old value 0
+    if (!mj_atomic_exchange_bool(&env_init_claimed, 1)) {
+      mju_initLogTopicsFromEnv();
+      mj_atomic_store_bool(&env_init_done, 1);
+    } else {
+      // another thread is initializing; spin until it completes
+      while (!mj_atomic_load_bool(&env_init_done)) {
+        // empty
+      }
+    }
   }
   return &log_config;
 }
@@ -171,8 +180,9 @@ mjLogConfig mju_getLogConfig(void) {
 
 // set default handler configuration
 void mju_setLogConfig(mjLogConfig config) {
-  env_checked = 1;
   log_config = config;
+  mj_atomic_store_bool(&env_init_claimed, 1);
+  mj_atomic_store_bool(&env_init_done, 1);
 }
 
 // restore default processing
@@ -182,8 +192,9 @@ void mju_clearHandlers(void) {
                              .logto_file = true,
                              .logfile = "MUJOCO_LOG.TXT",
                              .topics = 0};
-  env_checked = 1;
+  mj_atomic_store_bool(&env_init_claimed, 1);
   mju_initLogTopicsFromEnv();
+  mj_atomic_store_bool(&env_init_done, 1);
 
   mju_user_error = 0;
   mju_user_warning = 0;