diff --git a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Config/Essentials/ConfigWriter.cs b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Config/Essentials/ConfigWriter.cs
index 1cd7b93e..cb361d28 100644
--- a/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Config/Essentials/ConfigWriter.cs	
+++ b/essentials-framework/Essentials Core/PepperDashEssentialsBase/Config/Essentials/ConfigWriter.cs	
@@ -19,7 +19,8 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core.Config
 
         public const long WriteTimeout = 30000;
 
-        public static CTimer WriteTimer;
+        public static CTimer WriteTimer;
+		static CCriticalSection fileLock = new CCriticalSection();
 
         /// <summary>
         /// Updates the config properties of a device
@@ -127,8 +128,6 @@ namespace PepperDash.Essentials.Core.Config
 
             Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Notice, "Writing Configuration to file");
 
-            var fileLock = new CCriticalSection();
-
             Debug.Console(0, Debug.ErrorLogLevel.Notice, "Attempting to write config file: '{0}'", filePath);
 
             try