diff --git a/torch_xla/csrc/runtime/runtime.cc b/torch_xla/csrc/runtime/runtime.cc
index 71eb9d60ecec..e2f69c44e471 100644
--- a/torch_xla/csrc/runtime/runtime.cc
+++ b/torch_xla/csrc/runtime/runtime.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ ComputationClient* GetComputationClient() {
 
     XLA_CHECK(client);
 
-    g_computation_client_initialized.exchange(true);
+    g_computation_client_initialized = true;
     return client;
   }();