diff --git a/vlib/v/ast/ast.v b/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
index 824895c05e..009b5f7c9b 100644
--- a/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
+++ b/vlib/v/ast/ast.v
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ import v.token
 import v.errors
 import v.util
 import v.pref
+import sync.stdatomic
 
 pub type TypeDecl = AliasTypeDecl | FnTypeDecl | SumTypeDecl
 
@@ -2095,25 +2096,25 @@ pub fn (expr Expr) is_blank_ident() bool {
 	return false
 }
 
-__global nested_expr_pos_calls = 0
+__global nested_expr_pos_calls = i64(0)
 // values above 14000 risk stack overflow by default on macos in Expr.pos() calls
 const max_nested_expr_pos_calls = 5000
 
 pub fn (expr Expr) pos() token.Pos {
-	// all uncommented have to be implemented
-	// Note: please do not print here. the language server will hang
-	// as it uses STDIO primarily to communicate ~Ned
-	nested_expr_pos_calls++
-	if nested_expr_pos_calls > ast.max_nested_expr_pos_calls {
+	pos_calls := stdatomic.add_i64(&nested_expr_pos_calls, 1)
+	if pos_calls > ast.max_nested_expr_pos_calls {
 		$if panic_on_deeply_nested_expr_pos_calls ? {
-			eprintln('${@LOCATION}: too many nested Expr.pos() calls: ${nested_expr_pos_calls}, expr type: ${expr.type_name()}')
+			eprintln('${@LOCATION}: too many nested Expr.pos() calls: ${pos_calls}, expr type: ${expr.type_name()}')
 			exit(1)
 		}
 		return token.Pos{}
 	}
 	defer {
-		nested_expr_pos_calls--
+		stdatomic.sub_i64(&nested_expr_pos_calls, 1)
 	}
+	// all uncommented have to be implemented
+	// Note: please do not print here. the language server will hang
+	// as it uses STDIO primarily to communicate ~Ned
 	return match expr {
 		AnonFn {
 			expr.decl.pos