diff --git a/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/cache_types.rs b/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/cache_types.rs
index 209a861b54406..13f26947d1c5f 100644
--- a/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/cache_types.rs
+++ b/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/cache_types.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 use std::{cmp::Ordering, hash::DefaultHasher};
 
 use moka::sync::Cache as MokaCache;
+use mysten_common::debug_fatal;
 use parking_lot::Mutex;
 use sui_types::base_types::SequenceNumber;
 
@@ -292,10 +293,12 @@ where
             let mut entry = entry.value().lock();
             check_ticket()?;
 
-            // Ticket expiry makes this assert impossible.
-            // TODO: relax to debug_assert?
-            assert!(!entry.is_newer_than(&value), "entry is newer than value");
-            *entry = value;
+            // Ticket expiry should make this assert impossible.
+            if entry.is_newer_than(&value) {
+                debug_fatal!("entry is newer than value");
+            } else {
+                *entry = value;
+            }
         }
 
         Ok(())
diff --git a/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/unit_tests/writeback_cache_tests.rs b/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/unit_tests/writeback_cache_tests.rs
index af0b1213e2541..15f71ba9f890e 100644
--- a/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/unit_tests/writeback_cache_tests.rs
+++ b/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/unit_tests/writeback_cache_tests.rs
@@ -1339,3 +1339,60 @@ async fn latest_object_cache_race_test() {
     checker.join().unwrap();
     invalidator.join().unwrap();
 }
+
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn test_transaction_cache_race() {
+    telemetry_subscribers::init_for_testing();
+
+    let mut s = Scenario::new(None, Arc::new(AtomicU32::new(0))).await;
+    let cache = s.cache.clone();
+    let mut txns = Vec::new();
+
+    for i in 0..1000 {
+        let a = i * 4;
+        s.with_created(&[a]);
+        s.do_tx().await;
+
+        let outputs = s.take_outputs();
+        let tx = (*outputs.transaction).clone();
+        let effects = outputs.effects.clone();
+
+        txns.push((tx, effects));
+    }
+
+    let barrier = Arc::new(std::sync::Barrier::new(2));
+
+    let t1 = {
+        let txns = txns.clone();
+        let cache = cache.clone();
+        let barrier = barrier.clone();
+        std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            for (i, (tx, effects)) in txns.into_iter().enumerate() {
+                barrier.wait();
+                // test both single and multi insert
+                if i % 2 == 0 {
+                    cache.insert_transaction_and_effects(&tx, &effects);
+                } else {
+                    cache.multi_insert_transaction_and_effects(&[VerifiedExecutionData::new(
+                        tx, effects,
+                    )]);
+                }
+            }
+        })
+    };
+
+    let t2 = {
+        let txns = txns.clone();
+        let cache = cache.clone();
+        let barrier = barrier.clone();
+        std::thread::spawn(move || {
+            for (tx, _) in txns {
+                barrier.wait();
+                cache.get_transaction_block(tx.digest());
+            }
+        })
+    };
+
+    t1.join().unwrap();
+    t2.join().unwrap();
+}
diff --git a/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/writeback_cache.rs b/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/writeback_cache.rs
index 0783ee082dff5..120fcc257c97d 100644
--- a/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/writeback_cache.rs
+++ b/crates/sui-core/src/execution_cache/writeback_cache.rs
@@ -2268,6 +2268,9 @@ impl StateSyncAPI for WritebackCache {
         transaction: &VerifiedTransaction,
         transaction_effects: &TransactionEffects,
     ) {
+        self.store
+            .insert_transaction_and_effects(transaction, transaction_effects)
+            .expect("db error");
         self.cached
             .transactions
             .insert(
@@ -2284,15 +2287,15 @@ impl StateSyncAPI for WritebackCache {
                 Ticket::Write,
             )
             .ok();
-        self.store
-            .insert_transaction_and_effects(transaction, transaction_effects)
-            .expect("db error");
     }
 
     fn multi_insert_transaction_and_effects(
         &self,
         transactions_and_effects: &[VerifiedExecutionData],
     ) {
+        self.store
+            .multi_insert_transaction_and_effects(transactions_and_effects.iter())
+            .expect("db error");
         for VerifiedExecutionData {
             transaction,
             effects,
@@ -2315,8 +2318,5 @@ impl StateSyncAPI for WritebackCache {
                 )
                 .ok();
         }
-        self.store
-            .multi_insert_transaction_and_effects(transactions_and_effects.iter())
-            .expect("db error");
     }
 }