diff --git a/pkg/framework/core/message_bus.go b/pkg/framework/core/message_bus.go
index c01b3cc6..457ced2c 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/core/message_bus.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/core/message_bus.go
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ package core
 
 import (
 	"errors"
-	"fmt"
 	"sync"
 )
 
@@ -35,7 +34,7 @@ func (b *messageBus) action(msg Message) error {
 	var agg error
 	for _, h := range handlers {
 		if err := h(b.core, msg); err != nil {
-			agg = fmt.Errorf("%w; %v", agg, err)
+			agg = errors.Join(agg, err)
 		}
 	}
 	return agg
diff --git a/pkg/framework/core/message_bus_test.go b/pkg/framework/core/message_bus_test.go
index d661dc73..e69ac95e 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/core/message_bus_test.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/core/message_bus_test.go
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 package core
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"sync"
 	"testing"
 
@@ -25,6 +26,22 @@ func TestMessageBus_Action_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	assert.Len(t, received, 2)
 }
 
+func TestMessageBus_Action_Bad(t *testing.T) {
+	c, _ := New()
+
+	err1 := errors.New("handler1 failed")
+	err2 := errors.New("handler2 failed")
+
+	c.bus.registerAction(func(_ *Core, msg Message) error { return err1 })
+	c.bus.registerAction(func(_ *Core, msg Message) error { return nil })
+	c.bus.registerAction(func(_ *Core, msg Message) error { return err2 })
+
+	err := c.bus.action("test")
+	assert.Error(t, err)
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, err1)
+	assert.ErrorIs(t, err, err2)
+}
+
 func TestMessageBus_RegisterAction_Good(t *testing.T) {
 	c, _ := New()
 
diff --git a/pkg/framework/core/service_manager.go b/pkg/framework/core/service_manager.go
index b2996c47..80c208fd 100644
--- a/pkg/framework/core/service_manager.go
+++ b/pkg/framework/core/service_manager.go
@@ -26,14 +26,14 @@ func newServiceManager() *serviceManager {
 // registerService adds a named service to the registry.
 // It also appends to startables/stoppables if the service implements those interfaces.
 func (m *serviceManager) registerService(name string, svc any) error {
-	if m.locked {
-		return fmt.Errorf("core: service %q is not permitted by the serviceLock setting", name)
-	}
 	if name == "" {
 		return fmt.Errorf("core: service name cannot be empty")
 	}
 	m.mu.Lock()
 	defer m.mu.Unlock()
+	if m.locked {
+		return fmt.Errorf("core: service %q is not permitted by the serviceLock setting", name)
+	}
 	if _, exists := m.services[name]; exists {
 		return fmt.Errorf("core: service %q already registered", name)
 	}
@@ -62,12 +62,16 @@ func (m *serviceManager) service(name string) any {
 
 // enableLock marks that the lock should be applied after initialisation.
 func (m *serviceManager) enableLock() {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
 	m.lockEnabled = true
 }
 
 // applyLock activates the service lock if it was enabled.
 // Called once during New() after all options have been processed.
 func (m *serviceManager) applyLock() {
+	m.mu.Lock()
+	defer m.mu.Unlock()
 	if m.lockEnabled {
 		m.locked = true
 	}