diff --git a/src/main/java/rx/internal/operators/OperatorZip.java b/src/main/java/rx/internal/operators/OperatorZip.java
index 91fc05f09f..6f1280b3c3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/rx/internal/operators/OperatorZip.java
+++ b/src/main/java/rx/internal/operators/OperatorZip.java
@@ -177,7 +177,10 @@ public void request(long n) {
 
     }
 
-    private static final class Zip<R> extends AtomicLong {
+    static final class Zip<R> extends AtomicLong {
+        /** */
+        private static final long serialVersionUID = 5995274816189928317L;
+        
         final Observer<? super R> child;
         private final FuncN<? extends R> zipFunction;
         private final CompositeSubscription childSubscription = new CompositeSubscription();
@@ -186,7 +189,7 @@ private static final class Zip<R> extends AtomicLong {
         int emitted = 0; // not volatile/synchronized as accessed inside COUNTER_UPDATER block
 
         /* initialized when started in `start` */
-        private Object[] observers;
+        private volatile Object[] subscribers;
         private AtomicLong requested;
 
         public Zip(final Subscriber<? super R> child, FuncN<? extends R> zipFunction) {
@@ -197,16 +200,18 @@ public Zip(final Subscriber<? super R> child, FuncN<? extends R> zipFunction) {
 
         @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
         public void start(@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") Observable[] os, AtomicLong requested) {
-            observers = new Object[os.length];
-            this.requested = requested;
+            final Object[] subscribers = new Object[os.length];
             for (int i = 0; i < os.length; i++) {
                 InnerSubscriber io = new InnerSubscriber();
-                observers[i] = io;
+                subscribers[i] = io;
                 childSubscription.add(io);
             }
-
+            
+            this.requested = requested;
+            this.subscribers = subscribers; // full memory barrier: release all above
+            
             for (int i = 0; i < os.length; i++) {
-                os[i].unsafeSubscribe((InnerSubscriber) observers[i]);
+                os[i].unsafeSubscribe((InnerSubscriber) subscribers[i]);
             }
         }
 
@@ -219,13 +224,13 @@ public void start(@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") Observable[] os, AtomicLong requ
          */
         @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
         void tick() {
-            final Object[] observers = this.observers;
-            if (observers == null) {
+            final Object[] subscribers = this.subscribers;
+            if (subscribers == null) {
                 // nothing yet to do (initial request from Producer)
                 return;
             }
             if (getAndIncrement() == 0) {
-                final int length = observers.length;
+                final int length = subscribers.length;
                 final Observer<? super R> child = this.child;
                 final AtomicLong requested = this.requested;
                 do {
@@ -234,7 +239,7 @@ void tick() {
                         final Object[] vs = new Object[length];
                         boolean allHaveValues = true;
                         for (int i = 0; i < length; i++) {
-                            RxRingBuffer buffer = ((InnerSubscriber) observers[i]).items;
+                            RxRingBuffer buffer = ((InnerSubscriber) subscribers[i]).items;
                             Object n = buffer.peek();
 
                             if (n == null) {
@@ -265,7 +270,7 @@ void tick() {
                                 return;
                             }
                             // now remove them
-                            for (Object obj : observers) {
+                            for (Object obj : subscribers) {
                                 RxRingBuffer buffer = ((InnerSubscriber) obj).items;
                                 buffer.poll();
                                 // eagerly check if the next item on this queue is an onComplete
@@ -278,7 +283,7 @@ void tick() {
                                 }
                             }
                             if (emitted > THRESHOLD) {
-                                for (Object obj : observers) {
+                                for (Object obj : subscribers) {
                                     ((InnerSubscriber) obj).requestMore(emitted);
                                 }
                                 emitted = 0;