diff --git a/conn.go b/conn.go
index 1861a31..b1a7dcc 100644
--- a/conn.go
+++ b/conn.go
@@ -30,11 +30,10 @@ type Conn struct {
 	isClient    bool
 	handshakeFn func(context.Context) error // (*Conn).clientHandshake or serverHandshake
 
-	// handshakeStatus is 1 if the connection is currently transferring
+	// isHandshakeComplete is true if the connection is currently transferring
 	// application data (i.e. is not currently processing a handshake).
-	// handshakeStatus == 1 implies handshakeErr == nil.
-	// This field is only to be accessed with sync/atomic.
-	handshakeStatus uint32
+	// isHandshakeComplete is true implies handshakeErr == nil.
+	isHandshakeComplete atomic.Bool
 	// constant after handshake; protected by handshakeMutex
 	handshakeMutex sync.Mutex
 	handshakeErr   error   // error resulting from handshake
@@ -604,7 +603,7 @@ func (c *Conn) readRecordOrCCS(expectChangeCipherSpec bool) error {
 	if c.in.err != nil {
 		return c.in.err
 	}
-	handshakeComplete := c.handshakeComplete()
+	handshakeComplete := c.isHandshakeComplete.Load()
 
 	// This function modifies c.rawInput, which owns the c.input memory.
 	if c.input.Len() != 0 {
@@ -1130,7 +1129,7 @@ func (c *Conn) Write(b []byte) (int, error) {
 		return 0, err
 	}
 
-	if !c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if !c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		return 0, alertInternalError
 	}
 
@@ -1200,7 +1199,7 @@ func (c *Conn) handleRenegotiation() error {
 	c.handshakeMutex.Lock()
 	defer c.handshakeMutex.Unlock()
 
-	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.handshakeStatus, 0)
+	c.isHandshakeComplete.Store(false)
 	if c.handshakeErr = c.clientHandshake(context.Background()); c.handshakeErr == nil {
 		c.handshakes++
 	}
@@ -1337,7 +1336,7 @@ func (c *Conn) Close() error {
 	}
 
 	var alertErr error
-	if c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		if err := c.closeNotify(); err != nil {
 			alertErr = fmt.Errorf("tls: failed to send closeNotify alert (but connection was closed anyway): %w", err)
 		}
@@ -1355,7 +1354,7 @@ var errEarlyCloseWrite = errors.New("tls: CloseWrite called before handshake com
 // called once the handshake has completed and does not call CloseWrite on the
 // underlying connection. Most callers should just use Close.
 func (c *Conn) CloseWrite() error {
-	if !c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if !c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		return errEarlyCloseWrite
 	}
 
@@ -1409,7 +1408,7 @@ func (c *Conn) handshakeContext(ctx context.Context) (ret error) {
 	// Fast sync/atomic-based exit if there is no handshake in flight and the
 	// last one succeeded without an error. Avoids the expensive context setup
 	// and mutex for most Read and Write calls.
-	if c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -1452,7 +1451,7 @@ func (c *Conn) handshakeContext(ctx context.Context) (ret error) {
 	if err := c.handshakeErr; err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	if c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		return nil
 	}
 
@@ -1468,10 +1467,10 @@ func (c *Conn) handshakeContext(ctx context.Context) (ret error) {
 		c.flush()
 	}
 
-	if c.handshakeErr == nil && !c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if c.handshakeErr == nil && !c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		c.handshakeErr = errors.New("tls: internal error: handshake should have had a result")
 	}
-	if c.handshakeErr != nil && c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if c.handshakeErr != nil && c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		panic("tls: internal error: handshake returned an error but is marked successful")
 	}
 
@@ -1487,7 +1486,7 @@ func (c *Conn) ConnectionState() ConnectionState {
 
 func (c *Conn) connectionStateLocked() ConnectionState {
 	var state ConnectionState
-	state.HandshakeComplete = c.handshakeComplete()
+	state.HandshakeComplete = c.isHandshakeComplete.Load()
 	state.Version = c.vers
 	state.NegotiatedProtocol = c.clientProtocol
 	state.DidResume = c.didResume
@@ -1531,7 +1530,7 @@ func (c *Conn) VerifyHostname(host string) error {
 	if !c.isClient {
 		return errors.New("tls: VerifyHostname called on TLS server connection")
 	}
-	if !c.handshakeComplete() {
+	if !c.isHandshakeComplete.Load() {
 		return errors.New("tls: handshake has not yet been performed")
 	}
 	if len(c.verifiedChains) == 0 {
@@ -1539,7 +1538,3 @@ func (c *Conn) VerifyHostname(host string) error {
 	}
 	return c.peerCertificates[0].VerifyHostname(host)
 }
-
-func (c *Conn) handshakeComplete() bool {
-	return atomic.LoadUint32(&c.handshakeStatus) == 1
-}
diff --git a/handshake_client.go b/handshake_client.go
index e61e3eb..e07cf79 100644
--- a/handshake_client.go
+++ b/handshake_client.go
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import (
 	"io"
 	"net"
 	"strings"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -455,7 +454,7 @@ func (hs *clientHandshakeState) handshake() error {
 	}
 
 	c.ekm = ekmFromMasterSecret(c.vers, hs.suite, hs.masterSecret, hs.hello.random, hs.serverHello.random)
-	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.handshakeStatus, 1)
+	c.isHandshakeComplete.Store(true)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/handshake_client_tls13.go b/handshake_client_tls13.go
index c798986..ac783af 100644
--- a/handshake_client_tls13.go
+++ b/handshake_client_tls13.go
@@ -12,7 +12,6 @@ import (
 	"crypto/rsa"
 	"errors"
 	"hash"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -104,7 +103,7 @@ func (hs *clientHandshakeStateTLS13) handshake() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.handshakeStatus, 1)
+	c.isHandshakeComplete.Store(true)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/handshake_server.go b/handshake_server.go
index 7606305..844e887 100644
--- a/handshake_server.go
+++ b/handshake_server.go
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"hash"
 	"io"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -122,7 +121,7 @@ func (hs *serverHandshakeState) handshake() error {
 	}
 
 	c.ekm = ekmFromMasterSecret(c.vers, hs.suite, hs.masterSecret, hs.clientHello.random, hs.hello.random)
-	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.handshakeStatus, 1)
+	c.isHandshakeComplete.Store(true)
 
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/handshake_server_tls13.go b/handshake_server_tls13.go
index 03a477f..712f358 100644
--- a/handshake_server_tls13.go
+++ b/handshake_server_tls13.go
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ import (
 	"errors"
 	"hash"
 	"io"
-	"sync/atomic"
 	"time"
 )
 
@@ -82,7 +81,7 @@ func (hs *serverHandshakeStateTLS13) handshake() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	atomic.StoreUint32(&c.handshakeStatus, 1)
+	c.isHandshakeComplete.Store(true)
 
 	return nil
 }