diff --git a/cpp/particles/lock_free_bool_array.hpp b/cpp/particles/lock_free_bool_array.hpp
index 593b600679be9320789ca3d18edbb47376b2716a..bfcd48880cfc6308f63afe235f0528b1a927f68b 100644
--- a/cpp/particles/lock_free_bool_array.hpp
+++ b/cpp/particles/lock_free_bool_array.hpp
@@ -32,18 +32,30 @@
 #include <cstdio>
 #include <omp.h>
 
-
 class lock_free_bool_array{
     static const int Available = 0;
     static const int Busy = 1;
     static const int NoOwner = -1;
 
+#ifdef __INTEL_COMPILER
+    struct Locker {
+        Locker(){
+            omp_init_nest_lock(&lock);
+        }
+        ~Locker(){
+            omp_destroy_nest_lock(&lock);
+        }
+        omp_nest_lock_t lock;
+    };
+#else
     struct Locker {
-        Locker() : lock(Available), ownerId(NoOwner), counter(0) {}
+        Locker() : lock(Available), ownerId(NoOwner), counter(0) {
+        }
         std::atomic_int lock;
         std::atomic_int ownerId;
         int counter;
     };
+#endif
 
     std::vector<std::unique_ptr<Locker>> keys;
 
@@ -58,27 +70,36 @@ public:
 #ifndef NDEBUG
     ~lock_free_bool_array(){
         for(auto& k : keys){
+#ifdef __INTEL_COMPILER
+#else
             assert(k->lock.load() == Available);
             assert(k->ownerId.load() == NoOwner);
+#endif
         }
     }
 #endif
+
+#ifdef __INTEL_COMPILER
+    void lock(const long int inKey){
+        Locker* k = keys[inKey%keys.size()].get();
+        omp_set_nest_lock(&k->lock);
+    }
+
+    void unlock(const long int inKey){
+        Locker* k = keys[inKey%keys.size()].get();
+        omp_unset_nest_lock(&k->lock);
+    }
+#else
     void lock(const long int inKey){
         Locker* k = keys[inKey%keys.size()].get();
         if(k->ownerId.load() != omp_get_thread_num()){
             int localBusy = Busy;// Intel complains if we pass a const as last param
             int expected = Available;
-#ifdef __INTEL_COMPILER
-            while(!__sync_val_compare_and_swap((int*)&k->lock, expected, localBusy)){
-#else
             while(!std::atomic_compare_exchange_strong(&k->lock, &expected, localBusy)){
-#endif
                 usleep(1);
                 expected = Available;
             }
-#ifdef __INTEL_COMPILER
             assert(k->ownerId.load() == NoOwner);
-#endif
             k->ownerId.store(omp_get_thread_num());
             k->counter = 0; // must remain
         }
@@ -99,6 +120,7 @@ public:
             k->lock.store(Available);
         }
     }
+#endif
 };
 
 #endif