A processing unit for a multiprocessor data processing system includes a processor core and a lower level cache including a reservation logic that records reservations of the processor core. The reservation logic passes or fails store-conditional operations received from the processor core based upon whether the processor core has reservations for target store addresses of the store-conditional operations. The processor core includes a store-through upper level cache, a reservation register, and sequencer logic that, by reference to the reservation register, fails a store-conditional operation without communication with said reservation logic.