A data processing system includes multiple processing units all having access to a shared memory system. A processing unit includes a lower level cache configured to serve as a point of systemwide coherency and a processor core coupled to the lower level cache. The processor core includes an upper level cache, an execution unit that executes a store-conditional instruction to generate a store-conditional request that specifies a store target address and store data, and a flag that, when set, indicates the store-conditional request can be completed early in the processor core. The processor core also includes completion logic configured to commit an update of the shared memory system with the store data specified by the store-conditional request based on whether the flag is set.