diff --git a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AccumulatorV2.scala b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AccumulatorV2.scala
index d5b3ce36e742a..1453840b834f2 100644
--- a/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AccumulatorV2.scala
+++ b/core/src/main/scala/org/apache/spark/util/AccumulatorV2.scala
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ package org.apache.spark.util
 
 import java.{lang => jl}
 import java.io.ObjectInputStream
-import java.util.{ArrayList, Collections}
+import java.util.ArrayList
 import java.util.concurrent.ConcurrentHashMap
 import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicLong
 
@@ -449,39 +449,46 @@ class DoubleAccumulator extends AccumulatorV2[jl.Double, jl.Double] {
  * @since 2.0.0
  */
 class CollectionAccumulator[T] extends AccumulatorV2[T, java.util.List[T]] {
-  private val _list: java.util.List[T] = Collections.synchronizedList(new ArrayList[T]())
+  private var _list: java.util.List[T] = _
+
+  private def getOrCreate = {
+    _list = Option(_list).getOrElse(new java.util.ArrayList[T]())
+    _list
+  }
 
   /**
    * Returns false if this accumulator instance has any values in it.
    */
-  override def isZero: Boolean = _list.isEmpty
+  override def isZero: Boolean = this.synchronized(getOrCreate.isEmpty)
 
   override def copyAndReset(): CollectionAccumulator[T] = new CollectionAccumulator
 
   override def copy(): CollectionAccumulator[T] = {
     val newAcc = new CollectionAccumulator[T]
-    _list.synchronized {
-      newAcc._list.addAll(_list)
+    this.synchronized {
+      newAcc.getOrCreate.addAll(getOrCreate)
     }
     newAcc
   }
 
-  override def reset(): Unit = _list.clear()
+  override def reset(): Unit = this.synchronized {
+    _list = null
+  }
 
-  override def add(v: T): Unit = _list.add(v)
+  override def add(v: T): Unit = this.synchronized(getOrCreate.add(v))
 
   override def merge(other: AccumulatorV2[T, java.util.List[T]]): Unit = other match {
-    case o: CollectionAccumulator[T] => _list.addAll(o.value)
+    case o: CollectionAccumulator[T] => this.synchronized(getOrCreate.addAll(o.value))
     case _ => throw new UnsupportedOperationException(
       s"Cannot merge ${this.getClass.getName} with ${other.getClass.getName}")
   }
 
-  override def value: java.util.List[T] = _list.synchronized {
-    java.util.Collections.unmodifiableList(new ArrayList[T](_list))
+  override def value: java.util.List[T] = this.synchronized {
+    java.util.Collections.unmodifiableList(new ArrayList[T](getOrCreate))
   }
 
-  private[spark] def setValue(newValue: java.util.List[T]): Unit = {
-    _list.clear()
-    _list.addAll(newValue)
+  private[spark] def setValue(newValue: java.util.List[T]): Unit = this.synchronized {
+    _list = null
+    getOrCreate.addAll(newValue)
   }
 }