A technique for optimizing grace period detection in a uniprocessor environment. An update operation is performed on a data element that is shared with non-preemptible readers of the data element. A call is issued to a synchronous grace period detection method. The synchronous grace period detection method performs synchronous grace period detection and returns from the call if the data processing system implements a multi-processor environment at the time of the call. The synchronous grace period detection determines the end of a grace period in which the readers have passed through a quiescent state and cannot be maintaining references to the pre-update view of the shared data. The synchronous grace period detection method returns from the call without performing grace period detection if the data processing system implements a uniprocessor environment at the time of the call.