diff --git a/redis/asyncio/connection.py b/redis/asyncio/connection.py
index c13b921e2b..e3008d91d2 100644
--- a/redis/asyncio/connection.py
+++ b/redis/asyncio/connection.py
@@ -1215,16 +1215,17 @@ def can_get_connection(self) -> bool:
         version="5.3.0",
     )
     async def get_connection(self, command_name=None, *keys, **options):
+        """Get a connected connection from the pool"""
         async with self._lock:
-            """Get a connected connection from the pool"""
             connection = self.get_available_connection()
-            try:
-                await self.ensure_connection(connection)
-            except BaseException:
-                await self.release(connection)
-                raise
 
-        return connection
+        # We now perform the connection check outside of the lock.
+        try:
+            await self.ensure_connection(connection)
+            return connection
+        except BaseException:
+            await self.release(connection)
+            raise
 
     def get_available_connection(self):
         """Get a connection from the pool, without making sure it is connected"""
diff --git a/tests/test_asyncio/test_connection_pool.py b/tests/test_asyncio/test_connection_pool.py
index e658c14188..0316ff8797 100644
--- a/tests/test_asyncio/test_connection_pool.py
+++ b/tests/test_asyncio/test_connection_pool.py
@@ -222,6 +222,81 @@ async def test_pool_disconnect(self, master_host):
             await pool.disconnect(inuse_connections=False)
             assert conn.is_connected
 
+    async def test_lock_not_held_during_connection_establishment(self):
+        """
+        Test that the connection pool lock is not held during the
+        ensure_connection call, which involves socket connection and handshake.
+        This is important for performance under high load.
+        """
+        lock_states = []
+
+        class SlowConnectConnection(DummyConnection):
+            """Connection that simulates slow connection establishment"""
+
+            async def connect(self):
+                # Check if the pool's lock is held during connection
+                # We access the pool through the outer scope
+                lock_states.append(pool._lock.locked())
+                # Simulate slow connection
+                await asyncio.sleep(0.01)
+                self._connected = True
+
+        async with self.get_pool(connection_class=SlowConnectConnection) as pool:
+            # Get a connection - this should call connect() outside the lock
+            connection = await pool.get_connection()
+
+            # Verify the lock was NOT held during connect
+            assert len(lock_states) > 0, "connect() should have been called"
+            assert lock_states[0] is False, (
+                "Lock should not be held during connection establishment"
+            )
+
+            await pool.release(connection)
+
+    async def test_concurrent_connection_acquisition_performance(self):
+        """
+        Test that multiple concurrent connection acquisitions don't block
+        each other during connection establishment.
+        """
+        connection_delay = 0.05
+        num_connections = 3
+
+        class SlowConnectConnection(DummyConnection):
+            """Connection that simulates slow connection establishment"""
+
+            async def connect(self):
+                # Simulate slow connection (e.g., network latency, TLS handshake)
+                await asyncio.sleep(connection_delay)
+                self._connected = True
+
+        async with self.get_pool(
+            connection_class=SlowConnectConnection, max_connections=10
+        ) as pool:
+            # Start acquiring multiple connections concurrently
+            start_time = asyncio.get_running_loop().time()
+
+            # Try to get connections concurrently
+            connections = await asyncio.gather(
+                *[pool.get_connection() for _ in range(num_connections)]
+            )
+
+            elapsed_time = asyncio.get_running_loop().time() - start_time
+
+            # With proper lock handling, these should complete mostly in parallel
+            # If the lock was held during connect(), it would take num_connections * connection_delay
+            # With lock only during pop, it should take ~connection_delay (connections in parallel)
+            # We allow 2.5x overhead for system variance
+            max_allowed_time = connection_delay * 2.5
+            assert elapsed_time < max_allowed_time, (
+                f"Concurrent connections took {elapsed_time:.3f}s, "
+                f"expected < {max_allowed_time:.3f}s. "
+                f"This suggests lock was held during connection establishment."
+            )
+
+            # Clean up
+            for conn in connections:
+                await pool.release(conn)
+
 
 class TestBlockingConnectionPool:
     @asynccontextmanager