diff --git a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-client.h b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-client.h
index 0a1424f5e..67fcbe35f 100644
--- a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-client.h
+++ b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-client.h
@@ -47,5 +47,6 @@ static inline void lvmlockd_close(daemon_handle h)
 #define ELOCKD    216
 #define EVGKILLED 217 /* sanlock lost access to leases and VG is killed. */
 #define ELOCKIO   218 /* sanlock io errors during lock op, may be transient. */
+#define EREMOVED  219
 
 #endif	/* _LVM_LVMLOCKD_CLIENT_H */
diff --git a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-core.c b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-core.c
index b99cb0bba..3d41bd2b4 100644
--- a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-core.c
+++ b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-core.c
@@ -1763,7 +1763,7 @@ static void res_process(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r,
 				list_del(&act->list);
 				add_client_result(act);
 			}
-			if (rv == -EUNATCH)
+			if (rv == -EUNATCH || rv == -EREMOVED)
 				goto r_free;
 		}
 	}
@@ -1796,7 +1796,7 @@ static void res_process(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r,
 				list_del(&act->list);
 				add_client_result(act);
 			}
-			if (rv == -EUNATCH)
+			if (rv == -EUNATCH || rv == -EREMOVED)
 				goto r_free;
 			break;
 		}
@@ -1817,6 +1817,9 @@ r_free:
 	lm_rem_resource(ls, r);
 	list_del(&r->list);
 	free_resource(r);
+
+	if (rv == -EREMOVED)
+		ls->thread_stop = 1;
 }
 
 #define LOCKS_EXIST_ANY 1
diff --git a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-dlm.c b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-dlm.c
index e24268588..676c94477 100644
--- a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-dlm.c
+++ b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-dlm.c
@@ -443,6 +443,7 @@ int lm_lock_dlm(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r, int ld_mode,
 	struct val_blk vb;
 	uint32_t flags = 0;
 	uint16_t vb_version;
+	uint16_t vb_flags;
 	int mode;
 	int rv;
 
@@ -522,6 +523,7 @@ lockrv:
 
 		memcpy(&vb, lksb->sb_lvbptr, sizeof(struct val_blk));
 		vb_version = le16_to_cpu(vb.version);
+		vb_flags = le16_to_cpu(vb.flags);
 
 		if (vb_version && ((vb_version & 0xFF00) > (VAL_BLK_VERSION & 0xFF00))) {
 			log_error("S %s R %s lock_dlm ignore vb_version %x",
@@ -536,8 +538,14 @@ lockrv:
 		*r_version = le32_to_cpu(vb.r_version);
 		memcpy(rdd->vb, &vb, sizeof(vb)); /* rdd->vb saved as le */
 
-		log_debug("S %s R %s lock_dlm get r_version %u",
-			  ls->name, r->name, *r_version);
+		log_debug("S %s R %s lock_dlm get r_version %u flags %x",
+			  ls->name, r->name, *r_version, vb_flags);
+
+		if (vb_flags & VBF_REMOVED) {
+			log_debug("S %s R %s lock_dlm VG has been removed",
+				  ls->name, r->name);
+			return -EREMOVED;
+		}
 	}
 out:
 	return 0;
@@ -593,7 +601,7 @@ int lm_convert_dlm(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r,
 }
 
 int lm_unlock_dlm(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r,
-		  uint32_t r_version, uint32_t lmuf_flags)
+		  uint32_t r_version, uint32_t lmu_flags)
 {
 	struct lm_dlm *lmd = (struct lm_dlm *)ls->lm_data;
 	struct rd_dlm *rdd = (struct rd_dlm *)r->lm_data;
@@ -602,7 +610,7 @@ int lm_unlock_dlm(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r,
 	int rv;
 
 	log_debug("S %s R %s unlock_dlm r_version %u flags %x",
-		  ls->name, r->name, r_version, lmuf_flags);
+		  ls->name, r->name, r_version, lmu_flags);
 
 	/*
 	 * Do not set PERSISTENT, because we don't need an orphan
@@ -611,12 +619,17 @@ int lm_unlock_dlm(struct lockspace *ls, struct resource *r,
 
 	flags |= LKF_CONVERT;
 
-	if (rdd->vb && r_version && (r->mode == LD_LK_EX)) {
+	if (rdd->vb && (r->mode == LD_LK_EX)) {
 		if (!rdd->vb->version) {
 			/* first time vb has been written */
 			rdd->vb->version = cpu_to_le16(VAL_BLK_VERSION);
 		}
-		rdd->vb->r_version = cpu_to_le32(r_version);
+		if (r_version)
+			rdd->vb->r_version = cpu_to_le32(r_version);
+
+		if ((lmu_flags & LMUF_FREE_VG) && (r->type == LD_RT_VG))
+			rdd->vb->flags = cpu_to_le16(VBF_REMOVED);
+
 		memcpy(lksb->sb_lvbptr, rdd->vb, sizeof(struct val_blk));
 
 		log_debug("S %s R %s unlock_dlm set r_version %u",
diff --git a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-internal.h b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-internal.h
index 8e0582b7c..46ae67f21 100644
--- a/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-internal.h
+++ b/daemons/lvmlockd/lvmlockd-internal.h
@@ -194,8 +194,12 @@ struct lockspace {
 	struct list_head resources;	/* resource/lock state for gl/vg/lv */
 };
 
+/* val_blk version */
 #define VAL_BLK_VERSION 0x0101
 
+/* val_blk flags */
+#define VBF_REMOVED 0x0001
+
 struct val_blk {
 	uint16_t version;
 	uint16_t flags;
diff --git a/lib/locking/lvmlockd.c b/lib/locking/lvmlockd.c
index 3f73cf3a2..e647c9656 100644
--- a/lib/locking/lvmlockd.c
+++ b/lib/locking/lvmlockd.c
@@ -694,7 +694,8 @@ out:
 
 static int _free_vg_dlm(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct volume_group *vg)
 {
-	uint32_t lockd_flags;
+	daemon_reply reply;
+	uint32_t lockd_flags = 0;
 	int result;
 	int ret;
 
@@ -704,23 +705,31 @@ static int _free_vg_dlm(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct volume_group *vg)
 		return 0;
 
 	/*
-	 * Unlocking the vg lock here preempts the lvmlockd unlock in
-	 * toollib.c which happens too late since the lockspace is
-	 * left here.
+	 * For the dlm, free_vg means unlock the ex VG lock,
+	 * and include an indication in the lvb that the VG
+	 * has been removed.  Then, leave the lockspace.
+	 * If another host tries to acquire the VG lock, it
+	 * will see that the VG has been removed by looking
+	 * at the lvb value.
 	 */
 
-	/* Equivalent to a standard unlock. */
-	ret = _lockd_request(cmd, "lock_vg",
-			     vg->name, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, "un", NULL,
-			     &result, &lockd_flags);
+	reply = _lockd_send("free_vg",
+				"pid = %d", getpid(),
+				"vg_name = %s", vg->name,
+				"vg_lock_type = %s", vg->lock_type,
+				"vg_lock_args = %s", vg->lock_args,
+				NULL);
 
-	if (!ret || result < 0) {
-		log_error("_free_vg_dlm lvmlockd result %d", result);
-		return 0;
+	if (!_lockd_result(reply, &result, &lockd_flags)) {
+		ret = 0;
+	} else {
+		ret = (result < 0) ? 0 : 1;
 	}
 
-	/* Leave the dlm lockspace. */
-	lockd_stop_vg(cmd, vg);
+	if (!ret)
+		log_error("_free_vg_dlm lvmlockd result %d", result);
+
+	daemon_reply_destroy(reply);
 
 	return 1;
 }
@@ -893,7 +902,11 @@ static int _lockd_all_lvs(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct volume_group *vg)
 int lockd_free_vg_before(struct cmd_context *cmd, struct volume_group *vg,
 			 int changing)
 {
-	/* Check that no LVs are active on other hosts. */
+	/*
+	 * Check that no LVs are active on other hosts.
+	 * When removing (not changing), each LV is locked
+	 * when it is removed, they do not need checking here.
+	 */
 	if (changing && !_lockd_all_lvs(cmd, vg)) {
 		log_error("Cannot change VG %s with active LVs", vg->name);
 		return 0;
@@ -1740,6 +1753,16 @@ int lockd_vg(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *vg_name, const char *def_mode,
 		goto out;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * The VG has been removed.  This will only happen with a dlm VG
+	 * since a sanlock VG must be stopped everywhere before it's removed.
+	 */
+	if (result == -EREMOVED) {
+		log_error("VG %s lock is removed", vg_name);
+		ret = 0;
+		goto out;
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * The lockspace for the VG is starting (the VG must not
 	 * be local), and is not yet ready to do locking.  Allow