diff --git a/lib/locking/file_locking.c b/lib/locking/file_locking.c
index 48adae569..04b1511ea 100644
--- a/lib/locking/file_locking.c
+++ b/lib/locking/file_locking.c
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ static sig_t _oldhandler;
 static sigset_t _fullsigset, _intsigset;
 static int _handler_installed;
 
-static int _release_lock(const char *file)
+static int _release_lock(const char *file, int unlock)
 {
 	struct lock_list *ll;
 	struct list *llh, *llt;
@@ -46,10 +46,11 @@ static int _release_lock(const char *file)
 
 		if (!file || !strcmp(ll->res, file)) {
 			list_del(llh);
-			log_very_verbose("Unlocking %s", ll->res);
-
-			if (flock(ll->lf, LOCK_NB | LOCK_UN))
-				log_sys_error("flock", ll->res);
+			if (unlock) {
+				log_very_verbose("Unlocking %s", ll->res);
+				if (flock(ll->lf, LOCK_NB | LOCK_UN))
+					log_sys_error("flock", ll->res);
+			}
 
 			if (!flock(ll->lf, LOCK_NB | LOCK_EX) &&
 			    !stat(ll->res, &buf1) &&
@@ -74,7 +75,12 @@ static int _release_lock(const char *file)
 
 static void _fin_file_locking(void)
 {
-	_release_lock(NULL);
+	_release_lock(NULL, 1);
+}
+
+static void _reset_file_locking(void)
+{
+	_release_lock(NULL, 0);
 }
 
 static void _remove_ctrl_c_handler()
@@ -127,7 +133,7 @@ static int _lock_file(const char *file, int flags)
 		state = 'W';
 		break;
 	case LCK_UNLOCK:
-		return _release_lock(file);
+		return _release_lock(file, 1);
 	default:
 		log_error("Unrecognised lock type: %d", flags & LCK_TYPE_MASK);
 		return 0;
@@ -233,6 +239,7 @@ static int _file_lock_resource(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *resource,
 int init_file_locking(struct locking_type *locking, struct config_tree *cf)
 {
 	locking->lock_resource = _file_lock_resource;
+	locking->reset_locking = _reset_file_locking;
 	locking->fin_locking = _fin_file_locking;
 
 	/* Get lockfile directory from config file */
diff --git a/lib/locking/locking.c b/lib/locking/locking.c
index 5af4db452..0278dbefc 100644
--- a/lib/locking/locking.c
+++ b/lib/locking/locking.c
@@ -86,6 +86,19 @@ static void _unblock_signals(void)
 	return;
 }
 
+void reset_locking(void)
+{
+	int was_locked = _lock_count;
+
+	_lock_count = 0;
+	_write_lock_held = 0;
+
+	_locking.reset_locking();
+
+	if (was_locked)
+		_unblock_signals();
+}
+
 static inline void _update_lock_count(int flags)
 {
 	if ((flags & LCK_TYPE_MASK) == LCK_UNLOCK)
diff --git a/lib/locking/locking.h b/lib/locking/locking.h
index 92a44f3ed..430711180 100644
--- a/lib/locking/locking.h
+++ b/lib/locking/locking.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 
 int init_locking(int type, struct config_tree *cf);
 void fin_locking(void);
+void reset_locking(void);
 
 /*
  * LCK_VG:
diff --git a/lib/locking/locking_types.h b/lib/locking/locking_types.h
index cc693af10..03c92274c 100644
--- a/lib/locking/locking_types.h
+++ b/lib/locking/locking_types.h
@@ -12,10 +12,12 @@ typedef int (*lock_resource_fn) (struct cmd_context * cmd, const char *resource,
 				 int flags);
 
 typedef void (*fin_lock_fn) (void);
+typedef void (*reset_lock_fn) (void);
 
 struct locking_type {
 	lock_resource_fn lock_resource;
 
+	reset_lock_fn reset_locking;
 	fin_lock_fn fin_locking;
 };
 
diff --git a/lib/locking/no_locking.c b/lib/locking/no_locking.c
index 1fd8f8dbc..79f23b883 100644
--- a/lib/locking/no_locking.c
+++ b/lib/locking/no_locking.c
@@ -22,6 +22,11 @@ static void _no_fin_locking(void)
 	return;
 }
 
+static void _no_reset_locking(void)
+{
+	return;
+}
+
 static int _no_lock_resource(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *resource,
 			     int flags)
 {
@@ -54,6 +59,7 @@ static int _no_lock_resource(struct cmd_context *cmd, const char *resource,
 int init_no_locking(struct locking_type *locking, struct config_tree *cf)
 {
 	locking->lock_resource = _no_lock_resource;
+	locking->reset_locking = _no_reset_locking;
 	locking->fin_locking = _no_fin_locking;
 
 	return 1;