diff --git a/lix/legacy/build-remote.cc b/lix/legacy/build-remote.cc
index b75d053f7..3d0c041b9 100644
--- a/lix/legacy/build-remote.cc
+++ b/lix/legacy/build-remote.cc
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 #include <chrono>
 #include <cstring>
 #include <future>
+#include <kj/time.h>
 #include <set>
 #include <memory>
 #include <string>
@@ -413,8 +414,12 @@ static int main_build_remote(AsyncIoRoot & aio, std::string programName, Strings
         {
             Activity act(*logger, lvlTalkative, actUnknown, fmt("waiting for the upload lock to '%s'", storeUri));
 
-            if (!unsafeLockFileSingleThreaded(uploadLock.get(), ltWrite, std::chrono::minutes(15)))
+            auto result = aio.blockOn(
+                AIO().timeoutAfter(15 * kj::MINUTES, lockFileAsync(uploadLock.get(), ltWrite))
+            );
+            if (!result) {
                 printError("somebody is hogging the upload lock for '%s', continuing...");
+            }
         }
 
         auto substitute = settings.buildersUseSubstitutes ? Substitute : NoSubstitute;
diff --git a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc
index 61b140a56..b56dd929a 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc
@@ -87,28 +87,6 @@ try {
     return {result::current_exception()};
 }
 
-bool unsafeLockFileSingleThreaded(int fd, LockType lockType, std::chrono::seconds timeout)
-{
-    int type = convertLockType(lockType);
-
-    auto old = signal(SIGALRM, [](int) {});
-    alarm(timeout.count());
-    KJ_DEFER({
-        alarm(0);
-        signal(SIGALRM, old);
-    });
-
-    while (flock(fd, type) != 0) {
-        checkInterrupt();
-        if (errno != EINTR)
-            throw SysError("acquiring lock");
-        else
-            return false;
-    }
-
-    return true;
-}
-
 bool tryLockFile(int fd, LockType lockType)
 {
     int type = convertLockType(lockType);
diff --git a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh
index 375c45367..59cbb2743 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh
+++ b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh
@@ -22,13 +22,6 @@ enum LockType { ltRead, ltWrite };
 
 void lockFile(int fd, LockType lockType, NeverAsync = {});
 kj::Promise<Result<void>> lockFileAsync(int fd, LockType lockType);
-/**
- * Same as `lockFile`, but with a timeout. This timeout uses the POSIX `alarm`
- * facility and a `SIGALRM` handler. Using this function from multiple threads
- * in the same process is not safe: all `SIGALRM` handlers set previously will
- * be overwritten while this function is executing and are restored on return.
- */
-bool unsafeLockFileSingleThreaded(int fd, LockType lockType, std::chrono::seconds timeout);
 bool tryLockFile(int fd, LockType lockType);
 void unlockFile(int fd);