diff --git a/lix/libstore/local-store.cc b/lix/libstore/local-store.cc
index 9f2828920..3e9f9a0d3 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/local-store.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/local-store.cc
@@ -101,7 +101,7 @@ void migrateCASchema(SQLite& db, Path schemaPath, AutoCloseFD& lockFd)
 
         if (!lockFile(lockFd.get(), ltWrite, false)) {
             printInfo("waiting for exclusive access to the Nix store for ca drvs...");
-            lockFile(lockFd.get(), ltNone, false); // We have acquired a shared lock; release it to prevent deadlocks
+            unlockFile(lockFd.get()); // We have acquired a shared lock; release it to prevent deadlocks
             lockFile(lockFd.get(), ltWrite, true);
         }
 
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ LocalStore::LocalStore(LocalStoreConfig config)
 
         if (!lockFile(globalLock.get(), ltWrite, false)) {
             printInfo("waiting for exclusive access to the Nix store...");
-            lockFile(globalLock.get(), ltNone, false); // We have acquired a shared lock; release it to prevent deadlocks
+            unlockFile(globalLock.get()); // We have acquired a shared lock; release it to prevent deadlocks
             lockFile(globalLock.get(), ltWrite, true);
         }
 
diff --git a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc
index 8c990ef4a..38d179f45 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc
+++ b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.cc
@@ -41,14 +41,13 @@ bool lockFile(int fd, LockType lockType, bool wait)
     int type;
     if (lockType == ltRead) type = LOCK_SH;
     else if (lockType == ltWrite) type = LOCK_EX;
-    else if (lockType == ltNone) type = LOCK_UN;
     else abort();
 
     if (wait) {
         while (flock(fd, type) != 0) {
             checkInterrupt();
             if (errno != EINTR)
-                throw SysError("acquiring/releasing lock");
+                throw SysError("acquiring lock");
             else
                 return false;
         }
@@ -57,13 +56,22 @@ bool lockFile(int fd, LockType lockType, bool wait)
             checkInterrupt();
             if (errno == EWOULDBLOCK) return false;
             if (errno != EINTR)
-                throw SysError("acquiring/releasing lock");
+                throw SysError("acquiring lock");
         }
     }
 
     return true;
 }
 
+void unlockFile(int fd)
+{
+    while (flock(fd, LOCK_UN) != 0) {
+        if (errno != EINTR) {
+            throw SysError("releasing lock");
+        }
+    }
+}
+
 
 PathLocks::PathLocks()
     : deletePaths(false)
diff --git a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh
index 3f46c873a..3309cd687 100644
--- a/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh
+++ b/lix/libstore/pathlocks.hh
@@ -18,9 +18,10 @@ AutoCloseFD openLockFile(const Path & path, bool create);
  */
 void deleteLockFile(const Path & path, int fd);
 
-enum LockType { ltRead, ltWrite, ltNone };
+enum LockType { ltRead, ltWrite };
 
 bool lockFile(int fd, LockType lockType, bool wait);
+void unlockFile(int fd);
 
 class PathLocks
 {
@@ -52,7 +53,7 @@ struct FdLock
     {
         try {
             if (acquired)
-                lockFile(fd, ltNone, false);
+                unlockFile(fd);
         } catch (SysError &) {
             ignoreExceptionInDestructor();
         }