diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/__init__.py b/apps/lock_manager/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/conf/__init__.py b/apps/lock_manager/conf/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e69de29bb2
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/conf/settings.py b/apps/lock_manager/conf/settings.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..05f4ae374c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/lock_manager/conf/settings.py
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+from django.conf import settings
+
+DEFAULT_LOCK_TIMEOUT_VALUE = 10
+
+DEFAULT_LOCK_TIMEOUT = getattr(settings, 'LOCK_MANAGER_DEFAULT_LOCK_TIMEOUT', DEFAULT_LOCK_TIMEOUT_VALUE)
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/exceptions.py b/apps/lock_manager/exceptions.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..cede7b1642
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/lock_manager/exceptions.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+class LockError(Exception):
+    pass
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/managers.py b/apps/lock_manager/managers.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..96c57ca02b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/lock_manager/managers.py
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+try:
+    from psycopg2 import OperationalError
+except ImportError:
+    class OperationalError(Exception):
+        pass
+
+import datetime
+
+from django.db.utils import DatabaseError
+from django.db.utils import IntegrityError
+from django.db import transaction
+from django.db import models
+
+from lock_manager.exceptions import LockError
+
+
+class LockManager(models.Manager):
+    @transaction.commit_manually
+    def acquire_lock(self, name, timeout=None):
+        lock = self.model(name=name, timeout=timeout)
+        try:
+            lock.save(force_insert=True)
+        except IntegrityError:
+            transaction.rollback()
+            # There is already an existing lock
+            # Check it's expiration date and if expired, delete it and 
+            # create it again
+            lock = self.model.objects.get(name=name)
+            transaction.rollback()
+
+            if datetime.datetime.now() > lock.creation_datetime + datetime.timedelta(seconds=lock.timeout):
+                self.release_lock(name)
+                lock.timeout=timeout
+                lock.save()
+                transaction.commit()
+            else:
+                raise LockError('Unable to acquire lock')
+        except DatabaseError:
+            transaction.rollback()
+            # Special case for ./manage.py syncdb
+        except (OperationalError, ImproperlyConfigured):
+            transaction.rollback()
+            # Special for DjangoZoom, which executes collectstatic media
+            # doing syncdb and creating the database tables
+        else:
+            transaction.commit()
+        
+    @transaction.commit_manually
+    def release_lock(self, name):
+        lock = self.model.objects.get(name=name)
+        lock.delete()
+        transaction.commit()
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/models.py b/apps/lock_manager/models.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..53c6b6e49d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/lock_manager/models.py
@@ -0,0 +1,26 @@
+import datetime
+
+from django.db import models
+from django.utils.translation import ugettext_lazy as _
+
+from lock_manager.managers import LockManager
+from lock_manager.conf.settings import DEFAULT_LOCK_TIMEOUT
+
+
+class Lock(models.Model):
+    creation_datetime = models.DateTimeField(verbose_name=_(u'creation datetime'))
+    timeout = models.IntegerField(default=DEFAULT_LOCK_TIMEOUT, verbose_name=_(u'timeout'))
+    name = models.CharField(max_length=32, verbose_name=_(u'name'), unique=True)
+    
+    objects = LockManager()
+    
+    def __unicode__(self):
+        return self.name
+        
+    def save(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.creation_datetime = datetime.datetime.now()
+        super(Lock, self).save(*args, **kwargs)
+        
+    class Meta:
+        verbose_name = _(u'lock')
+        verbose_name_plural = _(u'locks')
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/tests.py b/apps/lock_manager/tests.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..501deb776c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/lock_manager/tests.py
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+"""
+This file demonstrates writing tests using the unittest module. These will pass
+when you run "manage.py test".
+
+Replace this with more appropriate tests for your application.
+"""
+
+from django.test import TestCase
+
+
+class SimpleTest(TestCase):
+    def test_basic_addition(self):
+        """
+        Tests that 1 + 1 always equals 2.
+        """
+        self.assertEqual(1 + 1, 2)
diff --git a/apps/lock_manager/views.py b/apps/lock_manager/views.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60f00ef0ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/lock_manager/views.py
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+# Create your views here.
diff --git a/settings.py b/settings.py
index 32867a3281..baf47dd19a 100644
--- a/settings.py
+++ b/settings.py
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ INSTALLED_APPS = (
     'project_tools',
     'smart_settings',
     'navigation',
+    'lock_manager',
     'web_theme',
     'common',
     'metadata',