diff --git a/apps/ocr/tasks.py b/apps/ocr/tasks.py
index eb79234acc..17ecded17a 100644
--- a/apps/ocr/tasks.py
+++ b/apps/ocr/tasks.py
@@ -1,10 +1,9 @@
 from datetime import timedelta, datetime
 import platform
-import time
-import random
 
 from django.db.models import Q
 from django.utils.translation import ugettext as _
+from django.core.cache.backends.locmem import CacheClass
 
 from celery.decorators import task, periodic_task
 from celery.task.control import inspect
@@ -18,13 +17,12 @@ from ocr.conf.settings import NODE_CONCURRENT_EXECUTION
 from ocr.conf.settings import REPLICATION_DELAY
 from ocr.conf.settings import QUEUE_PROCESSING_INTERVAL
 
+LOCK_EXPIRE = 60 * 5 # Lock expires in 5 minutes
+local_cache = CacheClass([], {})
 
 @task
 def task_process_queue_document(queue_document_id):
     queue_document = QueueDocument.objects.get(id=queue_document_id)
-    if queue_document.state == QUEUEDOCUMENT_STATE_PROCESSING:
-        #Recheck to avoid race condition
-        return
     queue_document.state = QUEUEDOCUMENT_STATE_PROCESSING
     queue_document.node_name = platform.node()
     queue_document.result = task_process_queue_document.request.id
@@ -63,23 +61,26 @@ def reset_orphans():
 
 @periodic_task(run_every=timedelta(seconds=QUEUE_PROCESSING_INTERVAL))
 def task_process_document_queues():
-    reset_orphans()
-    #Introduce random 0 < t < 1 second delay to further reduce the
-    #chance of a race condition
-    time.sleep(random.random())
-    q_pending = Q(state=QUEUEDOCUMENT_STATE_PENDING)
-    q_delayed = Q(delay=True)
-    q_delay_interval = Q(datetime_submitted__lt=datetime.now() - timedelta(seconds=REPLICATION_DELAY))
-    for document_queue in DocumentQueue.objects.filter(state=DOCUMENTQUEUE_STATE_ACTIVE):
-        if QueueDocument.objects.filter(
-            state=QUEUEDOCUMENT_STATE_PROCESSING).filter(
-            node_name=platform.node()).count() < NODE_CONCURRENT_EXECUTION:
-            try:
-                oldest_queued_document_qs = document_queue.queuedocument_set.filter(
-                    (q_pending & ~q_delayed) | (q_pending & q_delayed & q_delay_interval))
+    lock_id = '%s-lock-%s' % ('task_process_document_queues', platform.node())
+    acquire_lock = lambda: local_cache.add(lock_id, 'true', LOCK_EXPIRE)
+    release_lock = lambda: local_cache.delete(lock_id)
 
-                if oldest_queued_document_qs:
-                    oldest_queued_document = oldest_queued_document_qs.order_by('datetime_submitted')[0]
-                    task_process_queue_document.delay(oldest_queued_document.id)
-            except Exception, e:
-                print 'DocumentQueueWatcher exception: %s' % e
+    if acquire_lock():
+        reset_orphans()
+        q_pending = Q(state=QUEUEDOCUMENT_STATE_PENDING)
+        q_delayed = Q(delay=True)
+        q_delay_interval = Q(datetime_submitted__lt=datetime.now() - timedelta(seconds=REPLICATION_DELAY))
+        for document_queue in DocumentQueue.objects.filter(state=DOCUMENTQUEUE_STATE_ACTIVE):
+            if QueueDocument.objects.filter(
+                state=QUEUEDOCUMENT_STATE_PROCESSING).filter(
+                node_name=platform.node()).count() < NODE_CONCURRENT_EXECUTION:
+                try:
+                    oldest_queued_document_qs = document_queue.queuedocument_set.filter(
+                        (q_pending & ~q_delayed) | (q_pending & q_delayed & q_delay_interval))
+
+                    if oldest_queued_document_qs:
+                        oldest_queued_document = oldest_queued_document_qs.order_by('datetime_submitted')[0]
+                        task_process_queue_document.delay(oldest_queued_document.id)
+                except Exception, e:
+                    print 'DocumentQueueWatcher exception: %s' % e
+        release_lock()