diff --git a/src/filelock.c b/src/filelock.c
index f5e4fb85966..2f880d10d2d 100644
--- a/src/filelock.c
+++ b/src/filelock.c
@@ -521,7 +521,7 @@ lock_if_free (clasher, lfname)
      lock_info_type *clasher;
      register char *lfname; 
 {
-  if (lock_file_1 (lfname, 0) == 0)
+  while (lock_file_1 (lfname, 0) == 0)
     {
       int locker;
 
@@ -537,7 +537,7 @@ lock_if_free (clasher, lfname)
       else if (locker == 1)
         return 1;  /* Someone else has it.  */
 
-      return -1; /* Something's wrong.  */
+      /* We deleted a stale lock; try again to lock the file.  */
     }
   return 0;
 }