@@ -105,11 +105,14 @@
   ;; any of the other stuff that tests:test-set-status! does. Let's just 
   ;; force RUNNING/n/a
 
   ;; (thread-sleep! 0.3)
   ;; (tests:test-force-state-status! run-id test-id "RUNNING" "n/a")
-  (rmt:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items run-id test-name item-path "RUNNING" #f #f) 
+  (common:soft-lock
+   (lambda ()
+     (rmt:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items run-id test-name item-path "RUNNING" #f #f))
+    "set-state-status-roll-up")
   ;; (thread-sleep! 0.3) ;; NFS slowness has caused grief here
 
   ;; if there is a runscript do it first
   (if fullrunscript
       (let ((pid (process-run fullrunscript)))
@@ -1353,13 +1356,33 @@
     (when do-scan?
       (debug:print 1 *default-log-port* "INFO: search and mark zombie tests")
       (rmt:set-var key (current-seconds))
       (rmt:find-and-mark-incomplete run-id #f))))
 
-
-
-
+;; weak locking - slow down concurrent activities but don't entirely stop them from
+;; overlapping. wait for up to 5 seconds
+;;
+(define (common:soft-lock proc keyname #!key (wait-time 5))
+  (let* ((start-time (current-seconds))
+	 (my-key     (conc (current-process-id) "-" (get-host-name))))
+    (let loop ((key-val (rmt:no-sync-get/default keyname #f)))
+      (if (and key-val
+	       (not (equal? key-val my-key))
+	       (< (- (current-seconds) start-time) wait-time))
+	  (begin
+	    (thread-sleep! 0.5)
+	    (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Still trying to lock for " keyname)
+	    (loop (current-seconds))) ;; try again
+	  (begin ;; either we got the lock or we timed out - proceed as if 
+	    (rmt:no-sync-set keyname my-key)
+	    (if (equal? (rmt:no-sync-get/default keyname #f) my-key)
+		(begin
+		  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Got lock for " keyname)
+		  (proc)
+		  (rmt:no-sync-del! keyname)
+		  (debug:print-info 0 *default-log-port* "Released lock for " keyname))
+		(common:soft-lock proc keyname wait-time: wait-time)))))))
 
 ;; 1. look though disks list for disk with most space
 ;; 2. create run dir on disk, path name is meaningful
 ;; 3. create link from run dir to megatest runs area 
 ;; 4. remotely run the test on allocated host
@@ -1466,11 +1489,14 @@
       
       ;; prevent overlapping actions - set to LAUNCHED as early as possible
       ;;
       ;; the following call handles waiver propogation. cannot yet condense into roll-up-pass-fail
       (tests:test-set-status! run-id test-id "LAUNCHED" "n/a" #f #f) ;; (if launch-results launch-results "FAILED"))
-      (rmt:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items run-id test-name item-path #f "LAUNCHED" #f)
+      (common:soft-lock
+       (lambda ()
+	 (rmt:set-state-status-and-roll-up-items run-id test-name item-path #f "LAUNCHED" #f))
+       "set-state-status-roll-up")
       ;; (pp (hash-table->alist tconfig))
       (set! diskpath (get-best-disk *configdat* tconfig))
       (if diskpath
 	  (let ((dat  (create-work-area run-id run-info keyvals test-id test-path diskpath test-name itemdat)))
 	    (set! work-area (car dat))