Index: dbfile.scm
==================================================================
--- dbfile.scm
+++ dbfile.scm
@@ -451,10 +451,14 @@
     (assert (>= tries-left 0) (conc "FATAL: Five attempts in dbfile:cautious-open-database of "fname", giving up."))
     (if (and (file-write-access? fname) (not (dbfile:simple-file-lock lock-file)))
 	(begin
 	  (dbfile:print-err "INFO: dbfile:cautious-open-database: lock file " lock-file " exists, trying again in 1 second.")
 	  (thread-sleep! 1)
+	  (if (eq? tries-left 2)
+	      (begin
+		(dbfile:print-err "INFO: stealing the lock "lock-file)
+		(delete-file lock-file)))
 	  (dbfile:cautious-open-database fname init-proc (- tries-left 1)))
 	(let* ((db-exists (file-exists? fname))
 	       (result (condition-case
 			   (let* ((db (sqlite3:open-database fname)))
 			     (if (and init-proc (not db-exists))