diff --git a/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/FileLockNodeManager.java b/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/FileLockNodeManager.java
index 2b4e2cbf70..ad0292ce98 100644
--- a/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/FileLockNodeManager.java
+++ b/artemis-server/src/main/java/org/apache/activemq/artemis/core/server/impl/FileLockNodeManager.java
@@ -33,11 +33,13 @@ public class FileLockNodeManager extends NodeManager {
 
    private static final Logger logger = Logger.getLogger(FileLockNodeManager.class);
 
-   private static final int LIVE_LOCK_POS = 1;
+   private static final long STATE_LOCK_POS = 0;
 
-   private static final int BACKUP_LOCK_POS = 2;
+   private static final long LIVE_LOCK_POS = 1;
 
-   private static final int LOCK_LENGTH = 1;
+   private static final long BACKUP_LOCK_POS = 2;
+
+   private static final long LOCK_LENGTH = 1;
 
    private static final byte LIVE = 'L';
 
@@ -113,6 +115,7 @@ public class FileLockNodeManager extends NodeManager {
 
    @Override
    public void awaitLiveNode() throws Exception {
+      logger.debug("awaiting live node...");
       do {
          byte state = getState();
          while (state == FileLockNodeManager.NOT_STARTED || state == FIRST_TIME_START) {
@@ -229,28 +232,51 @@ public class FileLockNodeManager extends NodeManager {
     * @param status
     * @throws IOException
     */
-   private void writeFileLockStatus(byte status) throws IOException {
+   private void writeFileLockStatus(byte status) throws Exception {
       if (replicatedBackup && channel == null)
          return;
+      logger.debug("writing status: " + status);
       ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(1);
       bb.put(status);
       bb.position(0);
       if (!channel.isOpen()) {
          setUpServerLockFile();
       }
-      channel.write(bb, 0);
-      channel.force(true);
+      FileLock lock = null;
+      try {
+         lock = lock(STATE_LOCK_POS);
+         channel.write(bb, 0);
+         channel.force(true);
+      } finally {
+         if (lock != null) {
+            lock.release();
+         }
+      }
    }
 
    private byte getState() throws Exception {
+      byte result;
+      logger.debug("getting state...");
       ByteBuffer bb = ByteBuffer.allocateDirect(1);
       int read;
-      read = channel.read(bb, 0);
-      if (read <= 0) {
-         return FileLockNodeManager.NOT_STARTED;
-      } else {
-         return bb.get(0);
+      FileLock lock = null;
+      try {
+         lock = lock(STATE_LOCK_POS);
+         read = channel.read(bb, 0);
+         if (read <= 0) {
+            result = FileLockNodeManager.NOT_STARTED;
+         } else {
+            result = bb.get(0);
+         }
+      } finally {
+         if (lock != null) {
+            lock.release();
+         }
       }
+
+      logger.debug("state: " + result);
+
+      return result;
    }
 
    @Override
@@ -267,25 +293,27 @@ public class FileLockNodeManager extends NodeManager {
       return getNodeId();
    }
 
-   protected FileLock tryLock(final int lockPos) throws Exception {
+   protected FileLock tryLock(final long lockPos) throws IOException {
       try {
-         return channel.tryLock(lockPos, LOCK_LENGTH, false);
+         logger.debug("trying to lock position: " + lockPos);
+         FileLock lock = channel.tryLock(lockPos, LOCK_LENGTH, false);
+         if (lock != null) {
+            logger.debug("locked position: " + lockPos);
+         } else {
+            logger.debug("failed to lock position: " + lockPos);
+         }
+         return lock;
       } catch (java.nio.channels.OverlappingFileLockException ex) {
          // This just means that another object on the same JVM is holding the lock
          return null;
       }
    }
 
-   protected FileLock lock(final int liveLockPos) throws Exception {
+   protected FileLock lock(final long lockPosition) throws Exception {
       long start = System.currentTimeMillis();
 
       while (!interrupted) {
-         FileLock lock = null;
-         try {
-            lock = channel.tryLock(liveLockPos, 1, false);
-         } catch (java.nio.channels.OverlappingFileLockException ex) {
-            // This just means that another object on the same JVM is holding the lock
-         }
+         FileLock lock = tryLock(lockPosition);
 
          if (lock == null) {
             try {
@@ -306,7 +334,7 @@ public class FileLockNodeManager extends NodeManager {
       // need to investigate further and review
       FileLock lock;
       do {
-         lock = channel.tryLock(liveLockPos, 1, false);
+         lock = tryLock(lockPosition);
          if (lock == null) {
             try {
                Thread.sleep(500);