diff --git a/kahadb/src/main/java/org/apache/kahadb/util/LockFile.java b/kahadb/src/main/java/org/apache/kahadb/util/LockFile.java
index 1d7b5b6ba3..d26b394fa3 100644
--- a/kahadb/src/main/java/org/apache/kahadb/util/LockFile.java
+++ b/kahadb/src/main/java/org/apache/kahadb/util/LockFile.java
@@ -55,7 +55,9 @@ public class LockFile {
         }
         
         IOHelper.mkdirs(file.getParentFile());
-        readFile = new RandomAccessFile(file, "rw");        
+        if (readFile == null) {
+            readFile = new RandomAccessFile(file, "rw");
+        }
         if (lock == null) {
             try {
                 lock = readFile.getChannel().tryLock();