diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
index b01a50919..3eeaa2051 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/builder.go
@@ -127,6 +127,7 @@ func (b *Builder) Run(ui packer.Ui, hook packer.Hook, cache packer.Cache) (packe
 		&StepPrepareDevice{},
 		&StepCreateVolume{},
 		&StepAttachVolume{},
+		&StepEarlyUnflock{},
 		&StepMountDevice{},
 		&StepMountExtra{},
 		&StepCopyFiles{},
diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/step_early_unflock.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_early_unflock.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d1c09008e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_early_unflock.go
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+package chroot
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/multistep"
+	"github.com/mitchellh/packer/packer"
+	"log"
+)
+
+// StepEarlyUnflock unlocks the flock.
+type StepEarlyUnflock struct{}
+
+func (s *StepEarlyUnflock) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
+	cleanup := state["flock_cleanup"].(Cleanup)
+	ui := state["ui"].(packer.Ui)
+
+	log.Println("Unlocking file lock...")
+	if err := cleanup.CleanupFunc(state); err != nil {
+		err := fmt.Errorf("Error unlocking file lock: %s", err)
+		state["error"] = err
+		ui.Error(err.Error())
+		return multistep.ActionHalt
+	}
+
+	return multistep.ActionContinue
+}
+
+func (s *StepEarlyUnflock) Cleanup(state map[string]interface{}) {}
diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock.go
index 57c07ebba..47d168d4c 100644
--- a/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock.go
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock.go
@@ -10,6 +10,9 @@ import (
 )
 
 // StepFlock provisions the instance within a chroot.
+//
+// Produces:
+//   flock_cleanup Cleanup - To perform early cleanup
 type StepFlock struct {
 	fh *os.File
 }
@@ -46,14 +49,24 @@ func (s *StepFlock) Run(state map[string]interface{}) multistep.StepAction {
 	// the lock.
 	s.fh = f
 
+	state["flock_cleanup"] = s
 	return multistep.ActionContinue
 }
 
 func (s *StepFlock) Cleanup(state map[string]interface{}) {
+	s.CleanupFunc(state)
+}
+
+func (s *StepFlock) CleanupFunc(state map[string]interface{}) error {
 	if s.fh == nil {
-		return
+		return nil
 	}
 
 	log.Printf("Unlocking: %s", s.fh.Name())
-	unlockFile(s.fh)
+	if err := unlockFile(s.fh); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	s.fh = nil
+	return nil
 }
diff --git a/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock_test.go b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..a50cbd93d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/builder/amazon/chroot/step_flock_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+package chroot
+
+import "testing"
+
+func TestFlockCleanupFunc_ImplementsCleanupFunc(t *testing.T) {
+	var raw interface{}
+	raw = new(StepFlock)
+	if _, ok := raw.(Cleanup); !ok {
+		t.Fatalf("cleanup func should be a CleanupFunc")
+	}
+}