diff --git a/iptables/ip6tables-restore.c b/iptables/ip6tables-restore.c
index e17ad9d..8d09798 100644
--- a/iptables/ip6tables-restore.c
+++ b/iptables/ip6tables-restore.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 {
 	struct xtc_handle *handle = NULL;
 	char buffer[10240];
-	int c;
+	int c, lock;
 	char curtable[XT_TABLE_MAXNAMELEN + 1];
 	FILE *in;
 	int in_table = 0, testing = 0;
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@
 	const struct xtc_ops *ops = &ip6tc_ops;
 
 	line = 0;
+	lock = XT_LOCK_NOT_ACQUIRED;
 
 	ip6tables_globals.program_name = "ip6tables-restore";
 	c = xtables_init_all(&ip6tables_globals, NFPROTO_IPV6);
@@ -254,12 +255,6 @@
 	}
 	else in = stdin;
 
-	if (!xtables_lock(wait)) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock. "
-			"Perhaps you want to use the -w option?\n");
-		exit(RESOURCE_PROBLEM);
-	}
-
 	/* Grab standard input. */
 	while (fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), in)) {
 		int ret = 0;
@@ -283,8 +278,21 @@
 				DEBUGP("Not calling commit, testing\n");
 				ret = 1;
 			}
+
+			/* Release the lock since we're done with the current table. */
+			if (lock >= 0) {
+				xtables_unlock(lock);
+			}
 			in_table = 0;
 		} else if ((buffer[0] == '*') && (!in_table)) {
+			/* Acquire a lock before we create a new table handle */
+			lock = xtables_lock(wait);
+			if (lock == XT_LOCK_BUSY) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock. "
+					"Perhaps you want to use the -w option?\n");
+				exit(RESOURCE_PROBLEM);
+			}
+
 			/* New table */
 			char *table;
 
diff --git a/iptables/ip6tables.c b/iptables/ip6tables.c
index 1fb33f6..8eefb82 100644
--- a/iptables/ip6tables.c
+++ b/iptables/ip6tables.c
@@ -1738,7 +1738,7 @@
 			   chain, XT_EXTENSION_MAXNAMELEN);
 
 	/* Attempt to acquire the xtables lock */
-	if (!restore && !xtables_lock(wait)) {
+	if (!restore && (xtables_lock(wait) == XT_LOCK_BUSY)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock. "
 			"Perhaps you want to use the -w option?\n");
 		xtables_free_opts(1);
diff --git a/iptables/iptables-restore.c b/iptables/iptables-restore.c
index 4d49b3c..a41a46d 100644
--- a/iptables/iptables-restore.c
+++ b/iptables/iptables-restore.c
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
 {
 	struct xtc_handle *handle = NULL;
 	char buffer[10240];
-	int c;
+	int c, lock;
 	char curtable[XT_TABLE_MAXNAMELEN + 1];
 	FILE *in;
 	int in_table = 0, testing = 0;
@@ -193,6 +193,7 @@
 	const struct xtc_ops *ops = &iptc_ops;
 
 	line = 0;
+	lock = XT_LOCK_NOT_ACQUIRED;
 
 	iptables_globals.program_name = "iptables-restore";
 	c = xtables_init_all(&iptables_globals, NFPROTO_IPV4);
@@ -254,12 +255,6 @@
 	}
 	else in = stdin;
 
-	if (!xtables_lock(wait)) {
-		fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock. "
-			"Perhaps you want to use the -w option?\n");
-		exit(RESOURCE_PROBLEM);
-	}
-
 	/* Grab standard input. */
 	while (fgets(buffer, sizeof(buffer), in)) {
 		int ret = 0;
@@ -283,8 +278,21 @@
 				DEBUGP("Not calling commit, testing\n");
 				ret = 1;
 			}
+
+			/* Release the lock since we're done with the current table. */
+			if (lock >= 0) {
+				xtables_unlock(lock);
+			}
 			in_table = 0;
 		} else if ((buffer[0] == '*') && (!in_table)) {
+			/* Acquire a lock before we create a new table handle */
+			lock = xtables_lock(wait);
+			if (lock == XT_LOCK_BUSY) {
+				fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock. "
+					"Perhaps you want to use the -w option?\n");
+				exit(RESOURCE_PROBLEM);
+			}
+
 			/* New table */
 			char *table;
 
diff --git a/iptables/iptables.c b/iptables/iptables.c
index fe18e1c..1ace4cc 100644
--- a/iptables/iptables.c
+++ b/iptables/iptables.c
@@ -1735,7 +1735,7 @@
 			   chain, XT_EXTENSION_MAXNAMELEN);
 
 	/* Attempt to acquire the xtables lock */
-	if (!restore && !xtables_lock(wait)) {
+	if (!restore && (xtables_lock(wait) == XT_LOCK_BUSY)) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock. "
 			"Perhaps you want to use the -w option?\n");
 		xtables_free_opts(1);
diff --git a/iptables/xshared.c b/iptables/xshared.c
index 6c9992e..c144b48 100644
--- a/iptables/xshared.c
+++ b/iptables/xshared.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@
 		match->init(match->m);
 }
 
-bool xtables_lock(bool wait)
+int xtables_lock(bool wait)
 {
 	int i = 0, ret, xt_socket;
 	struct sockaddr_un xt_addr;
@@ -254,18 +254,26 @@
 	xt_socket = socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
 	/* If we can't even create a socket, fall back to prior (lockless) behavior */
 	if (xt_socket < 0)
-		return true;
+		return XT_LOCK_UNSUPPORTED;
 
 	while (1) {
 		ret = bind(xt_socket, (struct sockaddr*)&xt_addr,
 			   offsetof(struct sockaddr_un, sun_path)+XT_SOCKET_LEN);
 		if (ret == 0)
-			return true;
+			return xt_socket;
 		else if (wait == false)
-			return false;
+			return XT_LOCK_BUSY;
 		if (++i % 2 == 0)
 			fprintf(stderr, "Another app is currently holding the xtables lock; "
 				"waiting for it to exit...\n");
 		sleep(1);
 	}
 }
+
+void xtables_unlock(int lock) {
+	if (lock < 0) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	close(lock);
+}
diff --git a/iptables/xshared.h b/iptables/xshared.h
index 1e2b9b8..9f9e803 100644
--- a/iptables/xshared.h
+++ b/iptables/xshared.h
@@ -84,7 +84,29 @@
 extern int subcmd_main(int, char **, const struct subcommand *);
 extern void xs_init_target(struct xtables_target *);
 extern void xs_init_match(struct xtables_match *);
-extern bool xtables_lock(bool wait);
+
+/**
+ * Values for the iptables lock.
+ *
+ * A value >= 0 indicates the lock filedescriptor. Other values are:
+ *
+ * XT_LOCK_UNSUPPORTED : The system does not support locking, execution will
+ * proceed lockless.
+ *
+ * XT_LOCK_BUSY : The lock was held by another process. xtables_lock only
+ * returns this value when |wait| == false. If |wait| == true, xtables_lock
+ * will not return unless the lock has been acquired.
+ *
+ * XT_LOCK_NOT_ACQUIRED : We have not yet attempted to acquire the lock.
+ */
+enum {
+  XT_LOCK_BUSY = -1,
+  XT_LOCK_UNSUPPORTED  = -2,
+  XT_LOCK_NOT_ACQUIRED  = -3,
+};
+extern int xtables_lock(bool wait);
+
+extern void xtables_unlock(int lock);
 
 extern const struct xtables_afinfo *afinfo;