diff --git a/leapp/cli/__init__.py b/leapp/cli/__init__.py
index fe997d4cf..ab16198cc 100644
--- a/leapp/cli/__init__.py
+++ b/leapp/cli/__init__.py
@@ -2,12 +2,12 @@
 import pkgutil
 import socket
 import sys
-import textwrap
 
 from leapp import VERSION
 from leapp.cli import commands
-from leapp.exceptions import UnknownCommandError
+from leapp.exceptions import UnknownCommandError, ProcessLockError
 from leapp.utils.clicmd import command
+from leapp.utils.lock import leapp_lock
 
 
 @command('')
@@ -42,7 +42,8 @@ def main():
     os.environ['LEAPP_HOSTNAME'] = socket.getfqdn()
     _load_commands(cli.command)
     try:
-        cli.command.execute('leapp version {}'.format(VERSION))
+        with leapp_lock():
+            cli.command.execute('leapp version {}'.format(VERSION))
     except UnknownCommandError as e:
         bad_cmd = (
             "Command \"{CMD}\" is unknown.\nMost likely there is a typo in the command or particular "
@@ -54,3 +55,6 @@ def main():
             bad_cmd = "No such argument {CMD}"
         print(bad_cmd.format(CMD=e.requested))
         sys.exit(1)
+    except ProcessLockError as e:
+        sys.stderr.write('{}\nAborting.\n'.format(e.message))
+        sys.exit(1)
diff --git a/leapp/config.py b/leapp/config.py
index 18c357d15..2487e0f09 100644
--- a/leapp/config.py
+++ b/leapp/config.py
@@ -40,6 +40,9 @@
         'dir': '/var/log/leapp/',
         'files': ','.join(_FILES_TO_ARCHIVE),
     },
+    'lock': {
+        'path': '/var/run/leapp.pid'
+    },
     'logs': {
         'dir': '/var/log/leapp/',
         'files': ','.join(_LOGS),
diff --git a/leapp/exceptions.py b/leapp/exceptions.py
index 43c59051c..9463a5c10 100644
--- a/leapp/exceptions.py
+++ b/leapp/exceptions.py
@@ -148,3 +148,7 @@ class RequestStopAfterPhase(LeappError):
 
     def __init__(self):
         super(RequestStopAfterPhase, self).__init__('Stop after phase has been requested.')
+
+
+class ProcessLockError(LeappError):
+    """ This exception is used to represent an error within the process locking mechanism. """
diff --git a/leapp/utils/lock.py b/leapp/utils/lock.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..33e825c89
--- /dev/null
+++ b/leapp/utils/lock.py
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import os
+import fcntl
+import logging
+
+from leapp.config import get_config
+from leapp.exceptions import ProcessLockError
+
+
+def leapp_lock(lockfile=None):
+    return ProcessLock(lockfile=lockfile)
+
+
+def _acquire_lock(fd):
+    try:
+        fcntl.flock(fd, fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
+        return True
+    except OSError:
+        return False
+
+
+def _clear_lock(fd):
+    os.lseek(fd, 0, os.SEEK_SET)
+    os.ftruncate(fd, 0)
+
+
+def _read_pid(fd):
+    return os.read(fd, 20)
+
+
+def _write_pid(fd, pid):
+    _clear_lock(fd)
+    os.write(fd, str(pid).encode('utf-8'))
+
+
+class ProcessLock(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, lockfile=None):
+        self.log = logging.getLogger('leapp.utils.lock')
+        self.lockfile = lockfile if lockfile else get_config().get('lock', 'path')
+
+        self.fd = None
+
+    def _get_pid_from_lockfile(self):
+        running_pid = _read_pid(self.fd)
+        self.log.debug("_get_pid_from_lockfile: running_pid=%s", running_pid)
+        running_pid = int(running_pid)
+
+        return running_pid
+
+    def _try_lock(self, pid):
+        if not _acquire_lock(self.fd):
+            try:
+                running_pid = self._get_pid_from_lockfile()
+            except ValueError:
+                process_msg = ''
+            else:
+                process_msg = ' by process with PID {}'.format(running_pid)
+
+            msg = (
+                'Leapp is currently locked{} and cannot be started.\n'
+                'Please ensure no other instance of leapp is running and then delete the lockfile at {} and try again.'
+            ).format(process_msg, self.lockfile)
+            raise ProcessLockError(msg)
+
+        try:
+            _write_pid(self.fd, pid)
+        except OSError:
+            raise ProcessLockError('Could not write PID to lockfile.')
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        my_pid = os.getpid()
+
+        self.fd = os.open(self.lockfile, os.O_CREAT | os.O_RDWR, 0o600)
+        try:
+            self._try_lock(my_pid)
+        except ProcessLockError:
+            os.close(self.fd)
+            raise
+
+    def __exit__(self, *exc_args):
+        _clear_lock(self.fd)
+        os.close(self.fd)
+        os.unlink(self.lockfile)