diff --git a/zk/lock.go b/zk/lock.go
index 3c35a427..8b1692b9 100644
--- a/zk/lock.go
+++ b/zk/lock.go
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"strconv"
 	"strings"
+	"time"
 )
 
 var (
@@ -12,6 +13,8 @@ var (
 	ErrDeadlock = errors.New("zk: trying to acquire a lock twice")
 	// ErrNotLocked is returned by Unlock when trying to release a lock that has not first be acquired.
 	ErrNotLocked = errors.New("zk: not locked")
+	// ErrTimeout is returned by Lock when trying to lock and timeout is reached before lock is acquired.
+	ErrTimeout = errors.New("zk: acquire timeout")
 )
 
 // Lock is a mutual exclusion lock.
@@ -20,6 +23,7 @@ type Lock struct {
 	path     string
 	acl      []ACL
 	lockPath string
+	locked   bool
 	seq      int
 }
 
@@ -39,6 +43,29 @@ func parseSeq(path string) (int, error) {
 	return strconv.Atoi(parts[len(parts)-1])
 }
 
+// Lock attempts to acquire the lock. It will wait up to its timeout duration
+// to return until the lock is acquired or an error occurs.
+// If this instance already has the lock then ErrDeadlock is returned. If timeout
+// reached return ErrTimeout is returned.
+func (l *Lock) TryLock(timeout time.Duration) error {
+	var err error
+	var done = make(chan struct{}, 1)
+	go func() {
+		err = l.Lock()
+		close(done)
+	}()
+	select {
+	case <-time.After(timeout):
+		l.locked = false
+		if err := l.c.Delete(l.lockPath, -1); err != nil {
+			return err
+		}
+		return ErrTimeout
+	case <-done:
+		return err
+	}
+}
+
 // Lock attempts to acquire the lock. It will wait to return until the lock
 // is acquired or an error occurs. If this instance already has the lock
 // then ErrDeadlock is returned.
@@ -87,6 +114,9 @@ func (l *Lock) Lock() error {
 		return err
 	}
 
+	l.seq = seq
+	l.lockPath = path
+
 	for {
 		children, _, err := l.c.Children(l.path)
 		if err != nil {
@@ -130,15 +160,14 @@ func (l *Lock) Lock() error {
 		}
 	}
 
-	l.seq = seq
-	l.lockPath = path
+	l.locked = true
 	return nil
 }
 
 // Unlock releases an acquired lock. If the lock is not currently acquired by
 // this Lock instance than ErrNotLocked is returned.
 func (l *Lock) Unlock() error {
-	if l.lockPath == "" {
+	if !l.locked || l.lockPath == "" {
 		return ErrNotLocked
 	}
 	if err := l.c.Delete(l.lockPath, -1); err != nil {
@@ -146,5 +175,6 @@ func (l *Lock) Unlock() error {
 	}
 	l.lockPath = ""
 	l.seq = 0
+	l.locked = false
 	return nil
 }
diff --git a/zk/lock_test.go b/zk/lock_test.go
index 8a3478a3..11f28290 100644
--- a/zk/lock_test.go
+++ b/zk/lock_test.go
@@ -5,6 +5,36 @@ import (
 	"time"
 )
 
+func TestTryLock(t *testing.T) {
+	ts, err := StartTestCluster(1, nil, logWriter{t: t, p: "[ZKERR] "})
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer ts.Stop()
+	zk, _, err := ts.ConnectAll()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Connect returned error: %+v", err)
+	}
+	defer zk.Close()
+	acls := WorldACL(PermAll)
+	l := NewLock(zk, "/test", acls)
+	if err := l.TryLock(time.Second); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	if err := l.Unlock(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	//
+	if err := l.Lock(); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	defer l.Unlock()
+	// should return timeout err since lock is not released
+	if err := l.TryLock(time.Second); err == nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+}
+
 func TestLock(t *testing.T) {
 	ts, err := StartTestCluster(1, nil, logWriter{t: t, p: "[ZKERR] "})
 	if err != nil {