diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl.c b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
index ad3495a804..3b2d104f03 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl.c
@@ -1530,7 +1530,7 @@ static void devices_destroy_cb(libxl__egc *egc,
     uint32_t domid = dis->domid;
     char *dom_path;
     char *vm_path;
-    libxl__carefd *lock = NULL;
+    libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock = NULL;
 
     dom_path = libxl__xs_get_dompath(gc, domid);
     if (!dom_path) {
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
index a5e185eac6..8b825849d1 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_create.c
@@ -1404,7 +1404,7 @@ static void domcreate_complete(libxl__egc *egc,
         rc = xc_flask_relabel_domain(CTX->xch, dcs->guest_domid, d_config->b_info.exec_ssidref);
 
     if (!rc) {
-        libxl__carefd *lock;
+        libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock;
 
         /* Note that we hold CTX lock at this point so only need to
          * take data store lock
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_dom.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_dom.c
index 0dfdb088d5..02384acdf7 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_dom.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_dom.c
@@ -1857,8 +1857,12 @@ void libxl__userdata_destroyall(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid)
     if (r)
         LOGE(ERROR, "glob failed for %s", pattern);
 
+    /* Note: don't delete domain-userdata-lock, it will be handled by
+     * unlock function.
+     */
     for (i=0; i<gl.gl_pathc; i++) {
-        userdata_delete(gc, gl.gl_pathv[i]);
+        if (!strstr(gl.gl_pathv[i], "domain-userdata-lock"))
+            userdata_delete(gc, gl.gl_pathv[i]);
     }
     globfree(&gl);
 out:
@@ -1931,7 +1935,7 @@ int libxl_userdata_store(libxl_ctx *ctx, uint32_t domid,
 {
     GC_INIT(ctx);
     int rc;
-    libxl__carefd *lock;
+    libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock;
 
     CTX_LOCK;
     lock = libxl__lock_domain_userdata(gc, domid);
@@ -1992,7 +1996,7 @@ int libxl_userdata_retrieve(libxl_ctx *ctx, uint32_t domid,
 {
     GC_INIT(ctx);
     int rc;
-    libxl__carefd *lock;
+    libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock;
 
     CTX_LOCK;
     lock = libxl__lock_domain_userdata(gc, domid);
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
index e9747f1e52..02a71cb163 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.c
@@ -384,9 +384,10 @@ out:
 /* Portability note: this lock utilises flock(2) so a proper implementation of
  * flock(2) is required.
  */
-libxl__carefd *libxl__lock_domain_userdata(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid)
+libxl__domain_userdata_lock *libxl__lock_domain_userdata(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                                         uint32_t domid)
 {
-    libxl__carefd *carefd = NULL;
+    libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock = NULL;
     const char *lockfile;
     int fd;
     struct stat stab, fstab;
@@ -394,12 +395,15 @@ libxl__carefd *libxl__lock_domain_userdata(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid)
     lockfile = libxl__userdata_path(gc, domid, "domain-userdata-lock", "l");
     if (!lockfile) goto out;
 
+    lock = libxl__zalloc(NOGC, sizeof(libxl__domain_userdata_lock));
+    lock->path = libxl__strdup(NOGC, lockfile);
+
     while (true) {
         libxl__carefd_begin();
         fd = open(lockfile, O_RDWR|O_CREAT, 0666);
         if (fd < 0)
             LOGE(ERROR, "cannot open lockfile %s, errno=%d", lockfile, errno);
-        carefd = libxl__carefd_opened(CTX, fd);
+        lock->lock_carefd = libxl__carefd_opened(CTX, fd);
         if (fd < 0) goto out;
 
         /* Lock the file in exclusive mode, wait indefinitely to
@@ -434,20 +438,28 @@ libxl__carefd *libxl__lock_domain_userdata(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid)
                 break;
         }
 
-        libxl__carefd_close(carefd);
+        libxl__carefd_close(lock->lock_carefd);
     }
 
-    return carefd;
+    /* Check the domain is still there, if not we should release the
+     * lock and clean up.
+     */
+    if (libxl_domain_info(CTX, NULL, domid))
+        goto out;
+
+    return lock;
 
 out:
-    if (carefd) libxl__carefd_close(carefd);
+    if (lock) libxl__unlock_domain_userdata(lock);
     return NULL;
 }
 
-void libxl__unlock_domain_userdata(libxl__carefd *lock_carefd)
+void libxl__unlock_domain_userdata(libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock)
 {
-    /* Simply closing the file descriptor releases the lock */
-    libxl__carefd_close(lock_carefd);
+    if (lock->path) unlink(lock->path);
+    if (lock->lock_carefd) libxl__carefd_close(lock->lock_carefd);
+    free(lock->path);
+    free(lock);
 }
 
 int libxl__get_domain_configuration(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid,
diff --git a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
index 03e9978553..aa18e74711 100644
--- a/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
+++ b/tools/libxl/libxl_internal.h
@@ -3241,8 +3241,13 @@ static inline int libxl__key_value_list_is_empty(libxl_key_value_list *pkvl)
 int libxl__cpuid_policy_is_empty(libxl_cpuid_policy_list *pl);
 
 /* Portability note: a proper flock(2) implementation is required */
-libxl__carefd *libxl__lock_domain_userdata(libxl__gc *gc, uint32_t domid);
-void libxl__unlock_domain_userdata(libxl__carefd *lock_carefd);
+typedef struct {
+    libxl__carefd *lock_carefd;
+    char *path; /* path of the lock file itself */
+} libxl__domain_userdata_lock;
+libxl__domain_userdata_lock *libxl__lock_domain_userdata(libxl__gc *gc,
+                                                         uint32_t domid);
+void libxl__unlock_domain_userdata(libxl__domain_userdata_lock *lock);
 
 /*
  * Retrieve / store domain configuration from / to libxl private