diff --git a/git/test/test_util.py b/git/test/test_util.py
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
# the BSD License: http://www.opensource.org/licenses/bsd-license.php

import tempfile

from git.test.lib import (
    TestBase,
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ def test_lock_file(self):

        # auto-release on destruction
        del(other_lock_file)
        lock_file._obtain_lock_or_raise()
        lock_file._release_lock()


diff --git a/git/util.py b/git/util.py
@@ -48,6 +48,56 @@

#{ Utility Methods


def unbare_repo(func):
    """Methods with this decorator raise InvalidGitRepositoryError if they
@@ -555,9 +605,10 @@ class LockFile(object):
    As we are a utility class to be derived from, we only use protected methods.

    Locks will automatically be released on destruction"""
-    __slots__ = ("_file_path", "_owns_lock")

    def __init__(self, file_path):
        self._file_path = file_path
        self._owns_lock = False

@@ -579,20 +630,21 @@ def _obtain_lock_or_raise(self):
        :raise IOError: if a lock was already present or a lock file could not be written"""
        if self._has_lock():
            return
        lock_file = self._lock_file_path()
-        if os.path.isfile(lock_file):
-            raise IOError("Lock for file %r did already exist, delete %r in case the lock is illegal" %
-                          (self._file_path, lock_file))

        try:
-            flags = os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL
            if is_win:
                flags |= os.O_SHORT_LIVED
            fd = os.open(lock_file, flags, 0)
-            os.close(fd)
        except OSError as e:
            raise IOError(str(e))

        self._owns_lock = True

    def _obtain_lock(self):
@@ -605,14 +657,21 @@ def _release_lock(self):
        if not self._has_lock():
            return

        # if someone removed our file beforhand, lets just flag this issue
        # instead of failing, to make it more usable.
-        lfp = self._lock_file_path()
        try:
-            rmfile(lfp)
        except OSError:
            pass
        self._owns_lock = False


class BlockingLockFile(LockFile):
@@ -647,7 +706,7 @@ def _obtain_lock(self):
            try:
                super(BlockingLockFile, self)._obtain_lock()
            except IOError:
-                # synity check: if the directory leading to the lockfile is not
                # readable anymore, raise an execption
                curtime = time.time()
                if not os.path.isdir(os.path.dirname(self._lock_file_path())):