diff --git a/frappe/installer.py b/frappe/installer.py
index 0cd9b32063..e78112df19 100644
--- a/frappe/installer.py
+++ b/frappe/installer.py
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ import frappe
 from frappe.defaults import _clear_cache
 from frappe.utils import cint, is_git_url
 from frappe.utils.dashboard import sync_dashboards
+from frappe.utils.synchronization import filelock
 
 
 def _is_scheduler_enabled() -> bool:
@@ -540,8 +541,11 @@ def make_site_config(
 			f.write(json.dumps(site_config, indent=1, sort_keys=True))
 
 
+@filelock("site_config")
 def update_site_config(key, value, validate=True, site_config_path=None):
 	"""Update a value in site_config"""
+	from frappe.utils.synchronization import filelock
+
 	if not site_config_path:
 		site_config_path = get_site_config_path()
 
diff --git a/frappe/tests/test_utils.py b/frappe/tests/test_utils.py
index 44966691a0..cf6134d101 100644
--- a/frappe/tests/test_utils.py
+++ b/frappe/tests/test_utils.py
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ from frappe.utils.identicon import Identicon
 from frappe.utils.image import optimize_image, strip_exif_data
 from frappe.utils.make_random import can_make, get_random, how_many
 from frappe.utils.response import json_handler
+from frappe.utils.synchronization import LockTimeoutError, filelock
 
 
 class Capturing(list):
@@ -880,6 +881,22 @@ class TestContainerUtils(FrappeTestCase):
 		self.assertEqual(a["c"], "d")
 
 
+class TestLocks(FrappeTestCase):
+	def test_locktimeout(self):
+		lock_name = "test_lock"
+		with filelock(lock_name):
+			with self.assertRaises(LockTimeoutError):
+				with filelock(lock_name, timeout=1):
+					self.fail("Locks not working")
+
+	def test_global_lock(self):
+		lock_name = "test_global"
+		with filelock(lock_name, is_global=True):
+			with self.assertRaises(LockTimeoutError):
+				with filelock(lock_name, timeout=1, is_global=True):
+					self.fail("Global locks not working")
+
+
 class TestMiscUtils(FrappeTestCase):
 	def test_get_file_timestamp(self):
 		self.assertIsInstance(get_file_timestamp(__file__), str)
diff --git a/frappe/utils/file_lock.py b/frappe/utils/file_lock.py
index fc399f7c96..5be89c42f6 100644
--- a/frappe/utils/file_lock.py
+++ b/frappe/utils/file_lock.py
@@ -1,22 +1,34 @@
 # Copyright (c) 2015, Frappe Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Contributors
 # License: MIT. See LICENSE
 
-"""
-File based locking utility
+"""Utils for inter-process synchronization using file-locks.
+
+This file implements a "weak" form lock which is not suitable for synchroniztion. This is only used
+for document locking for queue_action.
+Use `frappe.utils.synchroniztion.filelock` for process synchroniztion.
 """
 
 import os
 from time import time
 
+from frappe import _
 from frappe.utils import get_site_path, touch_file
 
+LOCKS_DIR = "locks"
+
 
 class LockTimeoutError(Exception):
 	pass
 
 
 def create_lock(name):
-	"""Creates a file in the /locks folder by the given name"""
+	"""Creates a file in the /locks folder by the given name.
+
+	Note: This is a "weak lock" and is prone to race conditions. Do not use this lock for small
+	sections of code that execute immediately.
+
+	This is primarily use for locking documents for background submission.
+	"""
 	lock_path = get_lock_path(name)
 	if not check_lock(lock_path):
 		return touch_file(lock_path)
@@ -48,6 +60,5 @@ def delete_lock(name):
 
 def get_lock_path(name):
 	name = name.lower()
-	locks_dir = "locks"
-	lock_path = get_site_path(locks_dir, name + ".lock")
+	lock_path = get_site_path(LOCKS_DIR, name + ".lock")
 	return lock_path
diff --git a/frappe/utils/synchronization.py b/frappe/utils/synchronization.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..841fab85ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frappe/utils/synchronization.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+""" Utils for thread/process synchronization. """
+
+import os
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+
+from filelock import FileLock as _StrongFileLock
+from filelock import Timeout
+
+import frappe
+from frappe import _
+from frappe.utils import get_bench_path, get_site_path
+from frappe.utils.file_lock import LockTimeoutError
+
+LOCKS_DIR = "locks"
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def filelock(lock_name: str, *, timeout=30, is_global=False):
+	"""Create a lockfile to prevent concurrent operations acrosss processes.
+
+	args:
+	        lock_name: Unique name to identify a specific lock. Lockfile called `{name}.lock` will be
+	        created.
+	        timeout: time to wait before failing.
+	        is_global: if set lock is global to bench
+
+	Lock file location:
+	        global - {bench_dir}/config/{name}.lock
+	        site - {bench_dir}/sites/sitename/{name}.lock
+
+	"""
+
+	lock_filename = lock_name + ".lock"
+	if not is_global:
+		lock_path = os.path.abspath(get_site_path(LOCKS_DIR, lock_filename))
+	else:
+		lock_path = os.path.abspath(os.path.join(get_bench_path(), "config", lock_filename))
+
+	try:
+		with _StrongFileLock(lock_path, timeout=timeout):
+			yield
+	except Timeout as e:
+		frappe.log_error("Filelock: Failed to aquire {lock_path}")
+
+		raise LockTimeoutError(
+			_("Failed to aquire lock: {}").format(lock_name)
+			+ "<br>"
+			+ _("You can manually remove the lock if you think it's safe: {}").format(lock_path)
+		) from e
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index f5ab8c94b2..dcd7599e9a 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ dependencies = [
     # core dependencies
     "Babel~=2.9.0",
     "Click~=7.1.2",
+    "filelock~=3.8.0",
     "GitPython~=3.1.14",
     "Jinja2~=3.1.2",
     "Pillow~=9.3.0",