diff --git a/pyopencl/cache.py b/pyopencl/cache.py
index a09ec9a0a..db9370516 100644
--- a/pyopencl/cache.py
+++ b/pyopencl/cache.py
@@ -77,38 +77,18 @@ def error_clean_up(self):
 class CacheLockManager(CleanupBase):
     def __init__(self, cleanup_m, cache_dir):
         if cache_dir is not None:
-            self.lock_file = os.path.join(cache_dir, "lock")
+            lock_file = os.path.join(cache_dir, "lock")
 
-            attempts = 0
-            while True:
-                try:
-                    self.fd = os.open(self.lock_file,
-                            os.O_CREAT | os.O_WRONLY | os.O_EXCL)
-                    break
-                except OSError:
-                    pass
-
-                from time import sleep
-                sleep(1)
+            from pyopencl.filelock import FileLock
 
-                attempts += 1
+            self.lock = FileLock(lock_file, timeout=30)
 
-                if attempts > 10:
-                    from warnings import warn
-                    warn("could not obtain cache lock--delete '%s' if necessary"
-                            % self.lock_file)
-
-                if attempts > 3 * 60:
-                    raise RuntimeError("waited more than three minutes "
-                            "on the lock file '%s'"
-                            "--something is wrong" % self.lock_file)
+            self.lock.acquire()
 
             cleanup_m.register(self)
 
     def clean_up(self):
-        import os
-        os.close(self.fd)
-        os.unlink(self.lock_file)
+        self.lock.release()
 
     def error_clean_up(self):
         pass
diff --git a/pyopencl/filelock.py b/pyopencl/filelock.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..766bc9185
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyopencl/filelock.py
@@ -0,0 +1,455 @@
+# This is free and unencumbered software released into the public domain.
+#
+# Anyone is free to copy, modify, publish, use, compile, sell, or
+# distribute this software, either in source code form or as a compiled
+# binary, for any purpose, commercial or non-commercial, and by any
+# means.
+#
+# In jurisdictions that recognize copyright laws, the author or authors
+# of this software dedicate any and all copyright interest in the
+# software to the public domain. We make this dedication for the benefit
+# of the public at large and to the detriment of our heirs and
+# successors. We intend this dedication to be an overt act of
+# relinquishment in perpetuity of all present and future rights to this
+# software under copyright law.
+#
+# THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND,
+# EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF
+# MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT.
+# IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR
+# OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE,
+# ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR
+# OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.
+#
+# For more information, please refer to <http://unlicense.org>
+
+"""
+A platform independent file lock that supports the with-statement.
+"""
+
+
+# Modules
+# ------------------------------------------------
+import logging
+import os
+import threading
+import time
+try:
+    import warnings
+except ImportError:
+    warnings = None
+
+try:
+    import msvcrt
+except ImportError:
+    msvcrt = None
+
+try:
+    import fcntl
+except ImportError:
+    fcntl = None
+
+
+# Backward compatibility
+# ------------------------------------------------
+try:
+    TimeoutError
+except NameError:
+    TimeoutError = OSError
+
+
+# Data
+# ------------------------------------------------
+__all__ = [
+    "Timeout",
+    "BaseFileLock",
+    "WindowsFileLock",
+    "UnixFileLock",
+    "SoftFileLock",
+    "FileLock"
+]
+
+__version__ = "3.0.12"
+
+
+_logger = None
+
+
+def logger():
+    """Returns the logger instance used in this module."""
+    global _logger
+    _logger = _logger or logging.getLogger(__name__)
+    return _logger
+
+
+# Exceptions
+# ------------------------------------------------
+class Timeout(TimeoutError):
+    """
+    Raised when the lock could not be acquired in *timeout*
+    seconds.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, lock_file):
+        """
+        """
+        #: The path of the file lock.
+        self.lock_file = lock_file
+        return None
+
+    def __str__(self):
+        temp = "The file lock '{}' could not be acquired."\
+               .format(self.lock_file)
+        return temp
+
+
+# Classes
+# ------------------------------------------------
+
+# This is a helper class which is returned by :meth:`BaseFileLock.acquire`
+# and wraps the lock to make sure __enter__ is not called twice when entering
+# the with statement.
+# If we would simply return *self*, the lock would be acquired again
+# in the *__enter__* method of the BaseFileLock, but not released again
+# automatically.
+#
+# :seealso: issue #37 (memory leak)
+class _Acquire_ReturnProxy(object):
+
+    def __init__(self, lock):
+        self.lock = lock
+        return None
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        return self.lock
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
+        self.lock.release()
+        return None
+
+
+class BaseFileLock(object):
+    """
+    Implements the base class of a file lock.
+    """
+
+    def __init__(self, lock_file, timeout=-1):
+        """
+        """
+        # The path to the lock file.
+        self._lock_file = lock_file
+
+        # The file descriptor for the *_lock_file* as it is returned by the
+        # os.open() function.
+        # This file lock is only NOT None, if the object currently holds the
+        # lock.
+        self._lock_file_fd = None
+
+        # The default timeout value.
+        self.timeout = timeout
+
+        # We use this lock primarily for the lock counter.
+        self._thread_lock = threading.Lock()
+
+        # The lock counter is used for implementing the nested locking
+        # mechanism. Whenever the lock is acquired, the counter is increased and
+        # the lock is only released, when this value is 0 again.
+        self._lock_counter = 0
+        return None
+
+    @property
+    def lock_file(self):
+        """
+        The path to the lock file.
+        """
+        return self._lock_file
+
+    @property
+    def timeout(self):
+        """
+        You can set a default timeout for the filelock. It will be used as
+        fallback value in the acquire method, if no timeout value (*None*) is
+        given.
+
+        If you want to disable the timeout, set it to a negative value.
+
+        A timeout of 0 means, that there is exactly one attempt to acquire the
+        file lock.
+
+        .. versionadded:: 2.0.0
+        """
+        return self._timeout
+
+    @timeout.setter
+    def timeout(self, value):
+        """
+        """
+        self._timeout = float(value)
+        return None
+
+    # Platform dependent locking
+    # --------------------------------------------
+
+    def _acquire(self):
+        """
+        Platform dependent. If the file lock could be
+        acquired, self._lock_file_fd holds the file descriptor
+        of the lock file.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    def _release(self):
+        """
+        Releases the lock and sets self._lock_file_fd to None.
+        """
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
+    # Platform independent methods
+    # --------------------------------------------
+
+    @property
+    def is_locked(self):
+        """
+        True, if the object holds the file lock.
+
+        .. versionchanged:: 2.0.0
+
+            This was previously a method and is now a property.
+        """
+        return self._lock_file_fd is not None
+
+    def acquire(self, timeout=None, poll_intervall=0.05):
+        """
+        Acquires the file lock or fails with a :exc:`Timeout` error.
+
+        .. code-block:: python
+
+            # You can use this method in the context manager (recommended)
+            with lock.acquire():
+                pass
+
+            # Or use an equivalent try-finally construct:
+            lock.acquire()
+            try:
+                pass
+            finally:
+                lock.release()
+
+        :arg float timeout:
+            The maximum time waited for the file lock.
+            If ``timeout < 0``, there is no timeout and this method will
+            block until the lock could be acquired.
+            If ``timeout`` is None, the default :attr:`~timeout` is used.
+
+        :arg float poll_intervall:
+            We check once in *poll_intervall* seconds if we can acquire the
+            file lock.
+
+        :raises Timeout:
+            if the lock could not be acquired in *timeout* seconds.
+
+        .. versionchanged:: 2.0.0
+
+            This method returns now a *proxy* object instead of *self*,
+            so that it can be used in a with statement without side effects.
+        """
+        # Use the default timeout, if no timeout is provided.
+        if timeout is None:
+            timeout = self.timeout
+
+        # Increment the number right at the beginning.
+        # We can still undo it, if something fails.
+        with self._thread_lock:
+            self._lock_counter += 1
+
+        lock_id = id(self)
+        lock_filename = self._lock_file
+        start_time = time.time()
+        try:
+            while True:
+                with self._thread_lock:
+                    if not self.is_locked:
+                        logger().debug('Attempting to acquire lock %s on %s', lock_id, lock_filename)
+                        self._acquire()
+
+                if self.is_locked:
+                    logger().debug('Lock %s acquired on %s', lock_id, lock_filename)
+                    break
+                elif timeout >= 0 and time.time() - start_time > timeout:
+                    logger().debug('Timeout on acquiring lock %s on %s', lock_id, lock_filename)
+                    raise Timeout(self._lock_file)
+                else:
+                    logger().debug(
+                        'Lock %s not acquired on %s, waiting %s seconds ...',
+                        lock_id, lock_filename, poll_intervall
+                    )
+                    time.sleep(poll_intervall)
+        except:
+            # Something did go wrong, so decrement the counter.
+            with self._thread_lock:
+                self._lock_counter = max(0, self._lock_counter - 1)
+
+            raise
+        return _Acquire_ReturnProxy(lock=self)
+
+    def release(self, force=False):
+        """
+        Releases the file lock.
+
+        Please note, that the lock is only completly released, if the lock
+        counter is 0.
+
+        Also note, that the lock file itself is not automatically deleted.
+
+        :arg bool force:
+            If true, the lock counter is ignored and the lock is released in
+            every case.
+        """
+        with self._thread_lock:
+
+            if self.is_locked:
+                self._lock_counter -= 1
+
+                if self._lock_counter == 0 or force:
+                    lock_id = id(self)
+                    lock_filename = self._lock_file
+
+                    logger().debug('Attempting to release lock %s on %s', lock_id, lock_filename)
+                    self._release()
+                    self._lock_counter = 0
+                    logger().debug('Lock %s released on %s', lock_id, lock_filename)
+
+        return None
+
+    def __enter__(self):
+        self.acquire()
+        return self
+
+    def __exit__(self, exc_type, exc_value, traceback):
+        self.release()
+        return None
+
+    def __del__(self):
+        self.release(force=True)
+        return None
+
+
+# Windows locking mechanism
+# ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+class WindowsFileLock(BaseFileLock):
+    """
+    Uses the :func:`msvcrt.locking` function to hard lock the lock file on
+    windows systems.
+    """
+
+    def _acquire(self):
+        open_mode = os.O_RDWR | os.O_CREAT | os.O_TRUNC
+
+        try:
+            fd = os.open(self._lock_file, open_mode)
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        else:
+            try:
+                msvcrt.locking(fd, msvcrt.LK_NBLCK, 1)
+            except (IOError, OSError):
+                os.close(fd)
+            else:
+                self._lock_file_fd = fd
+        return None
+
+    def _release(self):
+        fd = self._lock_file_fd
+        self._lock_file_fd = None
+        msvcrt.locking(fd, msvcrt.LK_UNLCK, 1)
+        os.close(fd)
+
+        try:
+            os.remove(self._lock_file)
+        # Probably another instance of the application
+        # that acquired the file lock.
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        return None
+
+# Unix locking mechanism
+# ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+
+class UnixFileLock(BaseFileLock):
+    """
+    Uses the :func:`fcntl.flock` to hard lock the lock file on unix systems.
+    """
+
+    def _acquire(self):
+        open_mode = os.O_RDWR | os.O_CREAT | os.O_TRUNC
+        fd = os.open(self._lock_file, open_mode)
+
+        try:
+            fcntl.flock(fd, fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
+        except (IOError, OSError):
+            os.close(fd)
+        else:
+            self._lock_file_fd = fd
+        return None
+
+    def _release(self):
+        # Do not remove the lockfile:
+        #
+        #   https://github.com/benediktschmitt/py-filelock/issues/31
+        #   https://stackoverflow.com/questions/17708885/flock-removing-locked-file-without-race-condition
+        fd = self._lock_file_fd
+        self._lock_file_fd = None
+        fcntl.flock(fd, fcntl.LOCK_UN)
+        os.close(fd)
+        return None
+
+# Soft lock
+# ~~~~~~~~~
+
+
+class SoftFileLock(BaseFileLock):
+    """
+    Simply watches the existence of the lock file.
+    """
+
+    def _acquire(self):
+        open_mode = os.O_WRONLY | os.O_CREAT | os.O_EXCL | os.O_TRUNC
+        try:
+            fd = os.open(self._lock_file, open_mode)
+        except (IOError, OSError):
+            pass
+        else:
+            self._lock_file_fd = fd
+        return None
+
+    def _release(self):
+        os.close(self._lock_file_fd)
+        self._lock_file_fd = None
+
+        try:
+            os.remove(self._lock_file)
+        # The file is already deleted and that's what we want.
+        except OSError:
+            pass
+        return None
+
+
+# Platform filelock
+# ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+#: Alias for the lock, which should be used for the current platform. On
+#: Windows, this is an alias for :class:`WindowsFileLock`, on Unix for
+#: :class:`UnixFileLock` and otherwise for :class:`SoftFileLock`.
+FileLock = None
+
+if msvcrt:
+    FileLock = WindowsFileLock
+elif fcntl:
+    FileLock = UnixFileLock
+else:
+    FileLock = SoftFileLock
+
+    if warnings is not None:
+        warnings.warn("only soft file lock is available")
diff --git a/setup.cfg b/setup.cfg
index 831b0bd7f..c192107cc 100644
--- a/setup.cfg
+++ b/setup.cfg
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ per-file-ignores=
         examples/pi-monte-carlo.py:N,B
         examples/black-hole-accretion.py:N
         examples/n-body.py:N
+        pyopencl/filelock.py:N,B,Q,E
 
 inline-quotes = "
 docstring-quotes = """