diff --git a/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.go b/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.go
index a4f310e5b54..ed6357c1924 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.go
+++ b/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 	"math/rand"
 	"time"
 
+	nanoid "github.com/matoous/go-nanoid/v2"
 	"github.com/treeverse/lakefs/pkg/kv"
 	"github.com/treeverse/lakefs/pkg/logging"
 	timestamppb "google.golang.org/protobuf/types/known/timestamppb"
@@ -244,10 +245,44 @@ func (w *WeakOwner) startOwningKey(ctx context.Context, owner string, prefixedKe
 	}
 }
 
-// Own blocks until it gets weak ownership of key for owner.  Ownership
-// will be refreshed at resolution interval.  It returns a function to stop
-// owning key.
+// releaseIf releases prefixedKey if it has the owner.
+func (w *WeakOwner) releaseIf(ctx context.Context, owner string, prefixedKey []byte) error {
+	log := w.Log.WithContext(ctx).WithFields(logging.Fields{
+		"prefixed_key": string(prefixedKey),
+		"owner":        owner,
+	})
+	ownership := WeakOwnership{}
+	predicate, err := kv.GetMsg(ctx, w.Store, weakOwnerPartition, prefixedKey, &ownership)
+	if err != nil {
+		return fmt.Errorf("get ownership message %s to release it from %s: %w", string(prefixedKey), owner, err)
+	}
+	log = log.WithField("new_owner", ownership.Owner)
+
+	if ownership.Owner != owner {
+		log.Info("Lost ownership race before trying to release")
+		return nil
+	}
+	ownership.Owner = fmt.Sprintf("[released] %s", ownership.Owner)
+	// Set expiration to the beginning of time - definitely expired.
+	ownership.Expires.Reset()
+	err = kv.SetMsgIf(ctx, w.Store, weakOwnerPartition, prefixedKey, &ownership, predicate)
+	if errors.Is(err, kv.ErrPredicateFailed) {
+		log.WithFields(logging.Fields{
+			"prefixed_key": string(prefixedKey),
+			"owner":        owner,
+			"new_owner":    ownership.Owner,
+		}).Info("Lost ownership race while trying to release")
+		// Succeeded: we did not
+		return nil
+	}
+	return err
+}
+
+// Own blocks until it gets weak ownership of key for owner.  Ownership will be refreshed at
+// resolution interval.  It returns a function to stop owning key.  Own appends its random slug to
+// owner, to identify the owner uniquely.
 func (w *WeakOwner) Own(ctx context.Context, owner, key string) (func(), error) {
+	owner = fmt.Sprintf("%s#%s", owner, nanoid.Must())
 	prefixedKey := []byte(fmt.Sprintf("%s/%s", w.Prefix, key))
 	err := w.startOwningKey(ctx, owner, prefixedKey)
 	if err != nil {
@@ -257,8 +292,8 @@ func (w *WeakOwner) Own(ctx context.Context, owner, key string) (func(), error)
 	go w.refreshKey(refreshCtx, owner, prefixedKey)
 	stopOwning := func() {
 		defer refreshCancel()
-		// Use the original context - in case cancelled twice.
-		err := w.Store.Delete(ctx, []byte(weakOwnerPartition), prefixedKey)
+		// This func might be called twice, so use the original ctx not refreshCtx.
+		err := w.releaseIf(ctx, owner, prefixedKey)
 		if err != nil {
 			w.Log.
 				WithContext(ctx).
diff --git a/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.proto b/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.proto
index 81d0b5697fd..069e0758293 100644
--- a/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.proto
+++ b/pkg/kv/util/weak_owner.proto
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ package io.treeverse.lakefs.kv;
 
 // message data model for weak ownership
 message WeakOwnership {
+    // owner is a unique identifier for this particular instantiation.  Different concurrent owners
+    // must have different owner strings.  Easiest to set it to something random.
     string owner = 1;
     google.protobuf.Timestamp expires = 2;
     string comment = 3;