diff --git a/src/manage_pg.c b/src/manage_pg.c
index df9741fedb..928e271427 100644
--- a/src/manage_pg.c
+++ b/src/manage_pg.c
@@ -342,6 +342,18 @@ manage_create_sql_functions ()
        " END;"
        "$$ language 'plpgsql';");
 
+  sql ("CREATE OR REPLACE FUNCTION try_exclusive_lock_wait (regclass)"
+       " RETURNS integer AS $$"
+       " BEGIN"
+       "   EXECUTE 'LOCK TABLE '"
+       "           || quote_ident_split($1::text)"
+       "           || ' IN ACCESS EXCLUSIVE MODE;';"
+       "   RETURN 1;"
+       " EXCEPTION WHEN lock_not_available THEN"
+       "   RETURN 0;"
+       " END;"
+       "$$ language 'plpgsql';");
+
   if (sql_int ("SELECT EXISTS (SELECT * FROM information_schema.tables"
                "               WHERE table_catalog = '%s'"
                "               AND table_schema = 'public'"
diff --git a/src/manage_sql.c b/src/manage_sql.c
index c57d597b6b..2c9a2056ac 100644
--- a/src/manage_sql.c
+++ b/src/manage_sql.c
@@ -93,12 +93,12 @@
  *        LOCK TABLE .. IN ACCESS EXLUSIVE MODE NOWAIT
  *        statements.
  */
-#define LOCK_RETRIES 16
+#define LOCK_RETRIES 64
 
 /**
- * @brief Time of delay between two lock retries.
+ * @brief Timeout for trying to acquire a lock in milliseconds.
  */
-#define LOCK_RETRY_DELAY 2
+#define LOCK_TIMEOUT 500
 
 #ifdef DEBUG_FUNCTION_NAMES
 #include <dlfcn.h>
@@ -25497,11 +25497,10 @@ delete_report (const char *report_id, int dummy)
    * If the report is running already then delete_report_internal will
    * ROLLBACK. */
   lock_retries = LOCK_RETRIES;
-  lock_ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock('reports');");
+  lock_ret = sql_table_lock_wait ("reports", LOCK_TIMEOUT);
   while ((lock_ret == 0) && (lock_retries > 0))
     {
-      sleep(LOCK_RETRY_DELAY);
-      lock_ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock('reports');");
+      lock_ret = sql_table_lock_wait ("reports", LOCK_TIMEOUT);
       lock_retries--;
     }
   if (lock_ret == 0)
@@ -31233,11 +31232,10 @@ delete_task_lock (task_t task, int ultimate)
    * If the task is already active then delete_report (via delete_task)
    * will fail and rollback. */
   lock_retries = LOCK_RETRIES;
-  lock_ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock('reports');");
+  lock_ret = sql_table_lock_wait ("reports", LOCK_TIMEOUT);
   while ((lock_ret == 0) && (lock_retries > 0))
     {
-      sleep(LOCK_RETRY_DELAY);
-      lock_ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock('reports');");
+      lock_ret = sql_table_lock_wait ("reports", LOCK_TIMEOUT);
       lock_retries--;
     }
   if (lock_ret == 0)
@@ -31413,11 +31411,10 @@ request_delete_task_uuid (const char *task_id, int ultimate)
                * If the task is running already then delete_task will lead to
                * ROLLBACK. */
               lock_retries = LOCK_RETRIES;
-              lock_ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock('reports');");
+              lock_ret = sql_table_lock_wait ("reports", LOCK_TIMEOUT);
               while ((lock_ret == 0) && (lock_retries > 0))
                 {
-                  sleep(LOCK_RETRY_DELAY);
-                  lock_ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock('reports');");
+                  lock_ret = sql_table_lock_wait ("reports", LOCK_TIMEOUT);
                   lock_retries--;
                 }
               if (lock_ret == 0)
diff --git a/src/sql.h b/src/sql.h
index 65600bf485..b0a225eff6 100644
--- a/src/sql.h
+++ b/src/sql.h
@@ -129,6 +129,9 @@ sql_commit ();
 void
 sql_rollback ();
 
+int
+sql_table_lock_wait (const char *, int);
+
 /* Iterators. */
 
 /* These functions are for "internal" use.  They may only be accessed by code
diff --git a/src/sql_pg.c b/src/sql_pg.c
index 0aec109972..cf8ed82c87 100644
--- a/src/sql_pg.c
+++ b/src/sql_pg.c
@@ -602,6 +602,27 @@ sql_rollback ()
   sql ("ROLLBACK;");
 }
 
+/**
+ * Try to lock a table, timing out after a given time.
+ *
+ * @param[in]  table         The table to lock.
+ * @param[in]  lock_timeout  The lock timeout in milliseconds, 0 for unlimited.
+ * 
+ * @return 1 if locked, 0 if failed / timed out.
+ */
+int
+sql_table_lock_wait (const char *table, int lock_timeout)
+{
+  int old_lock_timeout = sql_int ("SHOW lock_timeout;");
+  sql ("SET LOCAL lock_timeout = %d;", lock_timeout);
+  
+  // This requires the gvmd functions to be defined first.
+  int ret = sql_int ("SELECT try_exclusive_lock_wait ('%s');", table);
+  
+  sql ("SET LOCAL lock_timeout = %d;", old_lock_timeout);
+  return ret;
+}
+
 
 /* Iterators. */