diff --git a/src/Console/Commands/Command.php b/src/Console/Commands/Command.php
index b64402f..6539c81 100644
--- a/src/Console/Commands/Command.php
+++ b/src/Console/Commands/Command.php
@@ -22,6 +22,12 @@ abstract class Command extends SymfonyCommand
      */
     protected $output;
 
+    /**
+     * Should this command block additional execution?
+     * @var bool
+     */
+    protected $shouldLock = true;
+
     /**
      * @param InputInterface  $input
      * @param OutputInterface $output
@@ -34,19 +40,23 @@ public function execute(InputInterface $input, OutputInterface $output)
             $this->input = $input;
             $this->output = $output;
 
-            $lockFilePathname = $this->input->getOption('site-dir').DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR.'.lock';
-            $lockFile = fopen($lockFilePathname, 'w+');
+            if ($this->shouldLock === true) {
+                $lockFilePathname = $this->input->getOption('site-dir').DIRECTORY_SEPARATOR.'.lock';
+                $lockFile = fopen($lockFilePathname, 'w+');
+
+                if (flock($lockFile, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB)) {
+                    $result = (int) $this->fire();
+                } else {
+                    fclose($lockFile);
+                    throw new LockException('Tapestry is already running; please wait for the previous process to complete or delete the .lock file.');
+                }
 
-            if (flock($lockFile, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB)) {
-                $result = (int) $this->fire();
-            } else {
                 fclose($lockFile);
-                throw new LockException('Tapestry is already running; please wait for the previous process to complete or delete the .lock file.');
+                unlink($lockFilePathname);
+            } else {
+                $result = (int) $this->fire();
             }
 
-            fclose($lockFile);
-            unlink($lockFilePathname);
-
             if (defined('TAPESTRY_START') === true && $this->input->getOption('stopwatch')) {
                 $this->renderStopwatchReport($output);
             }
diff --git a/src/Console/Commands/ServeCommand.php b/src/Console/Commands/ServeCommand.php
index b8836a4..790d332 100644
--- a/src/Console/Commands/ServeCommand.php
+++ b/src/Console/Commands/ServeCommand.php
@@ -15,6 +15,12 @@ class ServeCommand extends Command
      */
     private $tapestry;
 
+    /**
+     * Should this command block additional execution?
+     * @var bool
+     */
+    protected $shouldLock = false;
+
     /**
      * ServeCommand constructor.
      *