diff --git a/include/crucible/multilock.h b/include/crucible/multilock.h
index 6b7fb6c..4d55558 100644
--- a/include/crucible/multilock.h
+++ b/include/crucible/multilock.h
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ namespace crucible {
 		mutex m_mutex;
 		condition_variable m_cv;
 		map<string, size_t> m_counters;
+		bool m_do_locking = true;
 
 		class LockHandle {
 			const string m_type;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ namespace crucible {
 		shared_ptr<LockHandle> get_lock_private(const string &type);
 	public:
 		static shared_ptr<LockHandle> get_lock(const string &type);
+		static void enable_locking(bool enabled);
 	};
 
 }
diff --git a/lib/multilock.cc b/lib/multilock.cc
index 8a56271..ce20dea 100644
--- a/lib/multilock.cc
+++ b/lib/multilock.cc
@@ -62,11 +62,22 @@ namespace crucible {
 		return rv;
 	}
 
+	static MultiLocker s_process_instance;
+
 	shared_ptr<MultiLocker::LockHandle>
 	MultiLocker::get_lock(const string &type)
 	{
-		static MultiLocker s_process_instance;
-		return s_process_instance.get_lock_private(type);
+		if (s_process_instance.m_do_locking) {
+			return s_process_instance.get_lock_private(type);
+		} else {
+			return shared_ptr<MultiLocker::LockHandle>();
+		}
+	}
+
+	void
+	MultiLocker::enable_locking(const bool enabled)
+	{
+		s_process_instance.m_do_locking = enabled;
 	}
 
 }