diff --git a/gclient_scm.py b/gclient_scm.py
index a76d2d0c2..925789db6 100644
--- a/gclient_scm.py
+++ b/gclient_scm.py
@@ -752,6 +752,12 @@ class SVNWrapper(SCMWrapper):
                                 "and try again." %
                                 checkout_path)
 
+    # Look for locked directories.
+    dir_info = scm.SVN.CaptureStatus(os.path.join(checkout_path, '.'))
+    if [True for d in dir_info if d[0][2] == 'L' and d[1] == checkout_path]:
+      # The current directory is locked, clean it up.
+      scm.SVN.Run(['cleanup'], checkout_path)
+
     if options.manually_grab_svn_rev:
       # Retrieve the current HEAD version because svn is slow at null updates.
       if not revision:
diff --git a/tests/gclient_scm_test.py b/tests/gclient_scm_test.py
index 4f971b282..92ea2be91 100755
--- a/tests/gclient_scm_test.py
+++ b/tests/gclient_scm_test.py
@@ -255,6 +255,11 @@ class SVNWrapperTestCase(BaseTestCase):
     }
     gclient_scm.os.path.exists(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.git')
                                ).AndReturn(False)
+
+    # Verify no locked files.
+    gclient_scm.scm.SVN.CaptureStatus(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.')
+        ).AndReturn([])
+
     # Checkout or update.
     gclient_scm.os.path.exists(base_path).AndReturn(True)
     gclient_scm.scm.SVN.CaptureInfo(
@@ -295,6 +300,10 @@ class SVNWrapperTestCase(BaseTestCase):
     gclient_scm.os.path.exists(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, 'DEPS')
         ).AndReturn(False)
 
+    # Verify no locked files.
+    gclient_scm.scm.SVN.CaptureStatus(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.')
+        ).AndReturn([])
+
     # When checking out a single file, we issue an svn checkout and svn update.
     files_list = self.mox.CreateMockAnything()
     gclient_scm.scm.SVN.Run(
@@ -363,6 +372,10 @@ class SVNWrapperTestCase(BaseTestCase):
         ).AndReturn(True)
     gclient_scm.os.remove(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, 'DEPS'))
 
+    # Verify no locked files.
+    gclient_scm.scm.SVN.CaptureStatus(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.')
+        ).AndReturn([])
+
     # When checking out a single file, we issue an svn checkout and svn update.
     files_list = self.mox.CreateMockAnything()
     gclient_scm.scm.SVN.Run(
@@ -399,6 +412,10 @@ class SVNWrapperTestCase(BaseTestCase):
     gclient_scm.os.path.exists(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.svn')
         ).AndReturn(True)
 
+    # Verify no locked files.
+    gclient_scm.scm.SVN.CaptureStatus(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.')
+        ).AndReturn([])
+
     # Now we fall back on scm.update().
     files_list = self.mox.CreateMockAnything()
     gclient_scm.os.path.exists(gclient_scm.os.path.join(base_path, '.git')