diff --git a/test/pacman/pmtest.py b/test/pacman/pmtest.py
index f5f033fa..7cfc3b1d 100644
--- a/test/pacman/pmtest.py
+++ b/test/pacman/pmtest.py
@@ -232,7 +232,7 @@ class pmtest(object):
         return files
 
     def run(self, pacman):
-        if os.path.isfile(util.PM_LOCK):
+        if util.ispacmanlocked():
             tap.bail("\tERROR: another pacman session is on-going -- skipping")
             return
 
diff --git a/test/pacman/util.py b/test/pacman/util.py
index ee844812..e5de4b81 100644
--- a/test/pacman/util.py
+++ b/test/pacman/util.py
@@ -184,3 +184,15 @@ def mkdir(path):
     elif os.path.isfile(path):
         raise OSError("'%s' already exists and is not a directory" % path)
     os.makedirs(path, 0o755)
+
+#
+# Locking
+#
+def ispacmanlocked():
+    if not os.path.exists(PM_LOCK):
+        return False
+
+    with open(PM_LOCK, 'r') as f:
+        pid = f.read().strip()
+
+    return pid.isdigit() and os.path.exists(f'/proc/{pid}')