diff --git a/core/api/request/init.go b/core/api/request/init.go
index 216e8577..54f988ce 100644
--- a/core/api/request/init.go
+++ b/core/api/request/init.go
@@ -50,15 +50,8 @@ func init() {
 	var err error
 
 	environment.GetString(&connectionString, "db", true,
-		`'username:password@protocol(hostname:port)/databasename" for example "fred:bloggs@tcp(localhost:3306)/documize", or if a follower instance "-fred:bloggs@tcp(localhost:3306)/documize"`,
+		`'username:password@protocol(hostname:port)/databasename" for example "fred:bloggs@tcp(localhost:3306)/documize", or if a follower instance "fred:bloggs@tcp(localhost:3306)/documize"`,
 		func(*string, string) bool {
-			isLeader := true
-			followerPrefix := "-"
-			if strings.HasPrefix(connectionString, followerPrefix) {
-				isLeader = false
-				connectionString = strings.TrimPrefix(connectionString, followerPrefix)
-				log.Info("This is a follower instance, no DB schema updates will be performed")
-			}
 
 			Db, err = sqlx.Open("mysql", stdConn(connectionString))
 
@@ -81,7 +74,7 @@ func init() {
 			// go into setup mode if required
 			if web.SiteMode != web.SiteModeOffline {
 				if database.Check(Db, connectionString) {
-					if err := database.Migrate(true /* the config table exists */, isLeader); err != nil {
+					if err := database.Migrate(true /* the config table exists */); err != nil {
 						log.Error("Unable to run database migration: ", err)
 						os.Exit(2)
 					}
diff --git a/core/database/create.go b/core/database/create.go
index ba1fa87c..4c8c953b 100644
--- a/core/database/create.go
+++ b/core/database/create.go
@@ -116,8 +116,7 @@ func Create(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
 		return
 	}
 
-	if err = Migrate(false, /* no tables exist yet */
-		true /* and we must be the only instance 1st time through */); err != nil {
+	if err = Migrate(false /* no tables exist yet */); err != nil {
 		log.Error("database.Create()", err)
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/core/database/migrate.go b/core/database/migrate.go
index fdf70f61..e9b6dea3 100644
--- a/core/database/migrate.go
+++ b/core/database/migrate.go
@@ -13,8 +13,10 @@ package database
 
 import (
 	"bytes"
+	"crypto/rand"
 	"database/sql"
-	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"regexp"
 	"sort"
 	"strings"
@@ -96,7 +98,61 @@ func (m migrationsT) migrate(tx *sqlx.Tx) error {
 	return nil
 }
 
-func migrateEnd(tx *sqlx.Tx, err error) error {
+func lockDB() (bool, error) {
+	b := make([]byte, 2)
+	_, err := rand.Read(b)
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+	time.Sleep(time.Duration(b[0]) * time.Duration(b[1]) * time.Millisecond / 10) // up to 6.5 secs wait
+
+	tx, err := (*dbPtr).Beginx()
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	_, err = tx.Exec("LOCK TABLE `config` WRITE;")
+	if err != nil {
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	defer func() {
+		_, err = tx.Exec("UNLOCK TABLES;")
+		log.IfErr(err)
+		log.IfErr(tx.Commit())
+	}()
+
+	_, err = tx.Exec("INSERT INTO `config` (`key`,`config`) " +
+		fmt.Sprintf(`VALUES ('DBLOCK','{"pid": "%d"}');`, os.Getpid()))
+	if err != nil {
+		// good error might be "Error 1062: Duplicate entry 'DBLOCK' for key 'idx_config_area'"
+		if strings.HasPrefix(err.Error(), "Error 1062:") {
+			log.Info("Database locked by annother Documize instance")
+			return false, nil
+		}
+		return false, err
+	}
+
+	log.Info("Database locked by this Documize instance")
+	return true, err // success!
+}
+
+func unlockDB() error {
+	tx, err := (*dbPtr).Beginx()
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	_, err = tx.Exec("DELETE FROM `config` WHERE `key`='DBLOCK';")
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return tx.Commit()
+}
+
+func migrateEnd(tx *sqlx.Tx, err error, amLeader bool) error {
+	if amLeader {
+		defer func() { log.IfErr(unlockDB()) }()
+	}
 	if tx != nil {
 		if err == nil {
 			log.IfErr(tx.Commit())
@@ -130,56 +186,62 @@ func getLastMigration(tx *sqlx.Tx) (lastMigration string, err error) {
 }
 
 // Migrate the database as required, consolidated action.
-func Migrate(ConfigTableExists, amLeader bool) error {
+func Migrate(ConfigTableExists bool) error {
 
-	if !ConfigTableExists && !amLeader {
-		return errors.New("database.Migrate() does not work on empty databases for follower instances")
+	amLeader := false
+
+	if ConfigTableExists {
+		var err error
+		amLeader, err = lockDB()
+		log.IfErr(err)
+	} else {
+		amLeader = true // what else can you do?
+	}
+
+	tx, err := (*dbPtr).Beginx()
+	if err != nil {
+		return migrateEnd(tx, err, amLeader)
 	}
 
 	lastMigration := ""
 
-	tx, err := (*dbPtr).Beginx()
-	if err != nil {
-		return migrateEnd(tx, err)
-	}
-
 	if ConfigTableExists {
 		lastMigration, err = getLastMigration(tx)
 		if err != nil {
-			return migrateEnd(tx, err)
+			return migrateEnd(tx, err, amLeader)
 		}
 		log.Info("Database checks: last previously applied file was " + lastMigration)
 	}
 
 	mig, err := migrations(lastMigration)
 	if err != nil {
-		return migrateEnd(tx, err)
+		return migrateEnd(tx, err, amLeader)
 	}
 
 	if len(mig) == 0 {
 		log.Info("Database checks: no updates to perform")
-		return migrateEnd(tx, nil) // no migrations to perform
+		return migrateEnd(tx, nil, amLeader) // no migrations to perform
 	}
 
 	if amLeader {
 		log.Info("Database checks: will execute the following update files: " + strings.Join([]string(mig), ", "))
-		return migrateEnd(tx, mig.migrate(tx))
+		return migrateEnd(tx, mig.migrate(tx), amLeader)
 	}
 
 	// a follower instance
 	targetMigration := string(mig[len(mig)-1])
 	for targetMigration != lastMigration {
 		time.Sleep(time.Second)
-		log.Info("Waiting for migration process to complete")
-		tx.Rollback() // ignore error
-		tx, err := (*dbPtr).Beginx()
+		log.Info("Waiting for database migration process to complete")
+		tx.Rollback()                // ignore error
+		tx, err := (*dbPtr).Beginx() // need this in order to see the changed situation since last tx
 		if err != nil {
-			return migrateEnd(tx, err)
+			return migrateEnd(tx, err, amLeader)
 		}
 		lastMigration, _ = getLastMigration(tx)
 	}
 
-	return migrateEnd(tx, nil)
+	return migrateEnd(tx, nil, amLeader)
 }
 
 func processSQLfile(tx *sqlx.Tx, buf []byte) error {