diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DatasetServiceBean.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DatasetServiceBean.java
index e519614ba55..c5ad9f17b0a 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DatasetServiceBean.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/DatasetServiceBean.java
@@ -450,7 +450,8 @@ public DatasetLock addDatasetLock(Long datasetId, DatasetLock.Reason reason, Lon
         // (to prevent multiple, duplicate locks on the dataset!)
         DatasetLock lock = dataset.getLockFor(reason);
         if (lock != null) {
-            return lock;
+            //return lock;
+            return null;
         }
 
         // Create new:
diff --git a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/UpdateDatasetVersionCommand.java b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/UpdateDatasetVersionCommand.java
index f573203180b..26df909b5e4 100644
--- a/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/UpdateDatasetVersionCommand.java
+++ b/src/main/java/edu/harvard/iq/dataverse/engine/command/impl/UpdateDatasetVersionCommand.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.DataverseRequest;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.RequiredPermissions;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.exception.CommandException;
+import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.exception.CommandExecutionException;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.engine.command.exception.IllegalCommandException;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.util.DatasetFieldUtil;
 import edu.harvard.iq.dataverse.util.FileMetadataUtil;
@@ -147,6 +148,7 @@ public Dataset execute(CommandContext ctxt) throws CommandException {
                 theDataset.addLock(lock);
             } else {
                 logger.log(Level.WARNING, "Failed to lock the dataset (dataset id={0})", getDataset().getId());
+                throw new CommandExecutionException("Failed to acquire lock on dataset", this);
             }
             
             editVersion.setDatasetFields(editVersion.initDatasetFields());