diff --git a/lib/krb5/keytab_file.c b/lib/krb5/keytab_file.c
index 61b5d6d29..aed17b2de 100644
--- a/lib/krb5/keytab_file.c
+++ b/lib/krb5/keytab_file.c
@@ -381,10 +381,12 @@ fkt_start_seq_get_int(krb5_context context,
 	return ret;
     }
     rk_cloexec(c->fd);
-    ret = _krb5_xlock(context, c->fd, exclusive, d->filename);
-    if (ret) {
-	close(c->fd);
-	return ret;
+    if (exclusive) {
+	ret = _krb5_xlock(context, c->fd, exclusive, d->filename);
+	if (ret) {
+	    close(c->fd);
+	    return ret;
+	}
     }
     if ((flags & O_ACCMODE) == O_RDWR && (flags & O_APPEND))
         stdio_mode = "ab+";