diff --git a/changelog/unreleased/flock-xattr-set-multiple.md b/changelog/unreleased/flock-xattr-set-multiple.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..2cf0270669
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog/unreleased/flock-xattr-set-multiple.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+Enhancement: use an exclcusive write lock when writing multiple attributes
+
+The xattr package can use an exclusive write lock when writing multiple extended attributes
+
+https://github.com/cs3org/reva/pull/2528
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index e61ef61a4d..5b0eebcdb5 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/go-openapi/errors v0.20.1 // indirect
 	github.com/go-openapi/strfmt v0.20.2 // indirect
 	github.com/go-sql-driver/mysql v1.6.0
+	github.com/gofrs/flock v0.8.1
 	github.com/golang-jwt/jwt v3.2.2+incompatible
 	github.com/golang/protobuf v1.5.2
 	github.com/gomodule/redigo v1.8.8
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index fea989cc02..f91f4bf868 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -419,6 +419,8 @@ github.com/gobwas/pool v0.2.1/go.mod h1:q8bcK0KcYlCgd9e7WYLm9LpyS+YeLd8JVDW6Wezm
 github.com/gobwas/ws v1.0.4/go.mod h1:szmBTxLgaFppYjEmNtny/v3w89xOydFnnZMcgRRu/EM=
 github.com/godbus/dbus/v5 v5.0.3/go.mod h1:xhWf0FNVPg57R7Z0UbKHbJfkEywrmjJnf7w5xrFpKfA=
 github.com/godbus/dbus/v5 v5.0.4/go.mod h1:xhWf0FNVPg57R7Z0UbKHbJfkEywrmjJnf7w5xrFpKfA=
+github.com/gofrs/flock v0.8.1 h1:+gYjHKf32LDeiEEFhQaotPbLuUXjY5ZqxKgXy7n59aw=
+github.com/gofrs/flock v0.8.1/go.mod h1:F1TvTiK9OcQqauNUHlbJvyl9Qa1QvF/gOUDKA14jxHU=
 github.com/gofrs/uuid v3.2.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:b2aQJv3Z4Fp6yNu3cdSllBxTCLRxnplIgP/c0N/04lM=
 github.com/gofrs/uuid v4.0.0+incompatible h1:1SD/1F5pU8p29ybwgQSwpQk+mwdRrXCYuPhW6m+TnJw=
 github.com/gofrs/uuid v4.0.0+incompatible/go.mod h1:b2aQJv3Z4Fp6yNu3cdSllBxTCLRxnplIgP/c0N/04lM=
diff --git a/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/xattrs/xattrs.go b/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/xattrs/xattrs.go
index ea14aaa59f..4168d80ff0 100644
--- a/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/xattrs/xattrs.go
+++ b/pkg/storage/utils/decomposedfs/xattrs/xattrs.go
@@ -23,6 +23,9 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 
 	provider "github.com/cs3org/go-cs3apis/cs3/storage/provider/v1beta1"
+	"github.com/cs3org/reva/pkg/storage/utils/filelocks"
+	"github.com/gofrs/flock"
+	"github.com/pkg/errors"
 	"github.com/pkg/xattr"
 )
 
@@ -112,27 +115,73 @@ func refFromCS3(b []byte) (*provider.Reference, error) {
 
 // CopyMetadata copies all extended attributes from source to target.
 // The optional filter function can be used to filter by attribute name, e.g. by checking a prefix
-func CopyMetadata(s, t string, filter func(attributeName string) bool) error {
-	var attrs []string
-	var err error
-	if attrs, err = xattr.List(s); err != nil {
-		return err
+// For the source file, a shared lock is acquired. For the target, an exclusive
+// write lock is acquired.
+func CopyMetadata(src, target string, filter func(attributeName string) bool) (err error) {
+	var writeLock, readLock *flock.Flock
+
+	// Acquire the write log on the target node first.
+	writeLock, err = filelocks.AcquireWriteLock(target)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "xattrs: Unable to lock target to write")
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		rerr := filelocks.ReleaseLock(writeLock)
+
+		// if err is non nil we do not overwrite that
+		if err == nil {
+			err = rerr
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// now try to get a shared lock on the source
+	readLock, err = filelocks.AcquireReadLock(src)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "xattrs: Unable to lock file for read")
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		rerr := filelocks.ReleaseLock(readLock)
+
+		// if err is non nil we do not overwrite that
+		if err == nil {
+			err = rerr
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// both locks are established. Copy.
+	var attrNameList []string
+	if attrNameList, err = xattr.List(src); err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "Can not get xattr listing on src")
 	}
-	for i := range attrs {
-		if filter == nil || filter(attrs[i]) {
-			b, err := xattr.Get(s, attrs[i])
-			if err != nil {
-				return err
+
+	// error handling: We count errors of reads or writes of xattrs.
+	// if there were any read or write errors an error is returned.
+	var xerrs int = 0
+	var xerr error
+	for idx := range attrNameList {
+		attrName := attrNameList[idx]
+		if filter == nil || filter(attrName) {
+			var attrVal []byte
+			if attrVal, xerr = xattr.Get(src, attrName); xerr != nil {
+				xerrs++
 			}
-			if err := xattr.Set(t, attrs[i], b); err != nil {
-				return err
+			if xerr = xattr.Set(target, attrName, attrVal); xerr != nil {
+				xerrs++
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+	if xerrs > 0 {
+		err = errors.Wrap(xerr, "Failed to copy all xattrs, last error returned.")
+	}
+
+	return err
 }
 
 // Set an extended attribute key to the given value
+// No file locking is involved here as writing a single xattr is
+// considered to be atomic.
 func Set(filePath string, key string, val string) error {
 
 	if err := xattr.Set(filePath, key, []byte(val)); err != nil {
@@ -142,21 +191,48 @@ func Set(filePath string, key string, val string) error {
 }
 
 // SetMultiple allows setting multiple key value pairs at once
-// TODO the changes are protected with an flock
-func SetMultiple(filePath string, attribs map[string]string) error {
+// the changes are protected with an file lock
+// If the file lock can not be acquired the function returns a
+// lock error.
+func SetMultiple(filePath string, attribs map[string]string) (err error) {
 
-	// FIXME: Lock here
+	// h, err := lockedfile.OpenFile(filePath, os.O_WRONLY, 0) // 0? Open File only workn for files ... but we want to lock dirs ... or symlinks
+	// or we append .lock to the file and use https://github.com/gofrs/flock
+	var fileLock *flock.Flock
+	fileLock, err = filelocks.AcquireWriteLock(filePath)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return errors.Wrap(err, "xattrs: Can not acquire write log")
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		rerr := filelocks.ReleaseLock(fileLock)
+
+		// if err is non nil we do not overwrite that
+		if err == nil {
+			err = rerr
+		}
+	}()
+
+	// error handling: Count if there are errors while setting the attribs.
+	// if there were any, return an error.
+	var xerrs int = 0
+	var xerr error
 	for key, val := range attribs {
-		if err := Set(filePath, key, val); err != nil {
-			return err
+		if xerr = xattr.Set(filePath, key, []byte(val)); xerr != nil {
+			// log
+			xerrs++
 		}
 	}
-	return nil
+	if xerrs > 0 {
+		err = errors.Wrap(xerr, "Failed to set all xattrs")
+	}
+	return err
 }
 
 // Get an extended attribute value for the given key
+// No file locking is involved here as reading a single xattr is
+// considered to be atomic.
 func Get(filePath, key string) (string, error) {
-
 	v, err := xattr.Get(filePath, key)
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
@@ -178,21 +254,47 @@ func GetInt64(filePath, key string) (int64, error) {
 	return v, nil
 }
 
-// All reads all extended attributes for a node
-func All(filePath string) (map[string]string, error) {
+// All reads all extended attributes for a node, protected by a
+// shared file lock
+func All(filePath string) (attribs map[string]string, err error) {
+	var fileLock *flock.Flock
+
+	fileLock, err = filelocks.AcquireReadLock(filePath)
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, errors.Wrap(err, "xattrs: Unable to lock file for read")
+	}
+	defer func() {
+		rerr := filelocks.ReleaseLock(fileLock)
+
+		// if err is non nil we do not overwrite that
+		if err == nil {
+			err = rerr
+		}
+	}()
+
 	attrNames, err := xattr.List(filePath)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
 
-	attribs := make(map[string]string, len(attrNames))
+	var xerrs int = 0
+	var xerr error
+	// error handling: Count if there are errors while reading all attribs.
+	// if there were any, return an error.
+	attribs = make(map[string]string, len(attrNames))
 	for _, name := range attrNames {
-		val, err := xattr.Get(filePath, name)
-		if err != nil {
-			return nil, err
+		var val []byte
+		if val, xerr = xattr.Get(filePath, name); xerr != nil {
+			xerrs++
+		} else {
+			attribs[name] = string(val)
 		}
-		attribs[name] = string(val)
 	}
 
-	return attribs, nil
+	if xerrs > 0 {
+		err = errors.Wrap(xerr, "Failed to read all xattrs")
+	}
+
+	return attribs, err
 }
diff --git a/pkg/storage/utils/filelocks/filelocks.go b/pkg/storage/utils/filelocks/filelocks.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7a79b1abc0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/storage/utils/filelocks/filelocks.go
@@ -0,0 +1,101 @@
+// Copyright 2018-2021 CERN
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+//
+// In applying this license, CERN does not waive the privileges and immunities
+// granted to it by virtue of its status as an Intergovernmental Organization
+// or submit itself to any jurisdiction.
+
+package filelocks
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"os"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/gofrs/flock"
+)
+
+// FlockFile returns the flock filename for a given file name
+// it returns an empty string if the input is empty
+func FlockFile(file string) string {
+	var n string
+	if len(file) > 0 {
+		n = file + ".flock"
+	}
+	return n
+}
+
+// acquireWriteLog acquires a lock on a file or directory.
+// if the parameter write is true, it gets an exclusive write lock, otherwise a shared read lock.
+// The function returns a Flock object, unlocking has to be done in the calling function.
+func acquireLock(file string, write bool) (*flock.Flock, error) {
+	var err error
+
+	// Create a file to carry the log
+	n := FlockFile(file)
+	if len(n) == 0 {
+		return nil, errors.New("lock path is empty")
+	}
+	// Acquire the write log on the target node first.
+	lock := flock.New(n)
+
+	var ok bool
+	for i := 1; i <= 10; i++ {
+		if write {
+			ok, err = lock.TryLock()
+		} else {
+			ok, err = lock.TryRLock()
+		}
+
+		if ok {
+			break
+		}
+
+		time.Sleep(time.Duration(i*3) * time.Millisecond)
+	}
+
+	if !ok {
+		err = errors.New("could not acquire lock after wait")
+	}
+
+	if err != nil {
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	return lock, nil
+}
+
+// AcquireReadLock tries to acquire a shared lock to read from the
+// file and returns a lock object or an error accordingly.
+func AcquireReadLock(file string) (*flock.Flock, error) {
+	return acquireLock(file, false)
+}
+
+// AcquireWriteLock tries to acquire a shared lock to write from the
+// file and returns a lock object or an error accordingly.
+func AcquireWriteLock(file string) (*flock.Flock, error) {
+	return acquireLock(file, true)
+}
+
+// ReleaseLock releases a lock from a file that was previously created
+// by AcquireReadLock or AcquireWriteLock.
+func ReleaseLock(lock *flock.Flock) error {
+	// there is a probability that if the file can not be unlocked,
+	// we also can not remove the file. We will only try to remove if it
+	// was successfully unlocked.
+	err := lock.Unlock()
+	if err == nil {
+		err = os.Remove(lock.Path())
+	}
+	return err
+}