diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
index 980e2f0..9c2bbb8 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/data/Application.java
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ public class Application
      */
     public Application (File appdir, String appid)
     {
-        this(appdir, appid, null, false);
+        this(appdir, appid, null);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -169,15 +169,13 @@ public class Application
      * <code>appid.apparg</code> to configure itself but all other parameters will be the same as
      * the primary application.
      * @param signers an array of possible signers of this application. Used to verify the digest.
-     * @param useLock - if true, attempt to acquire a lockfile while active updating is occuring.
      */
-    public Application (File appdir, String appid, Object[] signers, boolean useLock)
+    public Application (File appdir, String appid, Object[] signers)
     {
         _appdir = appdir;
         _appid = appid;
         _signers = signers;
         _config = getLocalPath(CONFIG_FILE);
-        _locking = useLock;
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1043,7 +1041,7 @@ public class Application
      */
     public synchronized boolean lockForUpdates ()
     {
-        if (!_locking || (_lock != null && _lock.isValid())) {
+        if (_lock != null && _lock.isValid()) {
             return true;
         }
         try {
@@ -1330,7 +1328,4 @@ public class Application
 
     /** Channel to the file underying _lock.  Kept around solely so the lock doesn't close. */
     protected FileChannel _lockChannel;
-
-    /** True if we're using the locks, false means we're allowing multiple getdowns to run. */
-    protected boolean _locking;
 }
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java
index 40c4db6..a138067 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/Getdown.java
@@ -116,7 +116,7 @@ public abstract class Getdown extends Thread
                 "\nis invalid. The directory must not contain the '!' character. Please reinstall.";
             fail(errmsg);
         }
-        _app = new Application(appDir, appId, signers, useLocks());
+        _app = new Application(appDir, appId, signers);
         _startup = System.currentTimeMillis();
     }
 
@@ -928,16 +928,6 @@ public abstract class Getdown extends Thread
         return Boolean.getBoolean("direct");
     }
 
-    /**
-     * If this method returns true we will acquire a lock when starting to update files to prevent
-     * other instances of getdown from running.
-     */
-    protected boolean useLocks ()
-    {
-        // allow passing -Dlock=true to turn on lock usage
-        return Boolean.getBoolean("lock");
-    }
-
     /**
      * Provides access to the applet that we'll pass on to our application when we're in "invoke
      * direct" mode.
diff --git a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java
index 6e22a69..3e54663 100644
--- a/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java
+++ b/src/java/com/threerings/getdown/launcher/GetdownApplet.java
@@ -112,9 +112,6 @@ public class GetdownApplet extends JApplet
                 protected boolean invokeDirect () {
                     return "true".equalsIgnoreCase(getParameter("direct"));
                 }
-                protected boolean useLocks () {
-                    return "true".equalsIgnoreCase(getParameter("lock"));
-                }
                 protected JApplet getApplet () {
                     return GetdownApplet.this;
                 }