diff --git a/src/exclusive_file.rs b/src/exclusive_file.rs
index 57bce0d..01d090c 100644
--- a/src/exclusive_file.rs
+++ b/src/exclusive_file.rs
@@ -6,11 +6,19 @@ use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
 use super::*;
 use crate::FileId;
 
+#[derive(Debug)]
+enum LockLevel {
+    Shared,
+    Exclusive,
+}
+use LockLevel::*;
+
 #[derive(Debug)]
 pub(crate) struct ExclusiveFile {
     pub(crate) inner: File,
     pub(crate) id: FileId,
     last_committed_offset: u64,
+    lock_level: LockLevel,
 }
 
 impl ExclusiveFile {
@@ -68,6 +76,7 @@ impl ExclusiveFile {
             inner: file,
             id,
             last_committed_offset: end,
+            lock_level: Exclusive,
         }))
     }
 
@@ -90,6 +99,22 @@ impl ExclusiveFile {
     pub(crate) fn next_write_offset(&mut self) -> io::Result<u64> {
         self.inner.stream_position()
     }
+
+    pub(crate) fn downgrade_lock(&mut self) -> io::Result<bool> {
+        assert!(flocking());
+        assert!(matches!(self.lock_level, Exclusive));
+        cfg_if! {
+            if #[cfg(unix)] {
+                if !self.inner.flock(LockSharedNonblock)? {
+                    return Ok(false);
+                }
+                self.lock_level = Shared;
+                Ok(true)
+            } else {
+                unimplemented!()
+            }
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 impl Drop for ExclusiveFile {
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 20637ae..b2a504f 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -321,6 +321,11 @@ impl<'handle> BatchWriter<'handle> {
     }
 
     fn commit_inner(mut self, before_write: impl Fn()) -> Result<WriteCommitResult> {
+        if flocking() {
+            for ef in &mut self.exclusive_files {
+                assert!(ef.downgrade_lock()?);
+            }
+        }
         let mut transaction: OwnedTx = self.handle.start_immediate_transaction()?;
         let mut write_commit_res = WriteCommitResult { count: 0 };
         for pw in self.pending_writes.drain(..) {
@@ -343,28 +348,32 @@ impl<'handle> BatchWriter<'handle> {
 
     /// Flush Writer's exclusive files and return them to the Handle pool.
     fn flush_exclusive_files(&mut self) {
-        let mut handle_exclusive_files = self.handle.exclusive_files.lock().unwrap();
-        for mut ef in self.exclusive_files.drain(..) {
+        for ef in &mut self.exclusive_files {
             ef.committed().unwrap();
-            // When we're flocking, we can't have writers and readers at the same time and still be
-            // able to punch values asynchronously.
-            if flocking() {
-                debug!("returning exclusive file {} to handle", ef.id);
-                assert!(handle_exclusive_files.insert(ef.id.clone(), ef).is_none());
-            }
         }
+        self.return_exclusive_files_to_handle()
     }
-}
 
-impl Drop for BatchWriter<'_> {
-    fn drop(&mut self) {
+    fn return_exclusive_files_to_handle(&mut self) {
+        // When we're flocking, we can't have writers and readers at the same time and still be
+        // able to punch values asynchronously.
+        if flocking() {
+            return;
+        }
         let mut handle_exclusive_files = self.handle.exclusive_files.lock().unwrap();
         for ef in self.exclusive_files.drain(..) {
+            debug!("returning exclusive file {} to handle", ef.id);
             assert!(handle_exclusive_files.insert(ef.id.clone(), ef).is_none());
         }
     }
 }
 
+impl Drop for BatchWriter<'_> {
+    fn drop(&mut self) {
+        self.return_exclusive_files_to_handle()
+    }
+}
+
 type ValueLength = u64;
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
@@ -543,7 +552,7 @@ where
                     let file_offset = file_offset + pos;
                     // Getting lazy: Using positioned-io's ReadAt because it works on Windows.
                     let res = file.read_at(file_offset, buf);
-                    debug!(?file, ?file_offset, len=?buf, ?res, "snapshot value read_at");
+                    debug!(?file, ?file_offset, len=buf.len(), ?res, "snapshot value read_at");
                     res
                 }
             }
@@ -593,7 +602,7 @@ where
                 let file = &mut file_clone.file;
                 file.seek(Start(file_offset))?;
                 let res = file.read(buf);
-                debug!(?file, ?file_offset, len=?buf, ?res, "snapshot value read");
+                debug!(?file, ?file_offset, len=buf.len(), ?res, "snapshot value read");
                 res.map_err(Into::into)
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/sys/flock/mod.rs b/src/sys/flock/mod.rs
index f0e36a8..b431ede 100644
--- a/src/sys/flock/mod.rs
+++ b/src/sys/flock/mod.rs
@@ -45,7 +45,11 @@ mod tests {
         // Trying to exclusively lock from another file handle fails immediately.
         assert!(!file_reopen.lock_segment(LockExclusiveNonblock, None, 2)?);
         let file_reader = OpenOptions::new().read(true).open(file1_named.path())?;
-        assert!(file_reader.lock_segment(LockSharedNonblock, Some(1), 0,)?);
+        // This won't work with flock, because the entire file is exclusively locked, not just a
+        // different segment.
+        if !flocking() {
+            assert!(file_reader.lock_segment(LockSharedNonblock, Some(1), 0, )?);
+        }
         Ok(())
     }
 }