diff --git a/diskcache/core.py b/diskcache/core.py
index c7c8486..ebf9a75 100644
--- a/diskcache/core.py
+++ b/diskcache/core.py
@@ -707,44 +707,48 @@ def transact(self, retry=False):
 
     @cl.contextmanager
     def _transact(self, retry=False, filename=None):
-        sql = self._sql
-        filenames = []
-        _disk_remove = self._disk.remove
-        tid = threading.get_ident()
-        txn_id = self._txn_id
+        _acquireLock()
+        try:
+            sql = self._sql
+            filenames = []
+            _disk_remove = self._disk.remove
+            tid = threading.get_ident()
+            txn_id = self._txn_id
 
-        if tid == txn_id:
-            begin = False
-        else:
-            while True:
-                try:
-                    sql('BEGIN IMMEDIATE')
-                    begin = True
-                    self._txn_id = tid
-                    break
-                except sqlite3.OperationalError:
-                    if retry:
-                        continue
-                    if filename is not None:
-                        _disk_remove(filename)
-                    raise Timeout from None
+            if tid == txn_id:
+                begin = False
+            else:
+                while True:
+                    try:
+                        sql('BEGIN IMMEDIATE')
+                        begin = True
+                        self._txn_id = tid
+                        break
+                    except sqlite3.OperationalError:
+                        if retry:
+                            continue
+                        if filename is not None:
+                            _disk_remove(filename)
+                        raise Timeout from None
 
-        try:
-            yield sql, filenames.append
-        except BaseException:
-            if begin:
-                assert self._txn_id == tid
-                self._txn_id = None
-                sql('ROLLBACK')
-            raise
-        else:
-            if begin:
-                assert self._txn_id == tid
-                self._txn_id = None
-                sql('COMMIT')
-            for name in filenames:
-                if name is not None:
-                    _disk_remove(name)
+            try:
+                yield sql, filenames.append
+            except BaseException:
+                if begin:
+                    assert self._txn_id == tid
+                    self._txn_id = None
+                    sql('ROLLBACK')
+                raise
+            else:
+                if begin:
+                    assert self._txn_id == tid
+                    self._txn_id = None
+                    sql('COMMIT')
+                for name in filenames:
+                    if name is not None:
+                        _disk_remove(name)
+        finally:
+            _releaseLock()
 
     def set(self, key, value, expire=None, read=False, tag=None, retry=False):
         """Set `key` and `value` item in cache.
@@ -2450,3 +2454,32 @@ def reset(self, key, value=ENOVAL, update=True):
 
         setattr(self, key, value)
         return value
+
+if hasattr(os, 'register_at_fork'):
+    _lock = threading.RLock()
+
+    def _acquireLock():
+        global _lock
+        try:
+            _lock.acquire()
+        except BaseException:
+            _lock.release()
+            raise
+
+    def _releaseLock():
+        global _lock
+        _lock.release()
+
+    def _after_at_fork_child_reinit_locks():
+        global _lock
+        _lock = threading.RLock()
+
+    os.register_at_fork(before=_acquireLock,
+                        after_in_child=_after_at_fork_child_reinit_locks,
+                        after_in_parent=_releaseLock)
+else:
+    def _acquireLock():
+        pass
+
+    def _releaseLock():
+        pass
diff --git a/tests/test_fork_multithreading.py b/tests/test_fork_multithreading.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..00a47ca
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/test_fork_multithreading.py
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+"""
+Test diskcache.core.Cache behaviour when process is forking.
+Make sure it does not deadlock on the sqlite3 transaction lock if
+forked while the lock is in use.
+"""
+
+import errno
+import hashlib
+import io
+import os
+import os.path as op
+import sys
+import pathlib
+import pickle
+import shutil
+import sqlite3
+import subprocess as sp
+import tempfile
+import threading
+import time
+import warnings
+from threading import Thread
+from unittest import mock
+
+if sys.platform != "win32":
+    import signal
+
+import pytest
+
+import diskcache as dc
+
+REPEATS = 1000
+
+@pytest.fixture
+def cache():
+    with dc.Cache() as cache:
+        yield cache
+    shutil.rmtree(cache.directory, ignore_errors=True)
+
+def _test_thread_imp(cache):
+    for i in range(REPEATS * 10):
+        cache.set(i, i)
+
+def _test_wait_pid(pid):
+    _, status = os.waitpid(pid, 0)
+    assert status == 0, "Child died unexpectedly"
+
+@pytest.mark.skipif(sys.platform == "win32", reason="no fork on Windows")
+def test_fork_multithreading(cache):
+    thread = Thread(target=_test_thread_imp, args=(cache,))
+    thread.start()
+    try:
+        for i in range(REPEATS):
+            pid = os.fork()
+            if pid == 0:
+                cache.set(i, 0)
+                os._exit(0)
+            else:
+                thread = Thread(target=_test_wait_pid, args=(pid,))
+                thread.start()                
+                thread.join(timeout=10)
+                if thread.is_alive():
+                    os.kill(pid, signal.SIGKILL)
+                    thread.join()
+                    assert False, "Deadlock detected."
+    except OSError as e:
+        if e.errno != errno.EINTR:
+            raise
+
+    thread.join()
+