diff --git a/include/ircd/ctx/ctx.h b/include/ircd/ctx/ctx.h
index 5b3f6bcff..cabfc68f8 100644
--- a/include/ircd/ctx/ctx.h
+++ b/include/ircd/ctx/ctx.h
@@ -80,6 +80,7 @@ namespace ircd::ctx
 #include "queue.h"
 #include "mutex.h"
 #include "shared_mutex.h"
+#include "upgrade_lock.h"
 #include "unlock_guard.h"
 #include "condition_variable.h"
 #include "peek.h"
diff --git a/include/ircd/ctx/upgrade_lock.h b/include/ircd/ctx/upgrade_lock.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..639970a78
--- /dev/null
+++ b/include/ircd/ctx/upgrade_lock.h
@@ -0,0 +1,173 @@
+// Matrix Construct
+//
+// Copyright (C) Matrix Construct Developers, Authors & Contributors
+// Copyright (C) 2016-2018 Jason Volk <jason@zemos.net>
+//
+// Permission to use, copy, modify, and/or distribute this software for any
+// purpose with or without fee is hereby granted, provided that the above
+// copyright notice and this permission notice is present in all copies. The
+// full license for this software is available in the LICENSE file.
+
+#pragma once
+#define HAVE_IRCD_CTX_UPGRADE_LOCK_H
+
+namespace ircd::ctx
+{
+	template<class mutex> struct upgrade_lock;
+}
+
+/// Upgrade a lock from a shared reader to become a unique writer. This is a
+/// two phase process. The first phase is the upgrade, which does not immediately
+/// interfere with the shared readers but only one upgrade can exist at a time.
+///
+/// The second phase is further upgrading the upgrade lock to a unique-lock
+/// which blocks out the readers from reacquiring their shared-locks. This lock
+/// then has exclusive access to the critical section.
+///
+/// Upon release of the second phase the readers can reacquire their
+/// shared-lock again. Upon release of the first phase another writer can
+/// acquire an upgrade-lock. Sometimes it is desirable to not release the first
+/// phase to ensure nothing is ABA'ed by another writer while allowing the
+/// readers to continue consuming.
+///
+template<class mutex>
+struct ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock
+{
+	mutex *m {nullptr};
+
+	bool owns_lock() const;
+
+	void lock();
+	bool try_lock();
+	template<class duration> bool try_lock_for(duration&&);
+	template<class time_point> bool try_lock_until(time_point&&);
+	void unlock();
+
+	mutex *release() noexcept;
+
+	template<class r, class p> upgrade_lock(mutex &, const std::chrono::time_point<r, p> &);
+	template<class r, class p> upgrade_lock(mutex &, const std::chrono::duration<r, p> &);
+	upgrade_lock(mutex &, std::try_to_lock_t);
+	upgrade_lock(mutex &, std::defer_lock_t);
+	upgrade_lock(mutex &, std::adopt_lock_t);
+	explicit upgrade_lock(mutex &);
+	upgrade_lock() = default;
+	upgrade_lock(upgrade_lock &&) noexcept;
+	upgrade_lock(const upgrade_lock &) = delete;
+	~upgrade_lock() noexcept;
+};
+
+namespace ircd
+{
+	using ctx::upgrade_lock;
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::upgrade_lock(mutex &m)
+:m{&m}
+{
+	lock();
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::upgrade_lock(mutex &m,
+                                             std::defer_lock_t)
+:m{&m}
+{
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::upgrade_lock(mutex &m,
+                                             std::adopt_lock_t)
+:m{&m}
+{
+	if(!m->upgrade())
+		lock();
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+template<class rep,
+         class period>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::upgrade_lock(mutex &m,
+                                             const std::chrono::duration<rep, period> &rel)
+:m{&m}
+{
+	try_lock_for(rel);
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+template<class rep,
+         class period>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::upgrade_lock(mutex &m,
+                                             const std::chrono::time_point<rep, period> &abs)
+:m{&m}
+{
+	try_lock_until(abs);
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::upgrade_lock(upgrade_lock &&other)
+noexcept
+:m{other.release()}
+{
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::~upgrade_lock()
+noexcept
+{
+	if(owns_lock())
+		unlock();
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+mutex *
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::release()
+noexcept
+{
+	mutex *const m{this->m};
+	this->m = nullptr;
+	return m;
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+template<class time_point>
+bool
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::try_lock_until(time_point&& tp)
+{
+	assert(m);
+	return m->try_lock_upgrade_until(std::forward<time_point>(tp));
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+template<class duration>
+bool
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::try_lock_for(duration&& d)
+{
+	assert(m);
+	return m->try_lock_upgrade_for(std::forward<duration>(d));
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+bool
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::try_lock()
+{
+	assert(m);
+	return m->try_lock_upgrade();
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+void
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::lock()
+{
+	assert(m);
+	m->lock_upgrade();
+}
+
+template<class mutex>
+bool
+ircd::ctx::upgrade_lock<mutex>::owns_lock()
+const
+{
+	return m? m->upgrade() : false;
+}