Note: you have the same issue with all the other dist locks with auto-release. If you have a mission critical use case you could:<p>1. Try real time kernel extensions.<p>2. Try a time bomb or watchdog process as you suggested.<p>3. Put monitoring systems to avoid load to go over a certain level.<p>4. Tune the Linux scheduler params.<p>5. Use TTLs that are comparatively very large compared to the work you need to do with the lock hold.