diff --git a/crates/core/src/backend.rs b/crates/core/src/backend.rs
index 780db270..5fb34656 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/backend.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/backend.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ use anyhow::Result;
 use bytes::Bytes;
 use chrono::{DateTime, Local};
 use enum_map::Enum;
-use log::trace;
+use log::{debug, trace};
 
 #[cfg(test)]
 use mockall::mock;
@@ -356,7 +356,8 @@ pub trait WriteBackend: ReadBackend {
     /// # Errors
     ///
     /// If the file could not be read.
-    fn lock(&self, _tpe: FileType, _id: &Id, _until: Option<DateTime<Local>>) -> Result<()> {
+    fn lock(&self, tpe: FileType, id: &Id, until: Option<DateTime<Local>>) -> Result<()> {
+        debug!("no locking implemented. {tpe:?}, {id}, {until:?}");
         Ok(())
     }
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/backend/cache.rs b/crates/core/src/backend/cache.rs
index 69f0eb86..1a46e9ff 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/backend/cache.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/backend/cache.rs
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ use std::{
 
 use anyhow::Result;
 use bytes::Bytes;
+use chrono::{DateTime, Local};
 use dirs::cache_dir;
 use log::{trace, warn};
 use walkdir::WalkDir;
@@ -210,6 +211,14 @@ impl WriteBackend for CachedBackend {
         }
         self.be.remove(tpe, id, cacheable)
     }
+
+    fn can_lock(&self) -> bool {
+        self.be.can_lock()
+    }
+
+    fn lock(&self, tpe: FileType, id: &Id, until: Option<DateTime<Local>>) -> Result<()> {
+        self.be.lock(tpe, id, until)
+    }
 }
 
 /// Backend that caches data in a directory.
diff --git a/crates/core/src/backend/decrypt.rs b/crates/core/src/backend/decrypt.rs
index 8c307a5c..2ba322c8 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/backend/decrypt.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/backend/decrypt.rs
@@ -581,6 +581,14 @@ impl<C: CryptoKey> WriteBackend for DecryptBackend<C> {
     fn remove(&self, tpe: FileType, id: &Id, cacheable: bool) -> Result<()> {
         self.be.remove(tpe, id, cacheable)
     }
+
+    fn can_lock(&self) -> bool {
+        self.be.can_lock()
+    }
+
+    fn lock(&self, tpe: FileType, id: &Id, until: Option<DateTime<Local>>) -> Result<()> {
+        self.be.lock(tpe, id, until)
+    }
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
diff --git a/crates/core/src/backend/dry_run.rs b/crates/core/src/backend/dry_run.rs
index e93c9023..261bcdd6 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/backend/dry_run.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/backend/dry_run.rs
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 use anyhow::Result;
 use bytes::Bytes;
+use chrono::{DateTime, Local};
 use zstd::decode_all;
 
 use crate::{
@@ -156,4 +157,12 @@ impl<BE: DecryptFullBackend> WriteBackend for DryRunBackend<BE> {
             self.be.remove(tpe, id, cacheable)
         }
     }
+
+    fn can_lock(&self) -> bool {
+        self.be.can_lock()
+    }
+
+    fn lock(&self, tpe: FileType, id: &Id, until: Option<DateTime<Local>>) -> Result<()> {
+        self.be.lock(tpe, id, until)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/backend/hotcold.rs b/crates/core/src/backend/hotcold.rs
index 75a1f750..798005d6 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/backend/hotcold.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/backend/hotcold.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ use std::sync::Arc;
 
 use anyhow::Result;
 use bytes::Bytes;
+use chrono::{DateTime, Local};
 
 use crate::{
     backend::{FileType, ReadBackend, WriteBackend},
@@ -98,4 +99,12 @@ impl WriteBackend for HotColdBackend {
         }
         Ok(())
     }
+
+    fn can_lock(&self) -> bool {
+        self.be.can_lock()
+    }
+
+    fn lock(&self, tpe: FileType, id: &Id, until: Option<DateTime<Local>>) -> Result<()> {
+        self.be.lock(tpe, id, until)
+    }
 }
diff --git a/crates/core/src/commands/lock.rs b/crates/core/src/commands/lock.rs
index 3c2aac02..81354afb 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/commands/lock.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/commands/lock.rs
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ use crate::{
         configfile::ConfigId, IndexFile, IndexId, KeyId, PackId, RepoId, SnapshotFile, SnapshotId,
     },
     repository::{Open, Repository},
-    BlobId, TreeId,
+    BlobId, TreeId, WriteBackend,
 };
 
 pub(super) mod constants {
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ impl LockOptions {
         snapshots: &[SnapshotFile],
         now: DateTime<Local>,
     ) -> RusticResult<()> {
+        if !repo.be.can_lock() {
+            return Err(CommandErrorKind::NoLockingConfigured.into());
+        }
+
         let pb = &repo.pb;
         let be = repo.dbe();
 
@@ -82,6 +86,10 @@ impl LockOptions {
         snapshots: &[SnapshotFile],
         now: DateTime<Local>,
     ) -> RusticResult<()> {
+        if !repo.be.can_lock() {
+            return Err(CommandErrorKind::NoLockingConfigured.into());
+        }
+
         let mut new_snaps = Vec::new();
         let mut remove_snaps = Vec::new();
         let mut lock_snaps = Vec::new();
@@ -119,6 +127,9 @@ impl LockOptions {
         index_files: Vec<(IndexId, IndexFile)>,
         packs: &BTreeSet<PackId>,
     ) -> RusticResult<()> {
+        if !repo.be.can_lock() {
+            return Err(CommandErrorKind::NoLockingConfigured.into());
+        }
         let mut lock_packs = Vec::new();
         let mut remove_index = Vec::new();
 
@@ -182,6 +193,10 @@ pub fn lock_all_files<P: ProgressBars, S, ID: RepoId>(
     repo: &Repository<P, S>,
     until: Option<DateTime<Local>>,
 ) -> RusticResult<()> {
+    if !repo.be.can_lock() {
+        return Err(CommandErrorKind::NoLockingConfigured.into());
+    }
+
     let p = &repo
         .pb
         .progress_spinner(format!("listing {:?} files..", ID::TYPE));
diff --git a/crates/core/src/error.rs b/crates/core/src/error.rs
index 9300e020..b248e5f0 100644
--- a/crates/core/src/error.rs
+++ b/crates/core/src/error.rs
@@ -231,6 +231,8 @@ pub enum CommandErrorKind {
     PackIdNotFoundinIndex(PackId),
     /// Blob Id {0:?} not found in index
     BlobIdNotFoundinIndex(BlobId),
+    /// No locking capability configured for the backend
+    NoLockingConfigured,
 }
 
 /// [`CryptoErrorKind`] describes the errors that can happen while dealing with Cryptographic functions