diff --git a/client/src/lock.rs b/client/src/lock.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..6a0d32a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/lock.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+use std::env;
+use std::fmt;
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+use std::sync::OnceLock;
+
+const LOCK_FILE_NAME: &str = "centerpiece.lock";
+const XDG_RUNTIME_DIR_ENV: &str = "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR";
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub enum LockFileError {
+    AlreadyLocked(PathBuf),
+    IoError(std::io::Error),
+    UnlockError(PathBuf, std::io::Error),
+}
+
+type LockFileResult<T> = Result<T, LockFileError>;
+
+impl fmt::Display for LockFileError {
+    fn fmt(&self, f: &mut fmt::Formatter<'_>) -> fmt::Result {
+        let display_path = |path: &PathBuf| path.to_string_lossy().to_string();
+        match self {
+            LockFileError::AlreadyLocked(ref path) => {
+                write!(
+                    f,
+                    "Could not hold an exclusive lock on the lockfile in {}\n\
+                    If you think this is an error, please remove the lockfile manually",
+                    display_path(path)
+                )
+            }
+            LockFileError::IoError(ref err) => write!(f, "IoError: {}", err),
+            LockFileError::UnlockError(ref path, ref err) => {
+                write!(
+                    f,
+                    "Failed to remove the lockfile: {} - IoError: {}",
+                    display_path(path),
+                    err
+                )
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl From<std::io::Error> for LockFileError {
+    fn from(err: std::io::Error) -> Self {
+        LockFileError::IoError(err)
+    }
+}
+
+/// Queries the environment for the $XDG_RUNTIME_DIR
+fn get_xdg_runtime_dir() -> Option<String> {
+    env::var(XDG_RUNTIME_DIR_ENV).ok()
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct LockFile(PathBuf);
+
+impl LockFile {
+    fn get_or_init() -> &'static Option<Self> {
+        static LOCK_FILE: OnceLock<Option<LockFile>> = OnceLock::new();
+        LOCK_FILE.get_or_init(Self::init)
+    }
+
+    fn init() -> Option<Self> {
+        Some(Self(Self::get_lock_file_path()?))
+    }
+
+    fn path(&self) -> &Path {
+        self.0.as_path()
+    }
+
+    fn path_buf(&self) -> PathBuf {
+        self.0.as_path().to_path_buf()
+    }
+
+    fn get_lock_file_path() -> Option<PathBuf> {
+        let xdg_runtime_dir = get_xdg_runtime_dir()?;
+        Some(Path::new(&xdg_runtime_dir).join(LOCK_FILE_NAME))
+    }
+
+    fn try_lock(&self) -> LockFileResult<()> {
+        if self.path().is_file() {
+            return Err(LockFileError::AlreadyLocked(self.path_buf()));
+        } else {
+            let _ = File::create(self.path())?;
+        };
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn remove_lockfile() -> LockFileResult<()> {
+        if let Some(lock_file) = Self::get_or_init() {
+            std::fs::remove_file(lock_file.path())
+                .map_err(|err| LockFileError::UnlockError(lock_file.path_buf(), err))?
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    /// Attempts to remove the lock file - logs errors.
+    /// *MUST* be run on every shutdown of `centerpiece`.
+    pub fn unlock() {
+        if let Err(err) = Self::remove_lockfile() {
+            log::error!("{err}");
+        }
+    }
+    /// Attempts to hold an exclusive lock in the runtime dir.
+    /// If we can't find the XDG_RUNTIME_DIR, we don't hold a lock.
+    /// If the lock is not successful, then exit `centerpiece`.
+    pub fn run_exclusive() {
+        Self::get_or_init().as_ref().map(|lock_file| {
+            if let Err(err) = lock_file.try_lock() {
+                log::error!("{err}");
+                log::error!("Stopping centerpiece.");
+                std::process::exit(1);
+            }
+        });
+    }
+}
diff --git a/client/src/main.rs b/client/src/main.rs
index 341030d..88372c4 100644
--- a/client/src/main.rs
+++ b/client/src/main.rs
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ use iced::Application;
 
 mod cli;
 mod component;
+mod lock;
 mod model;
 mod plugin;
 mod settings;
@@ -10,6 +11,7 @@ mod settings;
 pub fn main() -> iced::Result {
     let args = crate::cli::CliArgs::parse();
     simple_logger::init_with_level(log::Level::Info).unwrap();
+    lock::LockFile::run_exclusive();
     Centerpiece::run(Centerpiece::settings(args))
 }
 
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@ impl Application for Centerpiece {
     fn new(flags: crate::cli::CliArgs) -> (Self, iced::Command<Message>) {
         let settings = crate::settings::Settings::try_from(flags).unwrap_or_else(|_| {
             eprintln!("There is an issue with the settings, please check the configuration file.");
+            lock::LockFile::unlock();
             std::process::exit(0);
         });
 
@@ -105,6 +108,7 @@ impl Application for Centerpiece {
                     }
                     iced::keyboard::Event::KeyReleased { key, .. } => {
                         if key == iced::keyboard::Key::Named(iced::keyboard::key::Named::Escape) {
+                            lock::LockFile::unlock();
                             return iced::window::close(iced::window::Id::MAIN);
                         }
                         iced::Command::none()
@@ -126,7 +130,10 @@ impl Application for Centerpiece {
 
             Message::UpdateEntries(plugin_id, entries) => self.update_entries(plugin_id, entries),
 
-            Message::Exit => iced::window::close(iced::window::Id::MAIN),
+            Message::Exit => {
+                lock::LockFile::unlock();
+                iced::window::close(iced::window::Id::MAIN)
+            }
         }
     }