diff --git a/client/src/lock.rs b/client/src/lock.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e56b4ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/client/src/lock.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+use std::env;
+use std::fmt;
+use std::fs::File;
+use std::fs::TryLockError;
+use std::path::{Path, PathBuf};
+
+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(path) => {
+                write!(
+                    f,
+                    "Another instance is already running (lock: {})\n\
+                    If you think this is an error, please remove the lockfile manually",
+                    display_path(path)
+                )
+            }
+            LockFileError::IoError(err) => write!(f, "IoError: {}", err),
+            LockFileError::UnlockError(path, 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)
+    }
+}
+
+fn get_xdg_runtime_dir() -> Option<String> {
+    env::var(XDG_RUNTIME_DIR_ENV).ok()
+}
+
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct LockFile {
+    path: PathBuf,
+    file: Option<File>,
+}
+
+impl LockFile {
+    fn new() -> Option<Self> {
+        Some(Self {
+            path: Self::get_lock_file_path()?,
+            file: None,
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn path(&self) -> &Path {
+        self.path.as_ref()
+    }
+
+    fn path_buf(&self) -> PathBuf {
+        self.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(&mut self) -> LockFileResult<()> {
+        let file = std::fs::File::options()
+            .write(true)
+            .create(true)
+            .truncate(false)
+            .open(self.path())?;
+
+        match file.try_lock() {
+            Ok(()) => {
+                self.file = Some(file);
+                Ok(())
+            }
+            Err(TryLockError::WouldBlock) => Err(LockFileError::AlreadyLocked(self.path_buf())),
+            Err(TryLockError::Error(e)) => Err(LockFileError::IoError(e)),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn remove_lockfile() -> LockFileResult<()> {
+        if let Some(lock_file) = Self::new() {
+            std::fs::remove_file(lock_file.path())
+                .map_err(|err| LockFileError::UnlockError(lock_file.path_buf(), err))?
+        }
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    pub fn unlock() {
+        if let Err(err) = Self::remove_lockfile() {
+            log::error!("{err}");
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn acquire_exclusive_lock() -> LockFileResult<Self> {
+        match Self::new() {
+            Some(mut lock_file) => {
+                lock_file.try_lock()?;
+                Ok(lock_file)
+            }
+            None => {
+                log::warn!("XDG_RUNTIME_DIR not found, running without file lock");
+                Err(LockFileError::IoError(std::io::Error::new(
+                    std::io::ErrorKind::NotFound,
+                    "XDG_RUNTIME_DIR environment variable not set",
+                )))
+            }
+        }
+    }
+
+    pub fn run_exclusive() -> Self {
+        match Self::acquire_exclusive_lock() {
+            Ok(lock_file) => {
+                log::info!("Successfully acquired exclusive lock");
+                lock_file
+            }
+            Err(err) => {
+                log::warn!("{err}");
+                std::process::exit(0);
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}
diff --git a/client/src/main.rs b/client/src/main.rs
index 11f85c9..f1ca143 100644
--- a/client/src/main.rs
+++ b/client/src/main.rs
@@ -1,9 +1,8 @@
-use std::process::exit;
-
 use clap::Parser;
 use eframe::egui::{self, Separator};
 
 mod component;
+mod lock;
 mod model;
 mod plugin;
 
@@ -16,6 +15,8 @@ pub fn main() {
 
     simple_logger::init_with_level(log::Level::Info).unwrap();
 
+    let _lock = lock::LockFile::run_exclusive();
+
     eframe::run_native(
         "centerpiece",
         settings(),
@@ -300,6 +301,11 @@ impl Centerpiece {
         }
     }
 
+    fn exit(&self) -> ! {
+        lock::LockFile::unlock();
+        std::process::exit(0);
+    }
+
     fn handle_input(&mut self, ctx: &eframe::egui::Context) {
         if ctx.input(|i| i.key_pressed(eframe::egui::Key::ArrowUp)) {
             self.select_previous_entry();
@@ -311,7 +317,7 @@ impl Centerpiece {
             self.activate_selected_entry();
         }
         if ctx.input(|i| i.key_pressed(eframe::egui::Key::Escape)) {
-            exit(0);
+            self.exit();
         }
 
         if ctx.input(|i| i.modifiers.ctrl && i.key_pressed(eframe::egui::Key::J)) {
@@ -337,7 +343,9 @@ impl Centerpiece {
                     self.update_entries(plugin_id, entries)
                 }
 
-                Message::Exit => exit(0),
+                Message::Exit => {
+                    self.exit();
+                }
             }
         }
     }