diff --git a/src/gui/DamarisGUI.py b/src/gui/DamarisGUI.py
index 0a68fbf..ec2dcc3 100644
--- a/src/gui/DamarisGUI.py
+++ b/src/gui/DamarisGUI.py
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ import xdg.BaseDirectory
 # import 3rd party modules
 # gui graphics
 import gobject
+import glob
 
 gobject.threads_init( )
 import pygtk
@@ -80,7 +81,7 @@ from damaris.data import DataPool, Accumulation, ADC_Result, MeasurementResult
 debug = False
 
 # version info
-__version__ = "0.15-0-$Revision$"
+__version__ = "0.18-0-$Revision$"
 
 
 class logstream:
@@ -115,6 +116,30 @@ BackendDriver.log = log
 DataPool.log = log
 
 
+class LockFile:
+    def __init__(self):
+        self.index = 0
+        self.templ = os.path.expanduser("~/.damaris.lock")
+        self.existing = []
+        self._lockfile = self.lockfile(self.index)
+        self.has_lockfile = None
+
+    def lockfile(self, idx):
+        return "%s.%i"%(self.templ, idx)
+
+    def get_lockfile(self):
+        #self._lockfile = self.lockfile()
+        while os.path.exists(self._lockfile):
+            self.existing.append(self._lockfile)
+            self.index += 1
+            self._lockfile = self.lockfile(self.index)
+        print self._lockfile
+        self.has_lockfile = self._lockfile
+
+    def no_lockfiles(self):
+        return glob.glob("%s.*"%self.templ) == []
+
+
 class DamarisGUI:
     ExpScript_Display = 0
     ResScript_Display = 1
@@ -157,7 +182,7 @@ class DamarisGUI:
 
         self.config = ConfigTab( self.xml_gui )
         # lock file to prevent other DAMARIS to start immediatly
-        self.lockfile = os.path.expanduser("~/.damaris.lock")
+        self.lockfile = LockFile()  # = os.path.expanduser("~/.damaris.lock")
 
         exp_script = u""
         if exp_script_filename is not None and exp_script_filename != "":
@@ -414,14 +439,18 @@ class DamarisGUI:
         # only observe lock file if you want to start immediatly after start up
         if self.start_immediatly:
             loop_run=0
-            while os.path.exists(self.lockfile):
-                time.sleep(0.2)
+            interval = 2
+            self.lockfile.get_lockfile()
+            while not self.lockfile.no_lockfiles():
+                time.sleep(interval)
                 while gtk.events_pending():
                     gtk.main_iteration(False)
-                if loop_run%10==0:
-                    self.experiment_script_statusbar_label.set_text("Waiting for other experiment to finish (Lockfile: %s)" % self.lockfile)
-                print "Lockfile still exists, waiting ... (%s)" % self.lockfile
-                loop_run += 1
+                if loop_run > 2:
+                    self.experiment_script_statusbar_label.set_text("Waiting for other experiment to finish (My lockfile: %s)" % self.lockfile.has_lockfile)
+                    loop_run = 0
+                print "Lockfile still exists, waiting ... (%s)" % self.lockfile.has_lockfile
+                loop_run += interval
+
         # start experiment
         try:
             self.spool_dir = os.path.abspath( actual_config[ "spool_dir" ] )
@@ -472,8 +501,8 @@ class DamarisGUI:
         self.main_notebook.set_current_page( DamarisGUI.Monitor_Display )
 
         # create lock file
-        print "Creating lockfile %s"%self.lockfile
-        lfile = open(self.lockfile, "w").close()
+        print "Creating lockfile %s"%self.lockfile.has_lockfile
+        lfile = open(self.lockfile.has_lockfile, "w").close()
         # set running
         if self.si.exp_handling is not None:
             self.experiment_script_statusbar_label.set_text( "Experiment Script Running (0)" )
@@ -621,9 +650,9 @@ class DamarisGUI:
             # keep data to display but throw away everything else
             self.si = None
             # delete locak file so that other experiment can start
-            if os.path.exists(self.lockfile):
+            if os.path.exists(self.lockfile.has_lockfile):
                 try:
-                    os.remove(self.lockfile)
+                    os.remove(self.lockfile.has_lockfile)
                 except:
                     raise IOError("Could not remove lock file: %s"%self.lockfile)
             return False