diff --git a/db/db_impl.cc b/db/db_impl.cc
index 4eb7091cb..8180564c2 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl.cc
@@ -1112,6 +1112,25 @@ Status DBImpl::SyncWAL() {
   return status;
 }
 
+Status DBImpl::LockWAL() {
+  log_write_mutex_.Lock();
+  auto cur_log_writer = logs_.back().writer;
+  auto status = cur_log_writer->WriteBuffer();
+  if (!status.ok()) {
+    ROCKS_LOG_ERROR(immutable_db_options_.info_log, "WAL flush error %s",
+                    status.ToString().c_str());
+    // In case there is a fs error we should set it globally to prevent the
+    // future writes
+    WriteStatusCheck(status);
+  }
+  return status;
+}
+
+Status DBImpl::UnlockWAL() {
+  log_write_mutex_.Unlock();
+  return Status::OK();
+}
+
 void DBImpl::MarkLogsSynced(uint64_t up_to, bool synced_dir,
                             const Status& status) {
   mutex_.AssertHeld();
diff --git a/db/db_impl.h b/db/db_impl.h
index 5af6e2bf2..e834e0fbe 100644
--- a/db/db_impl.h
+++ b/db/db_impl.h
@@ -234,8 +234,10 @@ class DBImpl : public DB {
       const FlushOptions& options,
       const std::vector<ColumnFamilyHandle*>& column_families) override;
   virtual Status FlushWAL(bool sync) override;
-  bool TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty();
+  bool TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty(bool lock = true);
   virtual Status SyncWAL() override;
+  virtual Status LockWAL() override;
+  virtual Status UnlockWAL() override;
 
   virtual SequenceNumber GetLatestSequenceNumber() const override;
   virtual SequenceNumber GetLastPublishedSequence() const {
diff --git a/db/db_impl_debug.cc b/db/db_impl_debug.cc
index 2f99e7d0e..982227149 100644
--- a/db/db_impl_debug.cc
+++ b/db/db_impl_debug.cc
@@ -26,10 +26,16 @@ void DBImpl::TEST_SwitchWAL() {
   SwitchWAL(&write_context);
 }
 
-bool DBImpl::TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty() {
-  InstrumentedMutexLock wl(&log_write_mutex_);
+bool DBImpl::TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty(bool lock) {
+  if (lock) {
+    log_write_mutex_.Lock();
+  }
   log::Writer* cur_log_writer = logs_.back().writer;
-  return cur_log_writer->TEST_BufferIsEmpty();
+  auto res = cur_log_writer->TEST_BufferIsEmpty();
+  if (lock) {
+    log_write_mutex_.Unlock();
+  }
+  return res;
 }
 
 int64_t DBImpl::TEST_MaxNextLevelOverlappingBytes(
diff --git a/db/db_write_test.cc b/db/db_write_test.cc
index 3208f34b0..e6bab8751 100644
--- a/db/db_write_test.cc
+++ b/db/db_write_test.cc
@@ -166,6 +166,25 @@ TEST_P(DBWriteTest, IOErrorOnSwitchMemtable) {
   Close();
 }
 
+// Test that db->LockWAL() flushes the WAL after locking.
+TEST_P(DBWriteTest, LockWalInEffect) {
+  Options options = GetOptions();
+  Reopen(options);
+  // try the 1st WAL created during open
+  ASSERT_OK(Put("key" + ToString(0), "value"));
+  ASSERT_TRUE(options.manual_wal_flush != dbfull()->TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty());
+  ASSERT_OK(dbfull()->LockWAL());
+  ASSERT_TRUE(dbfull()->TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty(false));
+  ASSERT_OK(dbfull()->UnlockWAL());
+  // try the 2nd wal created during SwitchWAL
+  dbfull()->TEST_SwitchWAL();
+  ASSERT_OK(Put("key" + ToString(0), "value"));
+  ASSERT_TRUE(options.manual_wal_flush != dbfull()->TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty());
+  ASSERT_OK(dbfull()->LockWAL());
+  ASSERT_TRUE(dbfull()->TEST_WALBufferIsEmpty(false));
+  ASSERT_OK(dbfull()->UnlockWAL());
+}
+
 INSTANTIATE_TEST_CASE_P(DBWriteTestInstance, DBWriteTest,
                         testing::Values(DBTestBase::kDefault,
                                         DBTestBase::kConcurrentWALWrites,
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/db.h b/include/rocksdb/db.h
index 7e2556f73..b40af20e2 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/db.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/db.h
@@ -986,6 +986,16 @@ class DB {
   // Currently only works if allow_mmap_writes = false in Options.
   virtual Status SyncWAL() = 0;
 
+  // Lock the WAL. Also flushes the WAL after locking.
+  virtual Status LockWAL() {
+    return Status::NotSupported("LockWAL not implemented");
+  }
+
+  // Unlock the WAL.
+  virtual Status UnlockWAL() {
+    return Status::NotSupported("UnlockWAL not implemented");
+  }
+
   // The sequence number of the most recent transaction.
   virtual SequenceNumber GetLatestSequenceNumber() const = 0;
 
diff --git a/include/rocksdb/utilities/stackable_db.h b/include/rocksdb/utilities/stackable_db.h
index aac0745fd..8fef9b3e8 100644
--- a/include/rocksdb/utilities/stackable_db.h
+++ b/include/rocksdb/utilities/stackable_db.h
@@ -281,6 +281,10 @@ class StackableDB : public DB {
 
   virtual Status FlushWAL(bool sync) override { return db_->FlushWAL(sync); }
 
+  virtual Status LockWAL() override { return db_->LockWAL(); }
+
+  virtual Status UnlockWAL() override { return db_->UnlockWAL(); }
+
 #ifndef ROCKSDB_LITE
 
   virtual Status DisableFileDeletions() override {