diff --git a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_compaction_filter.h b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_compaction_filter.h
index 279c4452a..f55062e0a 100644
--- a/db_stress_tool/db_stress_compaction_filter.h
+++ b/db_stress_tool/db_stress_compaction_filter.h
@@ -39,8 +39,17 @@ class DbStressCompactionFilter : public CompactionFilter {
     bool ok = GetIntVal(key.ToString(), &key_num);
     assert(ok);
     (void)ok;
-    MutexLock key_lock(state_->GetMutexForKey(cf_id_, key_num));
-    if (!state_->Exists(cf_id_, key_num)) {
+    port::Mutex* key_mutex = state_->GetMutexForKey(cf_id_, key_num);
+    if (!key_mutex->TryLock()) {
+      return Decision::kKeep;
+    }
+    // Reaching here means we acquired the lock.
+
+    bool key_exists = state_->Exists(cf_id_, key_num);
+
+    key_mutex->Unlock();
+
+    if (!key_exists) {
       return Decision::kRemove;
     }
     return Decision::kKeep;
diff --git a/port/port_posix.cc b/port/port_posix.cc
index 8615f11d6..935c8a978 100644
--- a/port/port_posix.cc
+++ b/port/port_posix.cc
@@ -49,7 +49,7 @@ extern const bool kDefaultToAdaptiveMutex = false;
 namespace port {
 
 static int PthreadCall(const char* label, int result) {
-  if (result != 0 && result != ETIMEDOUT) {
+  if (result != 0 && result != ETIMEDOUT && result != EBUSY) {
     fprintf(stderr, "pthread %s: %s\n", label, errnoStr(result).c_str());
     abort();
   }
@@ -92,6 +92,16 @@ void Mutex::Unlock() {
   PthreadCall("unlock", pthread_mutex_unlock(&mu_));
 }
 
+bool Mutex::TryLock() {
+  bool ret = PthreadCall("trylock", pthread_mutex_trylock(&mu_)) == 0;
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+  if (ret) {
+    locked_ = true;
+  }
+#endif
+  return ret;
+}
+
 void Mutex::AssertHeld() {
 #ifndef NDEBUG
   assert(locked_);
diff --git a/port/port_posix.h b/port/port_posix.h
index 291139764..3c847da21 100644
--- a/port/port_posix.h
+++ b/port/port_posix.h
@@ -116,6 +116,9 @@ class Mutex {
 
   void Lock();
   void Unlock();
+
+  bool TryLock();
+
   // this will assert if the mutex is not locked
   // it does NOT verify that mutex is held by a calling thread
   void AssertHeld();
diff --git a/port/win/port_win.h b/port/win/port_win.h
index d188612cd..98c53cf17 100644
--- a/port/win/port_win.h
+++ b/port/win/port_win.h
@@ -148,6 +148,16 @@ class Mutex {
     mutex_.unlock();
   }
 
+  bool TryLock() {
+    bool ret = mutex_.try_lock();
+#ifndef NDEBUG
+    if (ret) {
+      locked_ = true;
+    }
+#endif
+    return ret;
+  }
+
   // this will assert if the mutex is not locked
   // it does NOT verify that mutex is held by a calling thread
   void AssertHeld() {