diff --git a/wire/core/FieldtypeMulti.php b/wire/core/FieldtypeMulti.php
index 0be85ba4..fcf172ee 100644
--- a/wire/core/FieldtypeMulti.php
+++ b/wire/core/FieldtypeMulti.php
@@ -657,17 +657,16 @@ abstract class FieldtypeMulti extends Fieldtype {
 		if(count($primaryKeys) !== 1) throw new WireException("savePageFieldRows() can only be used on fieldtypes with 1 primary key");
 		
 		$value = $this->setupPageFieldRows($page, $field, $value);
-		$database = $this->wire('database');
+		$database = $this->wire()->database;
 		$table = $database->escapeTable($info['table']);
 		$primaryKey = $database->escapeCol(reset($primaryKeys));
 		$hasInserts = false;
 		$sort = null;
 		$numSaved = 0;
+		$locked = false;
 		
 		// sleep the values for storage
 		$sleepValue = $this->sleepValue($page, $field, $value);
-
-		$this->lockForWriting($field);
 	
 		if(isset($schema['sort'])) {
 			// determine if there are any INSERTs and what the next sort value(s) should be
@@ -680,6 +679,8 @@ abstract class FieldtypeMulti extends Fieldtype {
 				if(isset($v['sort']) && $v['sort'] > $maxSort) $maxSort = $v['sort'];
 			}
 			if($hasInserts) {
+				// we will need a locked table for inserts
+				if(!$locked) $locked = $this->lockForWriting($field);
 				// determine max sort value for new items inserted
 				$sort = $this->getMaxColumnValue($page, $field, 'sort', -1);
 				if($maxSort > $sort) $sort = $maxSort;
@@ -724,11 +725,16 @@ abstract class FieldtypeMulti extends Fieldtype {
 			try {
 				if($query->execute()) $numSaved++;
 			} catch(\Exception $e) {
-				$this->error($e->getMessage(), $this->wire('user')->isSuperuser() ? Notice::logOnly : Notice::log);
+				$this->trackException($e, false);
+				if($this->wire()->user->isSuperuser()) {
+					$this->error($e->getMessage(), Notice::log);
+				} else {
+					$this->error($e->getMessage(), Notice::logOnly);
+				}
 			}
 		}
 	
-		$this->unlockForWriting();
+		if($locked) $this->unlockForWriting();
 
 		return $numSaved;
 	}
@@ -741,18 +747,27 @@ abstract class FieldtypeMulti extends Fieldtype {
 	 * 
 	 */
 	protected function lockForWriting(Field $field) {
-		$database = $this->wire('database');
+		
+		$database = $this->wire()->database;
 		$table = $database->escapeTable($field->getTable());
 		$locked = false;
-		try {
-			// attempt lock if possible
-			if($database->exec("LOCK TABLES `$table` WRITE") !== false) {
-				$this->lockedTable = true;
-				$locked = true;
+		$numAttempts = 0;
+		$maxAttempts = 100;
+		$lastException = null;
+		
+		do {
+			try {
+				// attempt lock if possible
+				if($database->exec("LOCK TABLES `$table` WRITE") !== false) {
+					$this->lockedTable = true;
+					$locked = true;
+				}
+			} catch(\Exception $e) {
+				$lastException = $e;
 			}
-		} catch(\Exception $e) {
-			// ignore
-		}
+		} while(!$locked && $numAttempts++ < $maxAttempts);
+		
+		if(!$locked && $lastException) $this->trackException($lastException, false);
 		
 		return $locked;
 	}
@@ -766,11 +781,11 @@ abstract class FieldtypeMulti extends Fieldtype {
 	protected function unlockForWriting() {
 		$result = false;
 		if($this->lockedTable) try {
-			$this->wire('database')->exec("UNLOCK TABLES");
+			$this->wire()->database->exec("UNLOCK TABLES");
 			$this->lockedTable = false;
 			$result = true;
 		} catch(\Exception $e) {
-			// ignore
+			$this->trackException($e, false);
 		}
 		return $result;
 	}