diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/migrations/api/1638891599444-AddScenarioLocksTable.ts b/api/apps/api/src/migrations/api/1638891599444-AddScenarioLocksTable.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..c4db3cce09
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/migrations/api/1638891599444-AddScenarioLocksTable.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+import { MigrationInterface, QueryRunner } from 'typeorm';
+
+export class AddScenarioLocksTable1638891599444 implements MigrationInterface {
+  public async up(queryRunner: QueryRunner): Promise<void> {
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `CREATE TABLE "scenario_locks" (
+              scenario_id uuid NOT NULL,
+              user_id uuid NOT NULL,
+              created_at TIMESTAMP DEFAULT now()
+             );`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" ADD CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_fk FOREIGN KEY (scenario_id) REFERENCES scenarios(id) ON DELETE CASCADE;`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" ADD CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_fk_1 FOREIGN KEY (user_id) REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE;`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" ADD CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_pk PRIMARY KEY (scenario_id, user_id);`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" ADD CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_un UNIQUE (scenario_id);`,
+    );
+  }
+
+  public async down(queryRunner: QueryRunner): Promise<void> {
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" DROP CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_un;`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" DROP CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_pk;`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" DROP CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_fk_1;`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(
+      `ALTER TABLE "scenario_locks" DROP CONSTRAINT scenario_locks_fk;`,
+    );
+
+    await queryRunner.query(`DROP TABLE "scenario_locks";`);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/lock.service.spec.ts b/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/lock.service.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d9057e6016
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/lock.service.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+import { Test } from '@nestjs/testing';
+import { getRepositoryToken } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
+import { EntityManager } from 'typeorm';
+import { Either, left, right } from 'fp-ts/Either';
+
+import { FixtureType } from '@marxan/utils/tests/fixture-type';
+import { AcquireFailure, lockedScenario, LockService } from './lock.service';
+import { ScenarioLockEntity } from './scenario.lock.entity';
+
+let fixtures: FixtureType<typeof getFixtures>;
+
+beforeEach(async () => {
+  fixtures = await getFixtures();
+});
+
+it(`should be able to grab lock if lock is available`, async () => {
+  await fixtures.GivenScenarioIsNotLocked();
+  const lock = await fixtures.WhenAcquiringALock();
+  await fixtures.ThenScenarioIsLocked(lock);
+});
+
+it(`should not be able to grab lock if lock is not available`, async () => {
+  await fixtures.GivenScenarioIsLocked();
+  const lock = await fixtures.WhenAcquiringALock();
+  await fixtures.ThenALockedScenarioErrorIsReturned(lock);
+});
+
+it(`should be able to release the lock if lock exists`, async () => {
+  await fixtures.GivenScenarioIsLocked();
+  await fixtures.WhenTheLockIsReleased();
+  await fixtures.ThenScenarioIsNotLocked();
+});
+
+it(`should not be able to release the lock if lock does not exist`, async () => {
+  await fixtures.GivenScenarioIsNotLocked();
+  await fixtures.WhenTheLockIsReleased();
+  await fixtures.ThenScenarioIsNotLocked();
+});
+
+it(`isLocked should return true if a lock exists`, async () => {
+  await fixtures.GivenScenarioIsLocked();
+  const result = await fixtures.WhenCheckingIfAScenarioIsLocked();
+  await fixtures.ThenIsLockedReturnsTrue(result);
+});
+
+it(`isLocked should return false if lock no lock exists`, async () => {
+  await fixtures.GivenScenarioIsNotLocked();
+  const result = await fixtures.WhenCheckingIfAScenarioIsLocked();
+  await fixtures.ThenIsLockedReturnsFalse(result);
+});
+
+async function getFixtures() {
+  const USER_ID = 'user-id';
+  const SCENARIO_ID = 'scenario-id';
+
+  const mockEntityManager = {
+    save: jest.fn(),
+  };
+
+  const sandbox = await Test.createTestingModule({
+    providers: [
+      LockService,
+      {
+        provide: getRepositoryToken(ScenarioLockEntity),
+        useValue: {
+          manager: {
+            transaction: (fn: (em: Partial<EntityManager>) => Promise<void>) =>
+              fn(mockEntityManager),
+          },
+          count: jest.fn(),
+          delete: jest.fn(),
+        },
+      },
+    ],
+  })
+    .compile()
+    .catch((error) => {
+      console.log(error);
+      throw error;
+    });
+
+  const sut = sandbox.get(LockService);
+  const locksRepoMock = sandbox.get(getRepositoryToken(ScenarioLockEntity));
+
+  return {
+    GivenScenarioIsNotLocked: async () => {
+      locksRepoMock.count.mockImplementationOnce(async () => 0);
+    },
+    GivenScenarioIsLocked: async () => {
+      locksRepoMock.count.mockImplementationOnce(async () => 1);
+    },
+
+    WhenAcquiringALock: async () => sut.acquireLock(SCENARIO_ID, USER_ID),
+    WhenTheLockIsReleased: async () => sut.releaseLock(SCENARIO_ID),
+    WhenCheckingIfAScenarioIsLocked: async () => sut.isLocked(SCENARIO_ID),
+
+    ThenScenarioIsLocked: async (result: Either<AcquireFailure, void>) => {
+      expect(result).toStrictEqual(right(void 0));
+      expect(mockEntityManager.save).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        scenarioId: SCENARIO_ID,
+        userId: USER_ID,
+        createdAt: expect.any(Date),
+      });
+    },
+    ThenALockedScenarioErrorIsReturned: async (
+      result: Either<AcquireFailure, void>,
+    ) => {
+      expect(result).toStrictEqual(left(lockedScenario));
+      expect(mockEntityManager.save).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    },
+    ThenIsLockedReturnsTrue: async (isLockedResult: boolean) => {
+      expect(isLockedResult).toEqual(true);
+      expect(locksRepoMock.count).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        where: { scenarioId: SCENARIO_ID },
+      });
+    },
+    ThenIsLockedReturnsFalse: async (isLockedResult: boolean) => {
+      expect(isLockedResult).toEqual(false);
+      expect(locksRepoMock.count).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        where: { scenarioId: SCENARIO_ID },
+      });
+    },
+    ThenScenarioIsNotLocked: async () => {
+      expect(locksRepoMock.delete).toHaveBeenCalledWith({
+        scenarioId: SCENARIO_ID,
+      });
+    },
+  };
+}
diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/lock.service.ts b/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/lock.service.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e84e3cbf48
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/lock.service.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { InjectRepository } from '@nestjs/typeorm';
+import { Repository } from 'typeorm';
+import { Either, left, right } from 'fp-ts/lib/Either';
+
+import { ScenarioLockEntity } from '@marxan-api/modules/scenarios/locks/scenario.lock.entity';
+
+export const unknownError = Symbol(`unknown error`);
+export const lockedScenario = Symbol(`scenario is already locked`);
+
+export type AcquireFailure = typeof unknownError | typeof lockedScenario;
+
+@Injectable()
+export class LockService {
+  constructor(
+    @InjectRepository(ScenarioLockEntity)
+    private readonly locksRepo: Repository<ScenarioLockEntity>,
+  ) {}
+
+  async acquireLock(
+    scenarioId: string,
+    userId: string,
+  ): Promise<Either<AcquireFailure, void>> {
+    return this.locksRepo.manager.transaction(async (entityManager) => {
+      if (await this.isLocked(scenarioId)) {
+        return left(lockedScenario);
+      }
+
+      await entityManager.save({
+        scenarioId,
+        userId,
+        createdAt: new Date(),
+      });
+
+      return right(void 0);
+    });
+  }
+
+  async releaseLock(scenarioId: string): Promise<void> {
+    await this.locksRepo.delete({ scenarioId });
+  }
+
+  async isLocked(scenarioId: string): Promise<boolean> {
+    return (await this.locksRepo.count({ where: { scenarioId } })) > 0;
+  }
+}
diff --git a/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/scenario.lock.entity.ts b/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/scenario.lock.entity.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..60f02387b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/api/apps/api/src/modules/scenarios/locks/scenario.lock.entity.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,24 @@
+import { CreateDateColumn, Entity, PrimaryColumn } from 'typeorm';
+
+@Entity(`scenario_locks`)
+export class ScenarioLockEntity {
+  @PrimaryColumn({
+    type: `uuid`,
+    name: `user_id`,
+  })
+  userId!: string;
+
+  @PrimaryColumn({
+    type: `uuid`,
+    name: `scenario_id`,
+  })
+  scenarioId!: string;
+
+  @CreateDateColumn({
+    name: 'created_at',
+    type: 'timestamp',
+    nullable: false,
+    default: 'now()',
+  })
+  createdAt!: Date;
+}