diff --git a/src/host.c b/src/host.c
index 8a5ceeb..31e1677 100644
--- a/src/host.c
+++ b/src/host.c
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 #include "connection.h"
 #include "compiler.h"
 #include "host.h"
+#include "lock.h"
 #include "log.h"
 
 #include "ccan/autodata/autodata.h"
@@ -21,6 +22,7 @@ struct bridge {
 	struct list_node entry;
 	const struct bridge_driver *driver;
 	struct ahb *ahb;
+	int lock;
 };
 
 void print_bridge_drivers(void)
@@ -89,6 +91,7 @@ static inline int host_probe_bridge(struct host *ctx,
 {
 	struct ahb *ahb;
 	struct bridge *bridge;
+	int lock;
 
 	if (driver->disabled) {
 		logd("Skipping bridge driver %s\n", driver->name);
@@ -97,16 +100,32 @@ static inline int host_probe_bridge(struct host *ctx,
 
 	logd("Trying bridge driver %s\n", driver->name);
 
+	/*
+	 * Hold the bridge's lock across the probe attempt as well as its
+	 * subsequent use, not just the successful case: probing can itself
+	 * drive the bridge hardware (e.g. to fingerprint what's present),
+	 * which is exactly the kind of access that must not race against
+	 * another culvert instance.
+	 */
+	lock = lock_acquire(driver->name);
+	if (lock < 0)
+		return lock;
+
 	ahb = driver->probe(connection);
-	if (!ahb)
+	if (!ahb) {
+		lock_release(lock);
 		return 0;
+	}
 
 	bridge = malloc(sizeof(*bridge));
-	if (!bridge)
+	if (!bridge) {
+		lock_release(lock);
 		return -ENOMEM;
+	}
 
 	bridge->driver = driver;
 	bridge->ahb = ahb;
+	bridge->lock = lock;
 
 	list_add(&ctx->bridges, &bridge->entry);
 	return 0;
@@ -152,6 +171,7 @@ void host_destroy(struct host *ctx)
 
 	list_for_each_safe(&ctx->bridges, bridge, next, entry) {
 		bridge->driver->destroy(bridge->ahb);
+		lock_release(bridge->lock);
 		list_del(&bridge->entry);
 		free(bridge);
 	}
diff --git a/src/lock.c b/src/lock.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8be906f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lock.c
@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+// Copyright (C) 2026 Jackson Bopp
+
+#include "lock.h"
+#include "log.h"
+
+#include <errno.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <sys/file.h>
+#include <unistd.h>
+
+#define LOCK_DIR "/run/lock"
+
+int lock_acquire(const char *name)
+{
+	char path[64];
+	int fd;
+	int rc;
+
+	rc = snprintf(path, sizeof(path), "%s/culvert.%s", LOCK_DIR, name);
+	if (rc < 0 || (size_t)rc >= sizeof(path)) {
+		loge("Bridge name '%s' is too long to form a lock path\n",
+		     name);
+		return -ENAMETOOLONG;
+	}
+
+	fd = open(path, O_CREAT | O_RDWR | O_CLOEXEC, 0644);
+	if (fd < 0) {
+		rc = -errno;
+		loge("Failed to open lock file '%s': %d\n", path, rc);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
+	if (flock(fd, LOCK_EX | LOCK_NB) < 0) {
+		rc = -errno;
+		if (rc == -EWOULDBLOCK) {
+			loge("Bridge '%s' is already in use by another culvert instance\n",
+			     name);
+		} else {
+			loge("Failed to lock '%s': %d\n", path, rc);
+		}
+		close(fd);
+		return rc;
+	}
+
+	return fd;
+}
+
+void lock_release(int fd)
+{
+	if (fd < 0)
+		return;
+
+	flock(fd, LOCK_UN);
+	close(fd);
+}
diff --git a/src/lock.h b/src/lock.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..97dd5e2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/lock.h
@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+/* SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0 */
+/* Copyright (C) 2026 Jackson Bopp */
+
+#ifndef _LOCK_H
+#define _LOCK_H
+
+/*
+ * Acquire an exclusive, non-blocking advisory lock scoped to `name`,
+ * preventing another culvert instance from concurrently using the same
+ * named resource (e.g. a bridge driver). Returns an open file descriptor
+ * on success, or a negative errno if the lock is already held elsewhere
+ * or could not be acquired.
+ */
+int lock_acquire(const char *name);
+
+/* Release a lock previously acquired with lock_acquire(). No-op if fd < 0. */
+void lock_release(int fd);
+
+#endif
diff --git a/src/meson.build b/src/meson.build
index f552b47..ca37217 100644
--- a/src/meson.build
+++ b/src/meson.build
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ src = files(
     'culvert.c',
     'flash.c',
     'host.c',
+    'lock.c',
     'log.c',
     'mmio.c',
     'pci.c',