diff --git a/lib/core/rlocks.nim b/lib/core/rlocks.nim
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..3316ffcd4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/core/rlocks.nim
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#
+#
+#            Nim's Runtime Library
+#        (c) Copyright 2015 Andreas Rumpf
+#
+#    See the file "copying.txt", included in this
+#    distribution, for details about the copyright.
+#
+
+## This module contains Nim's support for reentrant locks
+
+include "system/syslocks"
+
+type
+  RLock* = SysLock ## Nim lock, re-entrant
+
+proc initRLock*(lock: var RLock) {.inline.} =
+  ## Initializes the given lock.
+  when defined(posix):
+    var a: SysLockAttr
+    initSysLockAttr(a)
+    setSysLockType(a, SysLockType_Reentrant())
+    initSysLock(lock, a.addr)
+  else:
+    initSysLock(lock)
+
+proc deinitRLock*(lock: var RLock) {.inline.} =
+  ## Frees the resources associated with the lock.
+  deinitSys(lock)
+
+proc tryAcquire*(lock: var RLock): bool =
+  ## Tries to acquire the given lock. Returns `true` on success.
+  result = tryAcquireSys(lock)
+
+proc acquire*(lock: var RLock) =
+  ## Acquires the given lock.
+  acquireSys(lock)
+
+proc release*(lock: var RLock) =
+  ## Releases the given lock.
+  releaseSys(lock)
+
+template withRLock*(lock: var RLock, code: stmt): stmt =
+  ## Acquires the given lock and then executes the code
+  block:
+    acquire(lock)
+    defer:
+      release(lock)
+    {.locks: [lock].}:
+      code
diff --git a/lib/system/syslocks.nim b/lib/system/syslocks.nim
index 7a113b9d4..907a6c609 100644
--- a/lib/system/syslocks.nim
+++ b/lib/system/syslocks.nim
@@ -75,12 +75,24 @@ else:
   type
     SysLock {.importc: "pthread_mutex_t", pure, final,
                header: "<sys/types.h>".} = object
+    SysLockAttr {.importc: "pthread_mutexattr_t", pure, final
+               header: "<sys/types.h>".} = object
     SysCond {.importc: "pthread_cond_t", pure, final,
                header: "<sys/types.h>".} = object
+    SysLockType = distinct cint
 
-  proc initSysLock(L: var SysLock, attr: pointer = nil) {.
+  proc SysLockType_Reentrant: SysLockType =
+    {.emit: "`result` = PTHREAD_MUTEX_RECURSIVE;".}
+
+  proc initSysLock(L: var SysLock, attr: ptr SysLockAttr = nil) {.
     importc: "pthread_mutex_init", header: "<pthread.h>", noSideEffect.}
 
+  proc initSysLockAttr(a: var SysLockAttr) {.
+    importc: "pthread_mutexattr_init", header: "<pthread.h>", noSideEffect.}
+
+  proc setSysLockType(a: var SysLockAttr, t: SysLockType) {.
+    importc: "pthread_mutexattr_settype", header: "<pthread.h>", noSideEffect.}
+  
   proc acquireSys(L: var SysLock) {.noSideEffect,
     importc: "pthread_mutex_lock", header: "<pthread.h>".}
   proc tryAcquireSysAux(L: var SysLock): cint {.noSideEffect,