diff --git a/lua/frecency/file_lock.lua b/lua/frecency/file_lock.lua
index ed4cb05..2294f4b 100644
--- a/lua/frecency/file_lock.lua
+++ b/lua/frecency/file_lock.lua
@@ -9,13 +9,14 @@ local FileLock = {}
 
 ---@class FrecencyFileLockConfig
 ---@field retry integer default: 5
+---@field unlink_retry integer default: 5
 ---@field interval integer default: 500
 
 ---@param path string
 ---@param opts FrecencyFileLockConfig?
 ---@return FrecencyFileLock
 FileLock.new = function(path, opts)
-  local config = vim.tbl_extend("force", { retry = 5, interval = 500 }, opts or {})
+  local config = vim.tbl_extend("force", { retry = 5, unlink_retry = 5, interval = 500 }, opts or {})
   local self = setmetatable({ config = config }, { __index = FileLock })
   self.filename = path .. ".lock"
   return self
@@ -25,6 +26,7 @@ end
 ---@return string? err
 function FileLock:get()
   local count = 0
+  local unlink_count = 0
   local err, fd
   while true do
     count = count + 1
@@ -33,9 +35,17 @@ function FileLock:get()
       break
     end
     async.util.sleep(self.config.interval)
-    if count == self.config.retry then
-      log.debug(("file_lock get() failed: retry count reached: %d"):format(count))
-      return "failed to get lock"
+    if count >= self.config.retry then
+      log.debug(("file_lock get(): retry count reached. try to delete the lock file: %d"):format(count))
+      err = async.uv.fs_unlink(self.filename)
+      if err then
+        log.debug("file_lock get() failed: " .. err)
+        unlink_count = unlink_count + 1
+        if unlink_count >= self.config.unlink_retry then
+          log.error("file_lock get(): failed to unlink the lock file: " .. err)
+          return "failed to get lock"
+        end
+      end
     end
     log.debug(("file_lock get() retry: %d"):format(count))
   end
diff --git a/lua/frecency/tests/file_lock_spec.lua b/lua/frecency/tests/file_lock_spec.lua
index c6eba26..34c0d24 100644
--- a/lua/frecency/tests/file_lock_spec.lua
+++ b/lua/frecency/tests/file_lock_spec.lua
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+---@diagnostic disable: undefined-field
 local FileLock = require "frecency.file_lock"
 local util = require "frecency.tests.util"
 local async = require "plenary.async" --[[@as PlenaryAsync]]
@@ -10,6 +11,18 @@ local function with_dir(f)
   close()
 end
 
+local function with_unlink_fails(f)
+  return function()
+    local original = async.uv.fs_unlink
+    ---@diagnostic disable-next-line: duplicate-set-field
+    async.uv.fs_unlink = function()
+      return "overwritten"
+    end
+    f()
+    async.uv.fs_unlink = original
+  end
+end
+
 a.describe("file_lock", function()
   a.describe("get()", function()
     a.describe("when no lock file", function()
@@ -24,9 +37,11 @@ a.describe("file_lock", function()
     a.describe("when with a lock file", function()
       with_dir(function(filename)
         local fl = FileLock.new(filename, { retry = 1, interval = 10 })
-        a.it("fails to get", function()
-          assert.is.Nil(async.uv.fs_open(fl.filename, "wx", tonumber("600", 8)))
-          assert.are.same("failed to get lock", fl:get())
+        a.it("gets successfully", function()
+          local err, fd = async.uv.fs_open(fl.filename, "wx", tonumber("600", 8))
+          assert.is.Nil(err)
+          assert.is.Nil(async.uv.fs_close(fd))
+          assert.is.Nil(fl:get())
         end)
       end)
     end)
@@ -34,12 +49,25 @@ a.describe("file_lock", function()
     a.describe("when getting twice", function()
       with_dir(function(filename)
         local fl = FileLock.new(filename, { retry = 1, interval = 10 })
-        a.it("fails to get", function()
+        a.it("gets successfully", function()
+          assert.is.Nil(fl:get())
           assert.is.Nil(fl:get())
-          assert.are.same("failed to get lock", fl:get())
         end)
       end)
     end)
+
+    a.describe("when getting twice but unlink fails", function()
+      with_dir(function(filename)
+        local fl = FileLock.new(filename, { retry = 1, interval = 10 })
+        a.it(
+          "fails to get",
+          with_unlink_fails(function()
+            assert.is.Nil(fl:get())
+            assert.are.same("failed to get lock", fl:get())
+          end)
+        )
+      end)
+    end)
   end)
 
   a.describe("release()", function()
@@ -78,15 +106,18 @@ a.describe("file_lock", function()
     a.describe("when get() fails", function()
       with_dir(function(filename)
         local fl = FileLock.new(filename, { retry = 1, interval = 10 })
-        a.it("fails with a valid err", function()
-          assert.is.Nil(fl:get())
-          assert.are.same(
-            "failed to get lock",
-            fl:with(function()
-              return nil
-            end)
-          )
-        end)
+        a.it(
+          "fails with a valid err",
+          with_unlink_fails(function()
+            assert.is.Nil(fl:get())
+            assert.are.same(
+              "failed to get lock",
+              fl:with(function()
+                return nil
+              end)
+            )
+          end)
+        )
       end)
     end)