diff --git a/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py b/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py
index 18be8069..cc21fc11 100644
--- a/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py
+++ b/borgmatic/commands/borgmatic.py
@@ -42,56 +42,60 @@ def run_configuration(config_filename, config, arguments):
       * JSON output strings from successfully executing any actions that produce JSON
       * logging.LogRecord instances containing errors from any actions or backup hooks that fail
     '''
+
     (location, storage, retention, consistency, hooks) = (
         config.get(section_name, {})
         for section_name in ('location', 'storage', 'retention', 'consistency', 'hooks')
     )
     global_arguments = arguments['global']
 
-    if location.get("lock_client",False):
-        lock_f = open(config_filename)
-        try:
-            fcntl.flock(lock_f.fileno(), fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
-        except IOError:
-            logger.critical("Failed to acquire lock for {}".format(config_filename))
-            sys.exit(1)
-
     local_path = location.get('local_path', 'borg')
     remote_path = location.get('remote_path')
     borg_environment.initialize(storage)
     encountered_error = None
     error_repository = ''
 
-    if 'create' in arguments:
+    if location.get("lock_client",False):
+        lock_f = open(config_filename)
         try:
-            dispatch.call_hooks(
-                'ping_monitor',
-                hooks,
-                config_filename,
-                monitor.MONITOR_HOOK_NAMES,
-                monitor.State.START,
-                global_arguments.dry_run,
-            )
-            command.execute_hook(
-                hooks.get('before_backup'),
-                hooks.get('umask'),
-                config_filename,
-                'pre-backup',
-                global_arguments.dry_run,
-            )
-            dispatch.call_hooks(
-                'dump_databases',
-                hooks,
-                config_filename,
-                dump.DATABASE_HOOK_NAMES,
-                global_arguments.dry_run,
-            )
-        except (OSError, CalledProcessError) as error:
+            fcntl.flock(lock_f.fileno(), fcntl.LOCK_EX | fcntl.LOCK_NB)
+        except IOError as error:
             encountered_error = error
             yield from make_error_log_records(
-                '{}: Error running pre-backup hook'.format(config_filename), error
+                '{}: Failed to acquire lock'.format(config_filename), error
             )
 
+    if not encountered_error:
+        if 'create' in arguments:
+            try:
+                dispatch.call_hooks(
+                    'ping_monitor',
+                    hooks,
+                    config_filename,
+                    monitor.MONITOR_HOOK_NAMES,
+                    monitor.State.START,
+                    global_arguments.dry_run,
+                )
+                command.execute_hook(
+                    hooks.get('before_backup'),
+                    hooks.get('umask'),
+                    config_filename,
+                    'pre-backup',
+                    global_arguments.dry_run,
+                )
+                dispatch.call_hooks(
+                    'dump_databases',
+                    hooks,
+                    config_filename,
+                    dump.DATABASE_HOOK_NAMES,
+                    global_arguments.dry_run,
+                )
+            except (OSError, CalledProcessError) as error:
+                encountered_error = error
+                yield from make_error_log_records(
+                    '{}: Error running pre-backup hook'.format(config_filename), error
+                )
+
     if not encountered_error:
         for repository_path in location['repositories']:
             try: