diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py
index 2d09b88c8e87b79687274b583b6de70ff5fb0104..bbcd2e787c182d6eccaf9421e9034d5963d0e864 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/cmd/uninstall.py
@@ -193,16 +193,14 @@ def uninstall(parser, args):
     if not args.packages and not args.all:
         tty.die("uninstall requires at least one package argument.")
 
-    with spack.installed_db.write_transaction():
+    uninstall_list = get_uninstall_list(args)
 
-        uninstall_list = get_uninstall_list(args)
+    if not args.yes_to_all:
+        tty.msg("The following packages will be uninstalled : ")
+        print('')
+        spack.cmd.display_specs(uninstall_list, **display_args)
+        print('')
+        spack.cmd.ask_for_confirmation('Do you want to proceed ? ')
 
-        if not args.yes_to_all:
-            tty.msg("The following packages will be uninstalled : ")
-            print('')
-            spack.cmd.display_specs(uninstall_list, **display_args)
-            print('')
-            spack.cmd.ask_for_confirmation('Do you want to proceed ? ')
-
-        # Uninstall everything on the list
-        do_uninstall(uninstall_list, args.force)
+    # Uninstall everything on the list
+    do_uninstall(uninstall_list, args.force)
diff --git a/lib/spack/spack/package.py b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
index 372f1f61a50764bf9df9de6cfc87b95b9bb1eef6..8c00ff9741993d0e6c26c2564131f8379648de76 100644
--- a/lib/spack/spack/package.py
+++ b/lib/spack/spack/package.py
@@ -1306,11 +1306,12 @@ def do_uninstall(self, force=False):
                 raise PackageStillNeededError(self.spec, dependents)
 
         # Pre-uninstall hook runs first.
-        spack.hooks.pre_uninstall(self)
-
-        # Uninstalling in Spack only requires removing the prefix.
-        self.remove_prefix()
-        spack.installed_db.remove(self.spec)
+        with self._prefix_write_lock():
+            spack.hooks.pre_uninstall(self)
+            # Uninstalling in Spack only requires removing the prefix.
+            self.remove_prefix()
+            #
+            spack.installed_db.remove(self.spec)
         tty.msg("Successfully uninstalled %s" % self.spec.short_spec)
 
         # Once everything else is done, run post install hooks