diff --git a/docs/man/borg-with-lock.1 b/docs/man/borg-with-lock.1
index 511e306e04..4e8c87f517 100644
--- a/docs/man/borg-with-lock.1
+++ b/docs/man/borg-with-lock.1
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ level margin: \\n[rst2man-indent\\n[rst2man-indent-level]]
 .\" new: \\n[rst2man-indent\\n[rst2man-indent-level]]
 .in \\n[rst2man-indent\\n[rst2man-indent-level]]u
 ..
-.TH "borg-with-lock" "1" "2026-07-21" "" "borg backup tool"
+.TH "borg-with-lock" "1" "2026-08-13" "" "borg backup tool"
 .SH Name
 borg-with-lock \- Runs a user-specified command with the repository lock held.
 .SH SYNOPSIS
@@ -55,9 +55,9 @@ code as Borg\(aqs return code.
 .INDENT 0.0
 .INDENT 3.5
 If you copy a repository with the lock held, the lock will be present in
-the copy. Before using Borg on the copy from a different host,
-you need to run \fBborg break\-lock\fP on the copied repository, because
-Borg is cautious and does not automatically remove stale locks made by a different host.
+the copy. Borg removes such a leftover lock automatically, but only after
+a safety period of about half an hour, so to use Borg on the copy right
+away, first run \fBborg break\-lock\fP on the copied repository.
 .UNINDENT
 .UNINDENT
 .SH OPTIONS
diff --git a/docs/usage/with-lock.rst.inc b/docs/usage/with-lock.rst.inc
index 8e8db70bbd..fa5f148e5f 100644
--- a/docs/usage/with-lock.rst.inc
+++ b/docs/usage/with-lock.rst.inc
@@ -60,6 +60,6 @@ code as Borg's return code.
 .. note::
 
     If you copy a repository with the lock held, the lock will be present in
-    the copy. Before using Borg on the copy from a different host,
-    you need to run ``borg break-lock`` on the copied repository, because
-    Borg is cautious and does not automatically remove stale locks made by a different host.
\ No newline at end of file
+    the copy. Borg removes such a leftover lock automatically, but only after
+    a safety period of about half an hour, so to use Borg on the copy right
+    away, first run ``borg break-lock`` on the copied repository.
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/borg/archiver/lock_cmds.py b/src/borg/archiver/lock_cmds.py
index 10c2751e1f..209535be0d 100644
--- a/src/borg/archiver/lock_cmds.py
+++ b/src/borg/archiver/lock_cmds.py
@@ -67,9 +67,9 @@ def build_parser_locks(self, subparsers, common_parser, mid_common_parser):
         .. note::
 
             If you copy a repository with the lock held, the lock will be present in
-            the copy. Before using Borg on the copy from a different host,
-            you need to run ``borg break-lock`` on the copied repository, because
-            Borg is cautious and does not automatically remove stale locks made by a different host.
+            the copy. Borg removes such a leftover lock automatically, but only after
+            a safety period of about half an hour, so to use Borg on the copy right
+            away, first run ``borg break-lock`` on the copied repository.
         """
         )
         subparser = ArgumentParser(
diff --git a/src/borg/storelocking.py b/src/borg/storelocking.py
index f781862383..c6b90d89c5 100644
--- a/src/borg/storelocking.py
+++ b/src/borg/storelocking.py
@@ -150,7 +150,12 @@ def _get_locks(self):
             return {}
         for info in infos:
             key = info.name
-            content = self.store.load(f"locks/{key}")
+            try:
+                content = self.store.load(f"locks/{key}")
+            except ObjectNotFound:
+                # the lock vanished between our listing and loading it, e.g. it was released
+                # by its owner or another client killed it as stale - so just ignore it.
+                continue
             lock = json.loads(content.decode("utf-8"))
             lock["key"] = key
             lock["dt"] = datetime.datetime.fromisoformat(lock["time"])
diff --git a/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py b/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py
index a5cb7345f9..cd05af0100 100644
--- a/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py
+++ b/src/borg/testsuite/storelocking_test.py
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 
 import pytest
 
-from borgstore.store import Store
+from borgstore.store import ObjectNotFound, Store
 
 from ..storelocking import Lock, NotLocked, LockTimeout
 
@@ -156,6 +156,24 @@ def delete(name, *args, **kwargs):
             lock.refresh()
         assert len(list(lockstore.list("locks"))) == 0  # no new lock left behind
 
+    def test_lock_vanished_between_list_and_load(self, lockstore, monkeypatch):
+        # another client can delete a lock (e.g. kill it as stale, or its owner releases it)
+        # between our listing and our loading of it - such a lock must be skipped, not crash us.
+        foreign_key = Lock(lockstore, id=ID1)._create_lock(exclusive=True)
+
+        orig_load = lockstore.load
+
+        def load_vanished(name, *args, **kwargs):
+            if name == f"locks/{foreign_key}":
+                raise ObjectNotFound(name)
+            return orig_load(name, *args, **kwargs)
+
+        monkeypatch.setattr(lockstore, "load", load_vanished)
+        lock = Lock(lockstore, exclusive=True, id=ID2)
+        assert foreign_key not in lock._get_locks()  # skipped, no exception
+        lock.acquire()  # the vanished exclusive lock must not block us
+        lock.release()
+
     def test_migrate_lock(self, lockstore):
         old_id, new_id = ID1, ID2
         assert old_id[1] != new_id[1]  # different PIDs (like when doing daemonize())