diff --git a/src/up-daemon.c b/src/up-daemon.c
index b8cec84..53e51dd 100644
--- a/src/up-daemon.c
+++ b/src/up-daemon.c
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@ struct UpDaemonPrivate
 	GHashTable		*poll_timeouts;
 	gboolean                 poll_paused;
 	GHashTable		*idle_signals;
+	int			 critical_action_lock_fd;
 
 	/* Properties */
 	UpDeviceLevel		 warning_level;
@@ -588,6 +589,12 @@ up_daemon_set_on_battery (UpDaemon *daemon, gboolean on_battery)
 static gboolean
 take_action_timeout_cb (UpDaemon *daemon)
 {
+	/* Release the inhibitor lock first, otherwise our action may be canceled */
+	if (daemon->priv->critical_action_lock_fd >= 0) {
+		close (daemon->priv->critical_action_lock_fd);
+		daemon->priv->critical_action_lock_fd = -1;
+	}
+
 	up_backend_take_action (daemon->priv->backend);
 
 	g_debug ("Backend was notified to take action. The timeout will be removed.");
@@ -618,6 +625,7 @@ up_daemon_set_warning_level (UpDaemon *daemon, UpDeviceLevel warning_level)
 	if (daemon->priv->warning_level == UP_DEVICE_LEVEL_ACTION) {
 		if (daemon->priv->action_timeout_id == 0) {
 			g_debug ("About to take action in %d seconds", UP_DAEMON_ACTION_DELAY);
+			daemon->priv->critical_action_lock_fd = up_backend_inhibitor_lock_take (daemon->priv->backend, "Execute critical action", "block");
 			daemon->priv->action_timeout_id = g_timeout_add_seconds (UP_DAEMON_ACTION_DELAY,
 										 (GSourceFunc) take_action_timeout_cb,
 										 daemon);
@@ -1188,6 +1196,11 @@ up_daemon_finalize (GObject *object)
 	if (priv->action_timeout_id != 0)
 		g_source_remove (priv->action_timeout_id);
 
+	if (priv->critical_action_lock_fd >= 0) {
+		close (priv->critical_action_lock_fd);
+		priv->critical_action_lock_fd = -1;
+	}
+
 	g_clear_pointer (&priv->poll_timeouts, g_hash_table_destroy);
 	g_clear_pointer (&priv->idle_signals, g_hash_table_destroy);