diff --git a/packages/cultcache-rs/examples/cultcache_interop.rs b/packages/cultcache-rs/examples/cultcache_interop.rs
index e625db9e..c9bac14d 100644
--- a/packages/cultcache-rs/examples/cultcache_interop.rs
+++ b/packages/cultcache-rs/examples/cultcache_interop.rs
@@ -30,18 +30,35 @@ fn main() -> Result<()> {
     let mut args = std::env::args().skip(1);
     let mode = args
         .next()
-        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("expected mode: write | read"))?;
+        .ok_or_else(|| anyhow!("expected mode: write | read | hold-lock"))?;
     let options = parse_args(args.collect());
     let file = require_arg(&options, "file")?;
 
     match mode.as_str() {
         "write" => write_note(file, require_arg(&options, "runtime-id")?)?,
         "read" => read_note(file)?,
+        "hold-lock" => hold_lock(file, require_arg(&options, "ms")?.parse()?)?,
         _ => return Err(anyhow!("unknown mode {mode}")),
     }
     Ok(())
 }
 
+/// Holds the store lock as the library opens it (`<file>.lock`, fs2 exclusive), for `ms`.
+fn hold_lock(file: &str, ms: u64) -> Result<()> {
+    let lock = std::fs::OpenOptions::new()
+        .create(true)
+        .read(true)
+        .truncate(false)
+        .write(true)
+        .open(format!("{file}.lock"))?;
+    fs2::FileExt::lock_exclusive(&lock)?;
+    println!("{}", json!({ "held": true }));
+    std::io::Write::flush(&mut std::io::stdout())?;
+    std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(ms));
+    fs2::FileExt::unlock(&lock)?;
+    Ok(())
+}
+
 fn write_note(file: &str, runtime_id: &str) -> Result<()> {
     let mut cache = build_cache(file)?;
     cache.pull_all_backing_stores()?;
diff --git a/tests/GameCult.Caching.InteropPeer/Program.cs b/tests/GameCult.Caching.InteropPeer/Program.cs
index 11dadaad..20e2c62c 100644
--- a/tests/GameCult.Caching.InteropPeer/Program.cs
+++ b/tests/GameCult.Caching.InteropPeer/Program.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ static async Task<int> ProgramMainAsync(string[] args)
     {
         if (args.Length == 0)
         {
-            throw new InvalidOperationException("Expected mode: write | read | write-routed <catalog.cc> <run.cc>");
+            throw new InvalidOperationException("Expected mode: write | read | hold-lock | write-routed <catalog.cc> <run.cc>");
         }
 
         var mode = args[0];
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ static async Task<int> ProgramMainAsync(string[] args)
             case "read":
                 await ReadAsync(file);
                 return 0;
+            case "hold-lock":
+                HoldLock(file, int.Parse(RequireArg(options, "ms"), CultureInfo.InvariantCulture));
+                return 0;
             default:
                 throw new InvalidOperationException($"Unknown mode {mode}.");
         }
@@ -49,6 +52,20 @@ static async Task<int> ProgramMainAsync(string[] args)
     }
 }
 
+// Holds the store lock exactly as CultCache.AcquireLock opens it, for --ms, then releases it.
+static void HoldLock(string file, int milliseconds)
+{
+    using var held = new System.IO.FileStream(
+        file + ".lock",
+        System.IO.FileMode.OpenOrCreate,
+        System.IO.FileAccess.ReadWrite,
+        System.IO.FileShare.None,
+        bufferSize: 1);
+    Console.WriteLine("{\"held\":true}");
+    Console.Out.Flush();
+    System.Threading.Thread.Sleep(milliseconds);
+}
+
 static async Task WriteAsync(string file, string runtimeId)
 {
     var cache = BuildCache(file);