A plurality of database modification statements are received as part of a database transaction that implicates data stored within a database. Thereafter, lock requests are initiated that requesting the database to lock the implicated data. At least one database operation by at least one of the database modification statements is then executed prior to receiving responses from at least a portion of the lock requests. After confirming that prior lock requests made by the transaction are successfully processed, a commit to make changes to the corresponding implicated data permanent is initiated. The implicated data can then be caused to be unlocked after the commit completes. Related apparatus, systems, techniques and articles are also described.