diff --git a/plugins/relay.py b/plugins/relay.py
index 7bb5481..f82469a 100644
--- a/plugins/relay.py
+++ b/plugins/relay.py
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ relayusers = defaultdict(dict)
 relayservers = defaultdict(dict)
 spawnlocks = defaultdict(threading.RLock)
 spawnlocks_servers = defaultdict(threading.RLock)
-db_lock = threading.RLock()
 
 dbname = utils.getDatabaseName('pylinkrelay')
 datastore = structures.PickleDataStore('pylinkrelay', dbname)
@@ -34,16 +33,14 @@ def initialize_all(irc):
     # which would break connections.
     world.started.wait(2)
 
-    with db_lock:
-        for chanpair, entrydata in db.items():
-            # Iterate over all the channels stored in our relay links DB.
-            network, channel = chanpair
-
-            # Initialize each relay channel on their home network, and on every linked one too.
+    for chanpair, entrydata in db.items():
+        # Iterate over all the channels stored in our relay links DB.
+        network, channel = chanpair
+        # Initialize each relay channel on their home network, and on every linked one too.
+        initialize_channel(irc, channel)
+        for link in entrydata['links']:
+            network, channel = link
             initialize_channel(irc, channel)
-            for link in entrydata['links']:
-                network, channel = link
-                initialize_channel(irc, channel)
 
 def main(irc=None):
     """Main function, called during plugin loading at start."""
@@ -414,13 +411,12 @@ def get_orig_user(irc, user, targetirc=None):
 def get_relay(chanpair):
     """Finds the matching relay entry name for the given (network name, channel)
     pair, if one exists."""
-    with db_lock:
-        if chanpair in db:  # This chanpair is a shared channel; others link to it
-            return chanpair
-        # This chanpair is linked *to* a remote channel
-        for name, dbentry in db.items():
-            if chanpair in dbentry['links']:
-                return name
+    if chanpair in db:  # This chanpair is a shared channel; others link to it
+        return chanpair
+    # This chanpair is linked *to* a remote channel
+    for name, dbentry in db.items():
+        if chanpair in dbentry['links']:
+            return name
 
 def get_remote_channel(irc, remoteirc, channel):
     """Returns the linked channel name for the given channel on remoteirc,
@@ -433,10 +429,9 @@ def get_remote_channel(irc, remoteirc, channel):
     if chanpair[0] == remotenetname:
         return chanpair[1]
     else:
-        with db_lock:
-            for link in db[chanpair]['links']:
-                if link[0] == remotenetname:
-                    return link[1]
+        for link in db[chanpair]['links']:
+            if link[0] == remotenetname:
+                return link[1]
 
 def initialize_channel(irc, channel):
     """Initializes a relay channel (merge local/remote users, set modes, etc.)."""
@@ -447,9 +442,8 @@ def initialize_channel(irc, channel):
     log.debug('(%s) relay.initialize_channel: relay pair found to be %s', irc.name, relay)
     queued_users = []
     if relay:
-        with db_lock:
-            all_links = db[relay]['links'].copy()
-            all_links.update((relay,))
+        all_links = db[relay]['links'].copy()
+        all_links.update((relay,))
         log.debug('(%s) relay.initialize_channel: all_links: %s', irc.name, all_links)
 
         # Iterate over all the remote channels linked in this relay.
@@ -531,14 +525,12 @@ def check_claim(irc, channel, sender, chanobj=None):
     sender_modes = get_prefix_modes(irc, irc, channel, sender, mlist=mlist)
     log.debug('(%s) relay.check_claim: sender modes (%s/%s) are %s (mlist=%s)', irc.name,
               sender, channel, sender_modes, mlist)
-
     # XXX: stop hardcoding modes to check for and support mlist in isHalfopPlus and friends
-    with db_lock:
-        return (not relay) or irc.name == relay[0] or not db[relay]['claim'] or \
-            irc.name in db[relay]['claim'] or \
-            any([mode in sender_modes for mode in ('y', 'q', 'a', 'o', 'h')]) \
-            or irc.isInternalClient(sender) or \
-            irc.isInternalServer(sender)
+    return (not relay) or irc.name == relay[0] or not db[relay]['claim'] or \
+        irc.name in db[relay]['claim'] or \
+        any([mode in sender_modes for mode in ('y', 'q', 'a', 'o', 'h')]) \
+        or irc.isInternalClient(sender) or \
+        irc.isInternalServer(sender)
 
 def get_supported_umodes(irc, remoteirc, modes):
     """Given a list of user modes, filters out all of those not supported by the
@@ -1511,19 +1503,18 @@ def handle_disconnect(irc, numeric, command, args):
     announcement = conf.conf.get('relay', {}).get('disconnect_announcement')
     log.debug('(%s) relay: last connection successful: %s', irc.name, args.get('was_successful'))
     if announcement and args.get('was_successful'):
-        with db_lock:
-            for chanpair, entrydata in db.items():
-                log.debug('(%s) relay: Looking up %s', irc.name, chanpair)
-                if chanpair[0] == irc.name:
-                    for leaf in entrydata['links']:
-                        log.debug('(%s) relay: Announcing disconnect to %s%s', irc.name,
-                                  leaf[0], leaf[1])
-                        remoteirc = world.networkobjects.get(leaf[0])
-                        if remoteirc and remoteirc.connected.is_set():
-                            text = string.Template(announcement).safe_substitute(
-                                {'homenetwork': irc.name, 'homechannel': chanpair[1],
-                                 'network': remoteirc.name, 'channel': leaf[1]})
-                            remoteirc.msg(leaf[1], text, loopback=False)
+        for chanpair, entrydata in db.items():
+            log.debug('(%s) relay: Looking up %s', irc.name, chanpair)
+            if chanpair[0] == irc.name:
+                for leaf in entrydata['links']:
+                    log.debug('(%s) relay: Announcing disconnect to %s%s', irc.name,
+                              leaf[0], leaf[1])
+                    remoteirc = world.networkobjects.get(leaf[0])
+                    if remoteirc and remoteirc.connected.is_set():
+                        text = string.Template(announcement).safe_substitute(
+                            {'homenetwork': irc.name, 'homechannel': chanpair[1],
+                             'network': remoteirc.name, 'channel': leaf[1]})
+                        remoteirc.msg(leaf[1], text, loopback=False)
 
 utils.add_hook(handle_disconnect, "PYLINK_DISCONNECT")
 
@@ -1601,10 +1592,9 @@ def create(irc, source, args):
     creator = irc.getHostmask(source)
     # Create the relay database entry with the (network name, channel name)
     # pair - this is just a dict with various keys.
-    with db_lock:
-        db[(irc.name, channel)] = {'claim': [irc.name], 'links': set(),
-                                   'blocked_nets': set(), 'creator': creator,
-                                   'ts': time.time()}
+    db[(irc.name, channel)] = {'claim': [irc.name], 'links': set(),
+                               'blocked_nets': set(), 'creator': creator,
+                               'ts': time.time()}
     log.info('(%s) relay: Channel %s created by %s.', irc.name, channel, creator)
     initialize_channel(irc, channel)
     irc.reply('Done.')
@@ -1614,10 +1604,9 @@ def stop_relay(entry):
     """Internal function to deinitialize a relay link and its leaves."""
     network, channel = entry
     # Iterate over all the channel links and deinitialize them.
-    with db_lock:
-        for link in db[entry]['links']:
-            remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(link[0]), link[1])
-        remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(network), channel)
+    for link in db[entry]['links']:
+        remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(link[0]), link[1])
+    remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(network), channel)
 
 def destroy(irc, source, args):
     """[<home network>] <channel>
@@ -1646,19 +1635,17 @@ def destroy(irc, source, args):
         permissions.checkPermissions(irc, source, ['relay.destroy.remote'])
 
     entry = (network, channel)
+    if entry in db:
+        stop_relay(entry)
+        del db[entry]
 
-    with db_lock:
-        if entry in db:
-            stop_relay(entry)
-            del db[entry]
-
-            log.info('(%s) relay: Channel %s destroyed by %s.', irc.name,
-                     channel, irc.getHostmask(source))
-            irc.reply('Done.')
-        else:
-            irc.error("No such channel %r exists. If you're trying to delink a channel from "
-                      "another network, use the DESTROY command." % channel)
-            return
+        log.info('(%s) relay: Channel %s destroyed by %s.', irc.name,
+                 channel, irc.getHostmask(source))
+        irc.reply('Done.')
+    else:
+        irc.error("No such channel %r exists. If you're trying to delink a channel from "
+                  "another network, use the DESTROY command." % channel)
+        return
 destroy = utils.add_cmd(destroy, featured=True)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
@@ -1675,20 +1662,19 @@ def purge(irc, source, args):
 
     count = 0
 
-    with db_lock:
-        for entry in db.copy():
-            # Entry was owned by the target network; remove it
-            if entry[0] == network:
-                count += 1
-                stop_relay(entry)
-                del db[entry]
-            else:
-                # Drop leaf channels involving the target network
-                for link in db[entry]['links'].copy():
-                    if link[0] == network:
-                        count += 1
-                        remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(network), link[1])
-                        db[entry]['links'].remove(link)
+    for entry in db.copy():
+        # Entry was owned by the target network; remove it
+        if entry[0] == network:
+            count += 1
+            stop_relay(entry)
+            del db[entry]
+        else:
+            # Drop leaf channels involving the target network
+            for link in db[entry]['links'].copy():
+                if link[0] == network:
+                    count += 1
+                    remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(network), link[1])
+                    db[entry]['links'].remove(link)
 
     irc.reply("Done. Purged %s entries involving the network %s." % (count, network))
 
@@ -1751,8 +1737,7 @@ def link(irc, source, args):
         return
 
     try:
-        with db_lock:
-            entry = db[(remotenet, channel)]
+        entry = db[(remotenet, channel)]
     except KeyError:
         irc.error('No such relay %r exists.' % args.channel)
         return
@@ -1826,15 +1811,13 @@ def delink(irc, source, args):
                           "network).")
                 return
             else:
-                with db_lock:
-                    for link in db[entry]['links'].copy():
-                        if link[0] == remotenet:
-                            remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(remotenet), link[1])
-                            db[entry]['links'].remove(link)
+                for link in db[entry]['links'].copy():
+                    if link[0] == remotenet:
+                        remove_channel(world.networkobjects.get(remotenet), link[1])
+                        db[entry]['links'].remove(link)
         else:
             remove_channel(irc, channel)
-            with db_lock:
-                db[entry]['links'].remove((irc.name, channel))
+            db[entry]['links'].remove((irc.name, channel))
         irc.reply('Done.')
         log.info('(%s) relay: Channel %s delinked from %s%s by %s.', irc.name,
                  channel, entry[0], entry[1], irc.getHostmask(source))
@@ -1871,59 +1854,58 @@ def linked(irc, source, args):
         irc.reply("Showing channels linked to %s:" % net, private=True)
 
     # Sort the list of shared channels when displaying
-    with db_lock:
-        for k, v in sorted(db.items()):
+    for k, v in sorted(db.items()):
 
-            # Skip if we're filtering by network and the network given isn't relayed
-            # to the channel.
-            if net and not (net == k[0] or net in [link[0] for link in v['links']]):
-                continue
+        # Skip if we're filtering by network and the network given isn't relayed
+        # to the channel.
+        if net and not (net == k[0] or net in [link[0] for link in v['links']]):
+            continue
 
-            # Bold each network/channel name pair
-            s = '\x02%s%s\x02 ' % k
-            remoteirc = world.networkobjects.get(k[0])
-            channel = k[1]  # Get the channel name from the network/channel pair
+        # Bold each network/channel name pair
+        s = '\x02%s%s\x02 ' % k
+        remoteirc = world.networkobjects.get(k[0])
+        channel = k[1]  # Get the channel name from the network/channel pair
 
-            if remoteirc and channel in remoteirc.channels:
-                c = remoteirc.channels[channel]
-                if ('s', None) in c.modes or ('p', None) in c.modes:
-                    # Only show secret channels to opers or those in the channel, and tag them as
-                    # [secret].
-                    localchan = get_remote_channel(remoteirc, irc, channel)
-                    if irc.isOper(source) or (localchan and source in irc.channels[localchan].users):
-                        s += '\x02[secret]\x02 '
-                    else:
-                        continue
+        if remoteirc and channel in remoteirc.channels:
+            c = remoteirc.channels[channel]
+            if ('s', None) in c.modes or ('p', None) in c.modes:
+                # Only show secret channels to opers or those in the channel, and tag them as
+                # [secret].
+                localchan = get_remote_channel(remoteirc, irc, channel)
+                if irc.isOper(source) or (localchan and source in irc.channels[localchan].users):
+                    s += '\x02[secret]\x02 '
+                else:
+                    continue
 
-            if v['links']:
-                # Sort, join up and output all the linked channel names. Silently drop
-                # entries for disconnected networks.
-                s += ' '.join([''.join(link) for link in sorted(v['links']) if link[0] in world.networkobjects
-                               and world.networkobjects[link[0]].connected.is_set()])
+        if v['links']:
+            # Sort, join up and output all the linked channel names. Silently drop
+            # entries for disconnected networks.
+            s += ' '.join([''.join(link) for link in sorted(v['links']) if link[0] in world.networkobjects
+                           and world.networkobjects[link[0]].connected.is_set()])
 
-            else:  # Unless it's empty; then, well... just say no relays yet.
-                s += '(no relays yet)'
+        else:  # Unless it's empty; then, well... just say no relays yet.
+            s += '(no relays yet)'
 
-            irc.reply(s, private=True)
+        irc.reply(s, private=True)
 
-            if irc.isOper(source):
-                s = ''
+        if irc.isOper(source):
+            s = ''
 
-                # If the caller is an oper, we can show the hostmasks of people
-                # that created all the available channels (Janus does this too!!)
-                creator = v.get('creator')
-                if creator:
-                    # But only if the value actually exists (old DBs will have it
-                    # missing).
-                    s += ' by \x02%s\x02' % creator
+            # If the caller is an oper, we can show the hostmasks of people
+            # that created all the available channels (Janus does this too!!)
+            creator = v.get('creator')
+            if creator:
+                # But only if the value actually exists (old DBs will have it
+                # missing).
+                s += ' by \x02%s\x02' % creator
 
-                # Ditto for creation date
-                ts = v.get('ts')
-                if ts:
-                    s += ' on %s' % time.ctime(ts)
+            # Ditto for creation date
+            ts = v.get('ts')
+            if ts:
+                s += ' on %s' % time.ctime(ts)
 
-                if s:  # Indent to make the list look nicer
-                    irc.reply('    Channel created%s.' % s, private=True)
+            if s:  # Indent to make the list look nicer
+                irc.reply('    Channel created%s.' % s, private=True)
 linked = utils.add_cmd(linked, featured=True)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
@@ -1948,32 +1930,30 @@ def linkacl(irc, source, args):
     if not relay:
         irc.error('No such relay %r exists.' % channel)
         return
+    if cmd == 'list':
+        permissions.checkPermissions(irc, source, ['relay.linkacl.view'])
+        s = 'Blocked networks for \x02%s\x02: \x02%s\x02' % (channel, ', '.join(db[relay]['blocked_nets']) or '(empty)')
+        irc.reply(s)
+        return
 
-    with db_lock:
-        if cmd == 'list':
-            permissions.checkPermissions(irc, source, ['relay.linkacl.view'])
-            s = 'Blocked networks for \x02%s\x02: \x02%s\x02' % (channel, ', '.join(db[relay]['blocked_nets']) or '(empty)')
-            irc.reply(s)
-            return
-
-        permissions.checkPermissions(irc, source, ['relay.linkacl'])
+    permissions.checkPermissions(irc, source, ['relay.linkacl'])
+    try:
+        remotenet = args[2]
+    except IndexError:
+        irc.error(missingargs)
+        return
+    if cmd == 'deny':
+        db[relay]['blocked_nets'].add(remotenet)
+        irc.reply('Done.')
+    elif cmd == 'allow':
         try:
-            remotenet = args[2]
-        except IndexError:
-            irc.error(missingargs)
-            return
-        if cmd == 'deny':
-            db[relay]['blocked_nets'].add(remotenet)
-            irc.reply('Done.')
-        elif cmd == 'allow':
-            try:
-                db[relay]['blocked_nets'].remove(remotenet)
-            except KeyError:
-                irc.error('Network %r is not on the blacklist for %r.' % (remotenet, channel))
-            else:
-                irc.reply('Done.')
+            db[relay]['blocked_nets'].remove(remotenet)
+        except KeyError:
+            irc.error('Network %r is not on the blacklist for %r.' % (remotenet, channel))
         else:
-            irc.error('Unknown subcommand %r: valid ones are ALLOW, DENY, and LIST.' % cmd)
+            irc.reply('Done.')
+    else:
+        irc.error('Unknown subcommand %r: valid ones are ALLOW, DENY, and LIST.' % cmd)
 
 @utils.add_cmd
 def showuser(irc, source, args):
@@ -2076,22 +2056,18 @@ def claim(irc, source, args):
 
     # We override get_relay() here to limit the search to the current network.
     relay = (irc.name, channel)
-    with db_lock:
-        if relay not in db:
-            irc.error('No relay %r exists on this network (this command must be run on the '
-                      'network this channel was created on).' % channel)
-            return
-        claimed = db[relay]["claim"]
-        try:
-            nets = args[1].strip()
-        except IndexError:  # No networks given.
-            irc.reply('Channel \x02%s\x02 is claimed by: %s' %
-                    (channel, ', '.join(claimed) or '\x1D(none)\x1D'))
-        else:
-            if nets == '-' or not nets:
-                claimed = set()
-            else:
-                claimed = set(nets.split(','))
-            db[relay]["claim"] = claimed
-            irc.reply('CLAIM for channel \x02%s\x02 set to: %s' %
-                    (channel, ', '.join(claimed) or '\x1D(none)\x1D'))
+    if relay not in db:
+        irc.error('No relay %r exists on this network (this command must be run on the '
+                  'network this channel was created on).' % channel)
+        return
+    claimed = db[relay]["claim"]
+    try:
+        nets = args[1].strip()
+    except IndexError:  # No networks given.
+        irc.reply('Channel \x02%s\x02 is claimed by: %s' %
+                (channel, ', '.join(claimed) or '\x1D(none)\x1D'))
+    else:
+        claimed = set(nets.split(','))
+    db[relay]["claim"] = claimed
+    irc.reply('CLAIM for channel \x02%s\x02 set to: %s' %
+            (channel, ', '.join(claimed) or '\x1D(none)\x1D'))