diff --git a/bin/pg_repack.c b/bin/pg_repack.c
index 8eb05f6..8b84f4f 100644
--- a/bin/pg_repack.c
+++ b/bin/pg_repack.c
@@ -57,9 +57,8 @@ const char *PROGRAM_VERSION = "unknown";
  * target table, and our secondary conn is attempting to grab an AccessShare
  * lock. We know that "granted" must be false for these queries because
  * we already hold the AccessExclusive lock. Also, we only care about other
- * transactions trying to grab an ACCESS EXCLUSIVE lock, because that lock
- * level is needed for any of the disallowed DDL commands, e.g. ALTER TABLE
- * or TRUNCATE.
+ * transactions trying to grab an ACCESS EXCLUSIVE lock, because we are only
+ * trying to kill off disallowed DDL commands, e.g. ALTER TABLE or TRUNCATE.
  */
 #define CANCEL_COMPETING_LOCKS \
 	"SELECT pg_cancel_backend(pid) FROM pg_locks WHERE locktype = 'relation'"\
@@ -67,7 +66,8 @@ const char *PROGRAM_VERSION = "unknown";
 	" AND mode = 'AccessExclusiveLock' AND pid <> pg_backend_pid()"
 
 #define KILL_COMPETING_LOCKS \
-	"SELECT pg_cancel_backend(pid) FROM pg_locks WHERE locktype = 'relation'"\
+	"SELECT pg_terminate_backend(pid) "\
+	"FROM pg_locks WHERE locktype = 'relation'"\
 	" AND granted = false AND relation = %u"\
 	" AND mode = 'AccessExclusiveLock' AND pid <> pg_backend_pid()"
 
@@ -114,6 +114,8 @@ static void repack_cleanup(bool fatal, void *userdata);
 static char *getstr(PGresult *res, int row, int col);
 static Oid getoid(PGresult *res, int row, int col);
 static void lock_exclusive(PGconn *conn, const char *relid, const char *lock_query, bool start_xact);
+static bool kill_ddl(PGconn *conn, Oid relid, bool terminate);
+static void lock_access_share(PGconn *conn, Oid relid, const char *target_name);
 
 #define SQLSTATE_INVALID_SCHEMA_NAME	"3F000"
 #define SQLSTATE_QUERY_CANCELED			"57014"
@@ -485,11 +487,17 @@ repack_one_table(const repack_table *table, const char *orderby)
 	lock_conn_pid = strdup(PQgetvalue(res, 0, 0));
 	PQclear(res);
 
+	/*
+	 * Not using lock_access_share() here since we know that
+	 * it's not possible to obtain the ACCESS SHARE lock right now
+	 * in conn2, since the primary connection holds ACCESS EXCLUSIVE.
+	 */
 	printfStringInfo(&sql, "LOCK TABLE %s IN ACCESS SHARE MODE",
 					 table->target_name);
 	elog(DEBUG2, "LOCK TABLE %s IN ACCESS SHARE MODE", table->target_name);
 	if (!(PQsendQuery(conn2, sql.data))) {
 		printf("Error sending async query: %s\n%s", sql.data, PQerrorMessage(conn2));
+		/* XXX: better error handling */
 		exit(1);
 	}
 
@@ -500,40 +508,13 @@ repack_one_table(const repack_table *table, const char *orderby)
 	 * AccessExclusive lock before conn2 gets its AccessShare lock,
 	 * and perform unsafe DDL on the table.
 	 *
-	 * XXX: maybe we should use a loop canceling queries, as in
-	 * lock_exclusive().
+	 * Normally, lock_access_share() would take care of this for us,
+	 * but we're not able to use it here.
 	 */
-	printfStringInfo(&sql, CANCEL_COMPETING_LOCKS, table->target_oid);
-	res = execute(sql.data, 0, NULL);
-	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
+	if (!(kill_ddl(connection, table->target_oid, true)))
 	{
-		printf("Error canceling competing queries: %s", PQerrorMessage(connection));
-		PQclear(res);
 		exit(1);
 	}
-	if (PQntuples(res) > 0)
-	{
-		elog(WARNING, "Canceled %d unsafe queries. Terminating any remaining PIDs.", PQntuples(res));
-
-		if (PQserverVersion(connection) >= 80400)
-		{
-			PQclear(res);
-			printfStringInfo(&sql, KILL_COMPETING_LOCKS, table->target_oid);
-			res = execute(sql.data, 0, NULL);
-			if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
-			{
-				printf("Error killing competing queries: %s", PQerrorMessage(connection));
-				PQclear(res);
-				exit(1);
-			}
-		}
-
-	}
-	else
-	{
-		elog(DEBUG2, "No competing DDL to cancel.");
-	}
-	PQclear(res);
 
 
 	/* We're finished killing off any unsafe DDL. COMMIT in our main
@@ -583,6 +564,21 @@ repack_one_table(const repack_table *table, const char *orderby)
 	PQclear(res);
 
 	command(table->delete_log, 0, NULL);
+
+	/* We need to be able to obtain an AccessShare lock on the target table
+	 * for the create_table command to go through, so go ahead and obtain
+	 * the lock explicitly. 
+	 *
+	 * Since conn2 has been diligently holding its AccessShare lock, it
+	 * is possible that another transaction has been waiting to acquire
+	 * an AccessExclusive lock on the table (e.g. a concurrent ALTER TABLE
+	 * or TRUNCATE which we must not allow). If there are any such
+	 * transactions, lock_access_share() will kill them so that our
+	 * CREATE TABLE ... AS SELECT does not deadlock waiting for an
+	 * AccessShare lock.
+	 */
+	lock_access_share(connection, table->target_oid, table->target_name);
+
 	command(table->create_table, 0, NULL);
 	printfStringInfo(&sql, "SELECT repack.disable_autovacuum('repack.table_%u')", table->target_oid);
 	if (table->drop_columns)
@@ -719,8 +715,134 @@ repack_one_table(const repack_table *table, const char *orderby)
 	termStringInfo(&sql);
 }
 
+/* Kill off any concurrent DDL (or any transaction attempting to take
+ * an AccessExclusive lock) trying to run against our table. Note, we're
+ * killing these queries off *before* they are granted an AccessExclusive
+ * lock on our table.
+ *
+ * Returns true if no problems encountered, false otherwise.
+ */
+static bool
+kill_ddl(PGconn *conn, Oid relid, bool terminate)
+{
+	bool			ret = true;
+	PGresult	   *res;
+	StringInfoData	sql;
+
+	initStringInfo(&sql);
+
+	printfStringInfo(&sql, CANCEL_COMPETING_LOCKS, relid);
+	res = pgut_execute(conn, sql.data, 0, NULL);
+	if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
+	{
+		printf("Error canceling unsafe queries: %s", PQerrorMessage(conn));
+		ret = false;
+	}
+	else if (PQntuples(res) > 0 && terminate && PQserverVersion(conn) >= 80400)
+	{
+		elog(WARNING, "Canceled %d unsafe queries. Terminating any remaining PIDs.", PQntuples(res));
+
+		PQclear(res);
+		printfStringInfo(&sql, KILL_COMPETING_LOCKS, relid);
+		res = pgut_execute(conn, sql.data, 0, NULL);
+		if (PQresultStatus(res) != PGRES_TUPLES_OK)
+		{
+			printf("Error killing unsafe queries: %s", PQerrorMessage(conn));
+			ret = false;
+		}
+	}
+	else if (PQntuples(res) > 0)
+		elog(NOTICE, "Canceled %d unsafe queries", PQntuples(res));
+	else
+		elog(DEBUG2, "No competing DDL to cancel.");
+
+
+	PQclear(res);
+	termStringInfo(&sql);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
+
 /*
- * Try acquire a table lock but avoid long time locks when conflict.
+ * Try to acquire an ACCESS SHARE table lock, avoiding deadlocks and long
+ * waits by killing off other sessions which may be stuck trying to obtain
+ * an ACCESS EXCLUSIVE lock.
+ *
+ * Arguments: 
+ *
+ *  conn: connection to use
+ *  relid: OID of relation
+ *  target_name: name of table
+ */
+static void
+lock_access_share(PGconn *conn, Oid relid, const char *target_name)
+{
+	StringInfoData	sql;
+	time_t			start = time(NULL);
+	int				i;
+
+	initStringInfo(&sql);
+
+	for (i = 1; ; i++)
+	{
+		time_t		duration;
+		PGresult   *res;
+		int			wait_msec;
+
+		duration = time(NULL) - start;
+
+		/* Cancel queries unconditionally, i.e. don't bother waiting
+		 * wait_timeout as lock_exclusive() does -- the only queries we
+		 * should be killing are disallowed DDL commands hanging around
+		 * for an AccessExclusive lock, which must be deadlocked at
+		 * this point anyway since conn2 holds its AccessShare lock
+		 * already.
+		 */
+		if (duration > (wait_timeout * 2))
+			kill_ddl(conn, relid, true);
+		else
+			kill_ddl(conn, relid, false);
+
+		/* wait for a while to lock the table. */
+		wait_msec = Min(1000, i * 100);
+		printfStringInfo(&sql, "SET LOCAL statement_timeout = %d", wait_msec);
+		pgut_command(conn, sql.data, 0, NULL);
+
+		printfStringInfo(&sql, "LOCK TABLE %s IN ACCESS SHARE MODE", target_name);
+		res = pgut_execute_elevel(conn, sql.data, 0, NULL, DEBUG2);
+		if (PQresultStatus(res) == PGRES_COMMAND_OK)
+		{
+			PQclear(res);
+			break;
+		}
+		else if (sqlstate_equals(res, SQLSTATE_QUERY_CANCELED))
+		{
+			/* XXX: does this ROLLBACK need any rethinking wrt. two connections
+			 * now? 
+			 */
+			/* retry if lock conflicted */
+			PQclear(res);
+			pgut_command(conn, "ROLLBACK", 0, NULL);
+			continue;
+		}
+		else
+		{
+			/* exit otherwise */
+			printf("%s", PQerrorMessage(connection));
+			PQclear(res);
+			exit(1);
+		}
+	}
+
+	termStringInfo(&sql);
+	pgut_command(conn, "RESET statement_timeout", 0, NULL);
+}
+
+
+/*
+ * Try acquire an ACCESS EXCLUSIVE table lock, avoiding deadlocks and long
+ * waits by killing off other sessions.
  * Arguments: 
  *
  *  conn: connection to use
@@ -772,7 +894,7 @@ lock_exclusive(PGconn *conn, const char *relid, const char *lock_query, bool sta
 		/* wait for a while to lock the table. */
 		wait_msec = Min(1000, i * 100);
 		snprintf(sql, lengthof(sql), "SET LOCAL statement_timeout = %d", wait_msec);
-		command(sql, 0, NULL);
+		pgut_command(conn, sql, 0, NULL);
 
 		res = pgut_execute_elevel(conn, lock_query, 0, NULL, DEBUG2);
 		if (PQresultStatus(res) == PGRES_COMMAND_OK)
@@ -782,9 +904,12 @@ lock_exclusive(PGconn *conn, const char *relid, const char *lock_query, bool sta
 		}
 		else if (sqlstate_equals(res, SQLSTATE_QUERY_CANCELED))
 		{
+			/* XXX: does this ROLLBACK need any rethinking wrt. two connections
+			 * now? 
+			 */
 			/* retry if lock conflicted */
 			PQclear(res);
-			command("ROLLBACK", 0, NULL);
+			pgut_command(conn, "ROLLBACK", 0, NULL);
 			continue;
 		}
 		else
@@ -796,7 +921,7 @@ lock_exclusive(PGconn *conn, const char *relid, const char *lock_query, bool sta
 		}
 	}
 
-	command("RESET statement_timeout", 0, NULL);
+	pgut_command(conn, "RESET statement_timeout", 0, NULL);
 }
 
 /*