diff --git a/helix-view/src/session/mod.rs b/helix-view/src/session/mod.rs
index 49c686e935b79..0da2f8d89ce20 100644
--- a/helix-view/src/session/mod.rs
+++ b/helix-view/src/session/mod.rs
@@ -7,12 +7,14 @@ use std::{
 };
 
 use anyhow::{Context, Result};
-use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 use sha1_smol::Sha1;
 
+// Needs to mimic borrowing rules.
+// Allow multiple read-only references, and only one mutable reference w/ no read-only.
+// Should not lock unless actively used. And should be unlocked automatically when all file handles are dropped.
 pub struct Session {
     path: PathBuf,
-    guard: Option<FileLock>,
+    lock: Option<FileLock>,
 }
 
 impl Session {
@@ -21,16 +23,30 @@ impl Session {
         let bytes = sys::path_as_bytes(path.as_path());
         let hash = Sha1::from(bytes).digest().to_string();
         let path = helix_loader::cache_dir().join("sessions").join(hash);
-        Ok(Self { path, guard: None })
+        Ok(Self { path, lock: None })
     }
 
-    // TODO: Return a FileLockGuard instead.
     pub fn get(&mut self, filename: String) -> Result<File> {
-        if self.guard.is_none() {
-            let lock = FileLock::new(self.path.join(".helix.lock"))?;
+        if self.lock.is_none() {
+            let lock = FileLock::shared(self.path.join(".helix.lock"))?;
+            lock.lock()?;
+
+            self.lock = Some(lock);
+        }
+
+        OpenOptions::new()
+            .read(true)
+            .open(self.path.join(filename))
+            .context("failed to open file")
+    }
+
+    // TODO: Return a FileLockGuard instead.
+    pub fn get_mut(&mut self, filename: String) -> Result<File> {
+        if self.lock.is_none() {
+            let lock = FileLock::exclusive(self.path.join(".helix.lock"))?;
             lock.lock()?;
 
-            self.guard = Some(lock);
+            self.lock = Some(lock);
         }
 
         OpenOptions::new()
@@ -44,21 +60,34 @@ impl Session {
 
 pub struct FileLock {
     file: File,
+    shared: bool,
 }
 
 impl FileLock {
-    pub fn new(path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self> {
+    pub fn exclusive(path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self> {
+        let file = Self::open_lock(path)?;
+        Ok(Self {
+            file,
+            shared: false,
+        })
+    }
+
+    pub fn shared(path: PathBuf) -> Result<Self> {
+        let file = Self::open_lock(path)?;
+        Ok(Self { file, shared: true })
+    }
+
+    pub fn lock(&self) -> Result<()> {
+        sys::lock(&self.file, self.shared)
+    }
+
+    fn open_lock(path: PathBuf) -> std::io::Result<File> {
         if let Some(parent) = path.parent() {
             if !parent.exists() {
                 std::fs::DirBuilder::new().recursive(true).create(parent)?;
             }
         }
-        let file = OpenOptions::new().write(true).create(true).open(path)?;
-        Ok(Self { file })
-    }
-
-    pub fn lock(&self) -> Result<()> {
-        sys::lock(&self.file)
+        OpenOptions::new().write(true).create(true).open(path)
     }
 }
 
@@ -145,17 +174,11 @@ mod sys {
     }
 
     /// Blocks until the lock is acquired.
-    pub(super) fn lock(file: &File) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+    pub(super) fn lock(file: &File, shared: bool) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let flag = if shared { 0 } else { LOCKFILE_EXCLUSIVE_LOCK };
         unsafe {
             let mut overlapped = std::mem::zeroed();
-            let ret = LockFileEx(
-                file.as_raw_handle(),
-                LOCKFILE_EXCLUSIVE_LOCK,
-                0,
-                !0,
-                !0,
-                &mut overlapped,
-            );
+            let ret = LockFileEx(file.as_raw_handle(), flag, 0, !0, !0, &mut overlapped);
             if ret == 0 {
                 anyhow::bail!(Error::last_os_error())
             } else {