diff --git a/nova/tests/unit/virt/hyperv/test_imagecache.py b/nova/tests/unit/virt/hyperv/test_imagecache.py
index a9a4439a61f7..6b1a2ff0f20a 100644
--- a/nova/tests/unit/virt/hyperv/test_imagecache.py
+++ b/nova/tests/unit/virt/hyperv/test_imagecache.py
@@ -242,6 +242,13 @@ class ImageCacheTestCase(test_base.HyperVBaseTestCase):
         self.imagecache._pathutils.get_age_of_file.assert_has_calls(calls)
         mock_get_backing_files.assert_called_once_with(mock.sentinel.image)
 
+    def test_remove_old_image(self):
+        fake_img_path = os.path.join(self.FAKE_BASE_DIR,
+                                     self.FAKE_IMAGE_REF)
+        self.imagecache._remove_old_image(fake_img_path)
+        self.imagecache._pathutils.remove.assert_called_once_with(
+            fake_img_path)
+
     @mock.patch.object(imagecache.ImageCache, '_age_and_verify_cached_images')
     @mock.patch.object(imagecache.ImageCache, '_list_base_images')
     @mock.patch.object(imagecache.ImageCache, '_list_running_instances')
diff --git a/nova/virt/hyperv/imagecache.py b/nova/virt/hyperv/imagecache.py
index b4cdbebefcd2..34f0c75b7831 100644
--- a/nova/virt/hyperv/imagecache.py
+++ b/nova/virt/hyperv/imagecache.py
@@ -37,17 +37,6 @@ LOG = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 CONF = nova.conf.CONF
 
 
-def synchronize_with_path(f):
-    def wrapper(self, image_path):
-
-        @utils.synchronized(image_path)
-        def inner():
-            return f(self, image_path)
-        return inner()
-
-    return wrapper
-
-
 class ImageCache(imagecache.ImageCacheManager):
     def __init__(self):
         super(ImageCache, self).__init__()
@@ -79,7 +68,11 @@ class ImageCache(imagecache.ImageCacheManager):
                                             root_vhd_size_gb,
                                             path_parts[1])
 
-            @utils.synchronized(resized_vhd_path)
+            lock_path = os.path.dirname(resized_vhd_path)
+            lock_name = "%s-cache.lock" % os.path.basename(resized_vhd_path)
+
+            @utils.synchronized(name=lock_name, external=True,
+                                lock_path=lock_path)
             def copy_and_resize_vhd():
                 if not self._pathutils.exists(resized_vhd_path):
                     try:
@@ -109,7 +102,10 @@ class ImageCache(imagecache.ImageCacheManager):
         base_vhd_dir = self._pathutils.get_base_vhd_dir()
         base_vhd_path = os.path.join(base_vhd_dir, image_id)
 
-        @utils.synchronized(base_vhd_path)
+        lock_name = "%s-cache.lock" % image_id
+
+        @utils.synchronized(name=lock_name, external=True,
+                            lock_path=base_vhd_dir)
         def fetch_image_if_not_existing():
             vhd_path = None
             for format_ext in ['vhd', 'vhdx']:
@@ -206,11 +202,18 @@ class ImageCache(imagecache.ImageCacheManager):
             age_seconds = self._pathutils.get_age_of_file(img)
             if age_seconds > max_age_seconds:
                 LOG.info(_LI("Removing old, unused image: %s"), img)
-                self.remove_old_image(img)
+                self._remove_old_image(img)
 
-    @synchronize_with_path
-    def remove_old_image(self, img):
-        self._pathutils.remove(img)
+    def _remove_old_image(self, image_path):
+        lock_path = os.path.dirname(image_path)
+        lock_name = "%s-cache.lock" % os.path.basename(image_path)
+
+        @utils.synchronized(name=lock_name, external=True,
+                            lock_path=lock_path)
+        def _image_synchronized_remove():
+            self._pathutils.remove(image_path)
+
+        _image_synchronized_remove()
 
     def update(self, context, all_instances):
         base_vhd_dir = self._pathutils.get_base_vhd_dir()