diff --git a/swift/common/db.py b/swift/common/db.py
index 5e3b1e221e..569daf547e 100644
--- a/swift/common/db.py
+++ b/swift/common/db.py
@@ -89,22 +89,38 @@ class GreenDBConnection(sqlite3.Connection):
         self.db_file = args[0] if args else'-'
         sqlite3.Connection.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
 
+    def cursor(self, cls=None):
+        if cls is None:
+            cls = GreenDBCursor
+        return sqlite3.Connection.cursor(self, cls)
+
+
+class GreenDBCursor(sqlite3.Cursor):
+    """SQLite Cursor handler that plays well with eventlet."""
+
+    def __init__(self, *args, **kwargs):
+        self.timeout = args[0].timeout
+        self.db_file = args[0].db_file
+        sqlite3.Cursor.__init__(self, *args, **kwargs)
+
     def _timeout(self, call):
         with LockTimeout(self.timeout, self.db_file):
+            retry_wait = 0.001
             while True:
                 try:
                     return call()
                 except sqlite3.OperationalError as e:
                     if 'locked' not in str(e):
                         raise
-                sleep(0.05)
+                sleep(retry_wait)
+                retry_wait = min(retry_wait * 2, 0.05)
 
     def execute(self, *args, **kwargs):
-        return self._timeout(lambda: sqlite3.Connection.execute(
+        return self._timeout(lambda: sqlite3.Cursor.execute(
             self, *args, **kwargs))
 
     def commit(self):
-        return self._timeout(lambda: sqlite3.Connection.commit(self))
+        return self._timeout(lambda: sqlite3.Cursor.commit(self))
 
 
 def dict_factory(crs, row):
diff --git a/test/unit/common/test_db.py b/test/unit/common/test_db.py
index d944c30a6d..1901bae53a 100644
--- a/test/unit/common/test_db.py
+++ b/test/unit/common/test_db.py
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ from uuid import uuid4
 
 import simplejson
 import sqlite3
-from mock import patch
+from mock import patch, MagicMock
+
+from eventlet.timeout import Timeout
 
 import swift.common.db
 from swift.common.db import chexor, dict_factory, get_db_connection, \
@@ -90,6 +92,31 @@ class TestGetDBConnection(unittest.TestCase):
         self.assertRaises(DatabaseConnectionError, get_db_connection,
                           'invalid database path / name')
 
+    def test_locked_db(self):
+        # This test is dependant on the code under test calling execute and
+        # commit as sqlite3.<Connection/Cursor>.<execute/commit> in a subclass.
+        class InterceptConnection(sqlite3.Connection):
+            pass
+
+        class InterceptCursor(sqlite3.Cursor):
+            pass
+
+        db_error = sqlite3.OperationalError('database is locked')
+        mock_db_cmd = MagicMock(side_effect=db_error)
+        InterceptConnection.execute = mock_db_cmd
+        InterceptConnection.commit = mock_db_cmd
+        InterceptCursor.execute = mock_db_cmd
+        InterceptCursor.commit = mock_db_cmd
+
+        with patch.multiple('sqlite3', Connection=InterceptConnection,
+                            Cursor=InterceptCursor):
+            self.assertRaises(Timeout, get_db_connection, ':memory:',
+                              timeout=0.1)
+            self.assertTrue(mock_db_cmd.called)
+            self.assertEqual(mock_db_cmd.call_args_list,
+                             list((mock_db_cmd.call_args,) *
+                                  mock_db_cmd.call_count))
+
 
 class TestDatabaseBroker(unittest.TestCase):