diff --git a/sftp/sftp.go b/sftp/sftp.go
index 7c672d9b2..8ac1ca8b5 100644
--- a/sftp/sftp.go
+++ b/sftp/sftp.go
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@ type Fs struct {
 	url        string
 	sshClient  *ssh.Client
 	sftpClient *sftp.Client
+	mkdirLock  *stringLock
 }
 
 // Object is a remote SFTP file that has been stat'd (so it exists, but is not necessarily open for reading)
@@ -138,6 +139,7 @@ func NewFs(name, root string) (fs.Fs, error) {
 		sshClient:  sshClient,
 		sftpClient: sftpClient,
 		url:        "sftp://" + user + "@" + host + ":" + port + "/" + root,
+		mkdirLock:  newStringLock(),
 	}
 	f.features = (&fs.Features{}).Fill(f)
 	if root != "" {
@@ -321,6 +323,8 @@ func (f *Fs) mkParentDir(remote string) error {
 
 // mkdir makes the directory and parents using native paths
 func (f *Fs) mkdir(path string) error {
+	f.mkdirLock.Lock(path)
+	defer f.mkdirLock.Unlock(path)
 	if path == "." || path == "/" {
 		return nil
 	}
diff --git a/sftp/stringlock.go b/sftp/stringlock.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..d0205422b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sftp/stringlock.go
@@ -0,0 +1,51 @@
+package sftp
+
+import (
+	"sync"
+
+	"github.com/ncw/rclone/fs"
+)
+
+// stringLock locks for string IDs passed in
+type stringLock struct {
+	mu    sync.Mutex               // mutex to protect below
+	locks map[string]chan struct{} // map of locks
+}
+
+// newStringLock creates a stringLock
+func newStringLock() *stringLock {
+	return &stringLock{
+		locks: make(map[string]chan struct{}),
+	}
+}
+
+// Lock locks on the id passed in
+func (l *stringLock) Lock(ID string) {
+	l.mu.Lock()
+	for {
+		ch, ok := l.locks[ID]
+		if !ok {
+			break
+		}
+		// Wait for the channel to be closed
+		l.mu.Unlock()
+		fs.Log(nil, "Waiting for stringLock on %q", ID)
+		<-ch
+		l.mu.Lock()
+	}
+	l.locks[ID] = make(chan struct{})
+	l.mu.Unlock()
+}
+
+// Unlock unlocks on the id passed in.  Will panic if Lock with the
+// given id wasn't called first.
+func (l *stringLock) Unlock(ID string) {
+	l.mu.Lock()
+	ch, ok := l.locks[ID]
+	if !ok {
+		panic("stringLock: Unlock before Lock")
+	}
+	close(ch)
+	delete(l.locks, ID)
+	l.mu.Unlock()
+}
diff --git a/sftp/stringlock_test.go b/sftp/stringlock_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..57179915e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sftp/stringlock_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+package sftp
+
+import (
+	"fmt"
+	"sync"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/assert"
+)
+
+func TestStringLock(t *testing.T) {
+	var wg sync.WaitGroup
+	counter := [3]int{}
+	lock := newStringLock()
+	const (
+		outer = 10
+		inner = 100
+		total = outer * inner
+	)
+	for k := 0; k < outer; k++ {
+		for j := range counter {
+			wg.Add(1)
+			go func(j int) {
+				defer wg.Done()
+				ID := fmt.Sprintf("%d", j)
+				for i := 0; i < inner; i++ {
+					lock.Lock(ID)
+					n := counter[j]
+					time.Sleep(1 * time.Millisecond)
+					counter[j] = n + 1
+					lock.Unlock(ID)
+				}
+
+			}(j)
+		}
+	}
+	wg.Wait()
+	assert.Equal(t, [3]int{total, total, total}, counter)
+}