diff --git a/offlineimap/accounts.py b/offlineimap/accounts.py
index 429dc19..ed08cad 100644
--- a/offlineimap/accounts.py
+++ b/offlineimap/accounts.py
@@ -199,7 +199,8 @@ class SyncableAccount(Account):
             pass
         except IOError:
             self._lockfd.close()
-            raise OfflineImapError("Could not lock account %s." % self,
+            raise OfflineImapError("Could not lock account %s. Is another "
+                                   "instance using this account?" % self,
                                    OfflineImapError.ERROR.REPO)
 
     def unlock(self):
diff --git a/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py b/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py
index 06dbd01..74ef22e 100644
--- a/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py
+++ b/offlineimap/ui/UIBase.py
@@ -203,9 +203,6 @@ class UIBase(object):
     def invaliddebug(self, debugtype):
         self.warn("Invalid debug type: %s" % debugtype)
 
-    def locked(s):
-        raise Exception, "Another OfflineIMAP is running with the same metadatadir; exiting."
-
     def getnicename(self, object):
         """Return the type of a repository or Folder as string