diff --git a/.github/CODEOWNERS b/.github/CODEOWNERS
index 28c6abb705e..d818672a11c 100644
--- a/.github/CODEOWNERS
+++ b/.github/CODEOWNERS
@@ -216,6 +216,7 @@ Dockerfile @sourcegraph/distribution
 # Backend shared packages
 /internal/endpoint/ @keegancsmith @slimsag
 /internal/rcache/ @keegancsmith
+/internal/leader @sourcegraph/cloud
 /internal/redispool/ @keegancsmith
 /internal/store/ @keegancsmith
 /internal/metrics @keegancsmith @slimsag
diff --git a/internal/leader/leader.go b/internal/leader/leader.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..eafb8599343
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/leader/leader.go
@@ -0,0 +1,56 @@
+package leader
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"math/rand"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/internal/rcache"
+)
+
+const (
+	defaultAcquireInterval = 30 * time.Second
+)
+
+type Options struct {
+	// AcquireInterval defines how frequently we should attempt to acquire
+	// leadership when not the leader.
+	AcquireInterval time.Duration
+	MutexOptions    rcache.MutexOptions
+}
+
+// Do will ensure that only one instance of workFn is running globally per key at any point using a mutex
+// stored in Redis.
+// workFn could lose leadership at any point so it is important that the supplied context is checked before performing
+// any work that should not run in parallel with another worker.
+// release can be called from within workFn to explicitly release the lock.
+func Do(parentCtx context.Context, key string, options Options, workFn func(ctx context.Context)) {
+	if options.AcquireInterval == 0 {
+		options.AcquireInterval = defaultAcquireInterval
+	}
+	for {
+		if parentCtx.Err() != nil {
+			return
+		}
+
+		ctx, cancel, ok := rcache.TryAcquireMutex(parentCtx, key, options.MutexOptions)
+		if !ok {
+			select {
+			case <-parentCtx.Done():
+				return
+			case <-time.After(jitter(options.AcquireInterval)):
+			}
+			continue
+		}
+
+		func() {
+			defer cancel()
+			workFn(ctx)
+		}()
+	}
+}
+
+// jitter returns the base duration increased by a random amount of up to 25%
+func jitter(base time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	return base + time.Duration(rand.Int63n(int64(base/4)))
+}
diff --git a/internal/leader/leader_test.go b/internal/leader/leader_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..9cf2b760374
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/leader/leader_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,66 @@
+package leader
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/sourcegraph/sourcegraph/internal/rcache"
+)
+
+func TestDoWhileLeader(t *testing.T) {
+	rcache.SetupForTest(t)
+
+	key := "test-leader"
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+	// In case we don't make it to cancel lower down
+	t.Cleanup(cancel)
+
+	var count int64
+
+	fn := func(ctx context.Context) {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return
+		default:
+		}
+		count++
+		<-ctx.Done()
+	}
+
+	options := Options{
+		AcquireInterval: 50 * time.Millisecond,
+		MutexOptions: rcache.MutexOptions{
+			Tries:      1,
+			RetryDelay: 10 * time.Millisecond,
+		},
+	}
+
+	cancelled := make(chan struct{})
+
+	go func() {
+		Do(ctx, key, options, fn)
+		cancelled <- struct{}{}
+	}()
+	go func() {
+		Do(ctx, key, options, fn)
+		cancelled <- struct{}{}
+	}()
+
+	time.Sleep(500 * time.Millisecond)
+	cancel()
+
+	if count != 1 {
+		t.Fatalf("Count > 1: %d", count)
+	}
+
+	// Check that Do exits after cancelled
+	for i := 0; i < 2; i++ {
+		select {
+		case <-time.After(500 * time.Millisecond):
+			t.Fatal("Timeout")
+		case <-cancelled:
+		}
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/internal/rcache/mutex.go b/internal/rcache/mutex.go
index da2a8240590..4f96699f95d 100644
--- a/internal/rcache/mutex.go
+++ b/internal/rcache/mutex.go
@@ -9,22 +9,27 @@ import (
 	"github.com/go-redsync/redsync"
 )
 
-var (
-	// mutexExpiry is relatively long since we currently are only using
-	// locks for co-ordinating longer running processes. If we want short
-	// lived granular locks, we should switch away from Redis.
-	mutexExpiry = time.Minute
-	// mutexTries is how many tries we have before we give up acquiring a
-	// lock. We make it low since we want to give up quickly + we only
-	// have a single node. So failing to acquire the lock will be
-	// unrelated to failing to reach quoram. var to allow tests to
-	// override.
-	mutexTries = 3
-	// mutexDelay is how long to sleep between attempts to lock. We use
-	// the default delay.
-	mutexDelay = 512 * time.Millisecond
+const (
+	DefaultMutexExpiry = time.Minute
+	// We make it low since we want to give up quickly. Failing to acquire the lock will be
+	// unrelated to failing to reach quorum.
+	DefaultMutexTries = 3
+	DefaultMutexDelay = 512 * time.Millisecond
 )
 
+// MutexOptions hold options passed to TryAcquireMutex. It is safe to
+// pass zero values in which case defaults will be used instead.
+type MutexOptions struct {
+	// Expiry sets how long a lock should be held. Under normal
+	// operation it will be extended on an interval of (Expiry / 2)
+	Expiry time.Duration
+	// Tries is how many tries we have before we give up acquiring a
+	// lock.
+	Tries int
+	// RetryDelay is how long to sleep between attempts to lock
+	RetryDelay time.Duration
+}
+
 // TryAcquireMutex tries to Lock a distributed mutex. If the mutex is already
 // locked, it will return `ctx, nil, false`. Otherwise it returns `ctx,
 // release, true`. Release must be called to free the lock.
@@ -38,16 +43,26 @@ var (
 //   they key no longer exists in Redis
 // A caller can therefore assume that they are the sole holder of the lock as long as the
 // context has not been cancelled.
-func TryAcquireMutex(ctx context.Context, name string) (context.Context, func(), bool) {
+func TryAcquireMutex(ctx context.Context, name string, options MutexOptions) (context.Context, func(), bool) {
 	// We return a canceled context if we fail, so create the context here
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(ctx)
 
+	if options.Expiry == 0 {
+		options.Expiry = DefaultMutexExpiry
+	}
+	if options.Tries == 0 {
+		options.Tries = DefaultMutexTries
+	}
+	if options.RetryDelay == 0 {
+		options.RetryDelay = DefaultMutexDelay
+	}
+
 	name = fmt.Sprintf("%s:mutex:%s", globalPrefix, name)
 	mu := redsync.New([]redsync.Pool{pool}).NewMutex(
 		name,
-		redsync.SetExpiry(mutexExpiry),
-		redsync.SetTries(mutexTries),
-		redsync.SetRetryDelay(mutexDelay),
+		redsync.SetExpiry(options.Expiry),
+		redsync.SetTries(options.Tries),
+		redsync.SetRetryDelay(options.RetryDelay),
 	)
 
 	err := mu.Lock()
@@ -57,7 +72,7 @@ func TryAcquireMutex(ctx context.Context, name string) (context.Context, func(),
 	}
 	unlockedC := make(chan struct{})
 	go func() {
-		ticker := time.NewTicker(mutexExpiry / 2)
+		ticker := time.NewTicker(options.Expiry / 2)
 		for {
 			select {
 			case <-ctx.Done():
diff --git a/internal/rcache/mutex_test.go b/internal/rcache/mutex_test.go
index 7adda9cf96d..5e1e3e2c585 100644
--- a/internal/rcache/mutex_test.go
+++ b/internal/rcache/mutex_test.go
@@ -8,12 +8,17 @@ import (
 func TestTryAcquireMutex(t *testing.T) {
 	SetupForTest(t)
 
-	ctx, release, ok := TryAcquireMutex(context.Background(), "test")
+	options := MutexOptions{
+		// Make mutex fail faster
+		Tries: 1,
+	}
+
+	ctx, release, ok := TryAcquireMutex(context.Background(), "test", options)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("expected to acquire mutex")
 	}
 
-	if _, _, ok = TryAcquireMutex(context.Background(), "test"); ok {
+	if _, _, ok = TryAcquireMutex(context.Background(), "test", options); ok {
 		t.Fatalf("expected to fail to acquire mutex")
 	}
 
@@ -24,14 +29,14 @@ func TestTryAcquireMutex(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// Test out if cancelling the parent context allows us to still release
 	ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
-	_, release, ok = TryAcquireMutex(ctx, "test")
+	_, release, ok = TryAcquireMutex(ctx, "test", options)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("expected to acquire mutex")
 	}
 	cancel()
 	release()
 
-	_, release, ok = TryAcquireMutex(context.Background(), "test")
+	_, release, ok = TryAcquireMutex(context.Background(), "test", options)
 	if !ok {
 		t.Fatalf("expected to acquire mutex")
 	}
diff --git a/internal/rcache/rcache.go b/internal/rcache/rcache.go
index 774a738ec8a..3fdd415f46c 100644
--- a/internal/rcache/rcache.go
+++ b/internal/rcache/rcache.go
@@ -195,8 +195,6 @@ func SetupForTest(t TB) {
 	}
 
 	globalPrefix = "__test__" + t.Name()
-	// Make mutex fails faster
-	mutexTries = 1
 	c := pool.Get()
 	defer c.Close()