diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index df110f0501..ed8288e781 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@
 - [#1753](https://github.com/influxdb/influxdb/pull/1874): Do Not Panic on Missing Dirs
 - [#1877](https://github.com/influxdb/influxdb/pull/1877): Broker clients track broker leader
 - [#1862](https://github.com/influxdb/influxdb/pull/1862): Fix memory leak in `httpd.serveWait`. Thanks @mountkin
+- [#1883](https://github.com/influxdb/influxdb/pull/1883): RLock server during retention policy enforcement. Thanks @grisha
 - [#1868](https://github.com/influxdb/influxdb/pull/1868): Use `BatchPoints` for `client.Write` method. Thanks @vladlopes, @georgmu, @d2g, @evanphx, @akolosov.
 - [#1881](https://github.com/influxdb/influxdb/pull/1881): Update documentation for `client` package.  Misc library tweaks.
 
diff --git a/server.go b/server.go
index 5e33d776fb..5e441e2612 100644
--- a/server.go
+++ b/server.go
@@ -299,19 +299,37 @@ func (s *Server) StartRetentionPolicyEnforcement(checkInterval time.Duration) er
 func (s *Server) EnforceRetentionPolicies() {
 	log.Println("retention policy enforcement check commencing")
 
-	// Check all shard groups.
-	for _, db := range s.databases {
-		for _, rp := range db.policies {
-			for _, g := range rp.shardGroups {
-				if rp.Duration != 0 && g.EndTime.Add(rp.Duration).Before(time.Now().UTC()) {
-					log.Printf("shard group %d, retention policy %s, database %s due for deletion",
-						g.ID, rp.Name, db.name)
-					if err := s.DeleteShardGroup(db.name, rp.Name, g.ID); err != nil {
-						log.Printf("failed to request deletion of shard group %d: %s", g.ID, err.Error())
+	type group struct {
+		Database  string
+		Retention string
+		ID        uint64
+	}
+
+	groups := make([]group, 0)
+	// Only keep the lock while walking the shard groups, so the lock is not held while
+	// any deletions take place across the cluster.
+	func() {
+		s.mu.RLock()
+		defer s.mu.RUnlock()
+
+		// Check all shard groups.
+		for _, db := range s.databases {
+			for _, rp := range db.policies {
+				for _, g := range rp.shardGroups {
+					if rp.Duration != 0 && g.EndTime.Add(rp.Duration).Before(time.Now().UTC()) {
+						log.Printf("shard group %d, retention policy %s, database %s due for deletion",
+							g.ID, rp.Name, db.name)
+						groups = append(groups, group{Database: db.name, Retention: rp.Name, ID: g.ID})
 					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
+	}()
+
+	for _, g := range groups {
+		if err := s.DeleteShardGroup(g.Database, g.Retention, g.ID); err != nil {
+			log.Printf("failed to request deletion of shard group %d: %s", g.ID, err.Error())
+		}
 	}
 }