diff --git a/test/api/unit/libs/payments/apple.test.js b/test/api/unit/libs/payments/apple.test.js
index 08cb34607e..1aefe2cb51 100644
--- a/test/api/unit/libs/payments/apple.test.js
+++ b/test/api/unit/libs/payments/apple.test.js
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ describe('Apple Payments', () => {
     it('errors when a user is already subscribed', async () => {
       payments.createSubscription.restore();
       user = new User();
+      await user.save();
 
       await applePayments.subscribe(sku, user, receipt, headers, nextPaymentProcessing);
 
diff --git a/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js b/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js
index 2052dc4c9a..80401f21de 100644
--- a/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js
+++ b/website/server/libs/payments/subscriptions.js
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import { // eslint-disable-line import/no-cycle
   model as Group,
   basicFields as basicGroupFields,
 } from '../../models/group';
+import { model as User } from '../../models/user'; // eslint-disable-line import/no-cycle
 import {
   NotAuthorized,
   NotFound,
@@ -79,6 +80,22 @@ async function createSubscription (data) {
   let emailType = 'subscription-begins';
   let recipientIsSubscribed = recipient.isSubscribed();
 
+  if (data.user && !data.gift && !data.groupId) {
+    const unlockedUser = await User.findOneAndUpdate(
+      {
+        _id: data.user._id,
+        $or: [
+          { _subSignature: 'NOT_RUNNING' },
+          { _subSignature: { $exists: false } },
+        ],
+      },
+      { $set: { _subSignature: 'SUB_IN_PROGRESS' } },
+    );
+    if (!unlockedUser) {
+      throw new NotFound('User not found or subscription already processing.');
+    }
+  }
+
   //  If we are buying a group subscription
   if (data.groupId) {
     const groupFields = basicGroupFields.concat(' purchased');
@@ -282,10 +299,6 @@ async function createSubscription (data) {
     }
   }
 
-  if (group) await group.save();
-  if (data.user && data.user.isModified()) await data.user.save();
-  if (data.gift) await data.gift.member.save();
-
   slack.sendSubscriptionNotification({
     buyer: {
       id: data.user._id,
@@ -302,6 +315,24 @@ async function createSubscription (data) {
     groupId,
     autoRenews,
   });
+
+  if (group) {
+    await group.save();
+  }
+  if (data.user) {
+    if (data.user.isModified()) {
+      await data.user.save();
+    }
+    if (!data.gift && !data.groupId) {
+      await User.findOneAndUpdate(
+        { _id: data.user._id },
+        { $set: { _subSignature: 'NOT_RUNNING' } },
+      );
+    }
+  }
+  if (data.gift) {
+    await data.gift.member.save();
+  }
 }
 
 // Cancels a subscription or group plan, setting termination to happen later
diff --git a/website/server/models/user/schema.js b/website/server/models/user/schema.js
index 3e0b4b84c0..79e58328a4 100644
--- a/website/server/models/user/schema.js
+++ b/website/server/models/user/schema.js
@@ -430,6 +430,8 @@ export default new Schema({
 
   lastCron: { $type: Date, default: Date.now },
   _cronSignature: { $type: String, default: 'NOT_RUNNING' }, // Private property used to avoid double cron
+  // Lock property to avoid double subscription. Not strictly private because we query on it
+  _subSignature: { $type: String, default: 'NOT_RUNNING' },
 
   // {GROUP_ID: Boolean}, represents whether they have unseen chat messages
   newMessages: {