diff --git a/paste/script/util/logging_config.py b/paste/script/util/logging_config.py
index 8b51eca..8cba1ec 100644
--- a/paste/script/util/logging_config.py
+++ b/paste/script/util/logging_config.py
@@ -91,16 +91,13 @@ def fileConfig(fname, defaults=None):
     formatters = _create_formatters(cp)
 
     # critical section
-    logging._acquireLock()
-    try:
+    with logging._lock:
         logging._handlers.clear()
         if hasattr(logging, '_handlerList'):
             del logging._handlerList[:]
         # Handlers add themselves to logging._handlers
         handlers = _install_handlers(cp, formatters)
         _install_loggers(cp, handlers)
-    finally:
-        logging._releaseLock()
 
 
 def _resolve(name):
@@ -327,9 +324,8 @@ class ConfigSocketReceiver(ThreadingTCPServer):
         def __init__(self, host='localhost', port=DEFAULT_LOGGING_CONFIG_PORT,
                      handler=None):
             ThreadingTCPServer.__init__(self, (host, port), handler)
-            logging._acquireLock()
-            self.abort = 0
-            logging._releaseLock()
+            with logging._lock:
+                self.abort = 0
             self.timeout = 1
 
         def serve_until_stopped(self):
@@ -341,16 +337,14 @@ def serve_until_stopped(self):
                                            self.timeout)
                 if rd:
                     self.handle_request()
-                logging._acquireLock()
-                abort = self.abort
-                logging._releaseLock()
+                with logging._lock:
+                    abort = self.abort
 
     def serve(rcvr, hdlr, port):
         server = rcvr(port=port, handler=hdlr)
         global _listener
-        logging._acquireLock()
-        _listener = server
-        logging._releaseLock()
+        with logging._lock:
+            _listener = server
         server.serve_until_stopped()
 
     return threading.Thread(target=serve,
@@ -363,7 +357,6 @@ def stopListening():
     """
     global _listener
     if _listener:
-        logging._acquireLock()
-        _listener.abort = 1
-        _listener = None
-        logging._releaseLock()
+        with logging._lock:
+            _listener.abort = 1
+            _listener = None
diff --git a/tests/test_logging_config.py b/tests/test_logging_config.py
index 1f82130..4a154af 100644
--- a/tests/test_logging_config.py
+++ b/tests/test_logging_config.py
@@ -120,14 +120,11 @@ def test4():
         conf = globals()['config%d' % i]
         sys.stdout.write('config%d: ' % i)
         loggerDict = logging.getLogger().manager.loggerDict
-        logging._acquireLock()
-        try:
+        with logging._lock:
             saved_handlers = logging._handlers.copy()
             if hasattr(logging, '_handlerList'):
                 saved_handler_list = logging._handlerList[:]
             saved_loggers = loggerDict.copy()
-        finally:
-            logging._releaseLock()
         try:
             fn = tempfile.mktemp(".ini")
             f = open(fn, "w")
@@ -146,8 +143,7 @@ def test4():
                 message('ok.')
             os.remove(fn)
         finally:
-            logging._acquireLock()
-            try:
+            with logging._lock:
                 logging._handlers.clear()
                 logging._handlers.update(saved_handlers)
                 if hasattr(logging, '_handlerList'):
@@ -155,8 +151,6 @@ def test4():
                 loggerDict = logging.getLogger().manager.loggerDict
                 loggerDict.clear()
                 loggerDict.update(saved_loggers)
-            finally:
-                logging._releaseLock()
 
 #----------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Test 5
@@ -196,14 +190,11 @@ def formatException(self, ei):
 
 def test5():
     loggerDict = logging.getLogger().manager.loggerDict
-    logging._acquireLock()
-    try:
+    with logging._lock:
         saved_handlers = logging._handlers.copy()
         if hasattr(logging, '_handlerList'):
             saved_handler_list = logging._handlerList[:]
         saved_loggers = loggerDict.copy()
-    finally:
-        logging._releaseLock()
     try:
         fn = tempfile.mktemp(".ini")
         f = open(fn, "w")
@@ -218,8 +209,7 @@ def test5():
         hdlr = logging.getLogger().handlers[0]
         logging.getLogger().handlers.remove(hdlr)
     finally:
-        logging._acquireLock()
-        try:
+        with logging._lock:
             logging._handlers.clear()
             logging._handlers.update(saved_handlers)
             if hasattr(logging, '_handlerList'):
@@ -227,5 +217,3 @@ def test5():
             loggerDict = logging.getLogger().manager.loggerDict
             loggerDict.clear()
             loggerDict.update(saved_loggers)
-        finally:
-            logging._releaseLock()