diff --git a/act/runner/lxc-helpers-lib.sh b/act/runner/lxc-helpers-lib.sh
index 3f1d997a..4d3b959a 100755
--- a/act/runner/lxc-helpers-lib.sh
+++ b/act/runner/lxc-helpers-lib.sh
@@ -385,11 +385,13 @@ function lxc_running() {
 function lxc_build_template_release() {
     local name="$(lxc_template_release)"
 
+    lxc_transaction_begin $name
+
     if lxc_exists_and_apt_not_old $name; then
+        lxc_transaction_unlock
         return
     fi
 
-    lxc_transaction_begin $name
     local draft=$(lxc_transaction_draft_name)
     $LXC_SUDO lxc-create --name $draft --template debian -- --release=$LXC_CONTAINER_RELEASE
     echo 'lxc.apparmor.profile = unconfined' | $LXC_SUDO tee -a $(lxc_config $draft)
@@ -405,15 +407,16 @@ function lxc_build_template() {
     local name="$1"
     local newname="$2"
 
-    if lxc_exists_and_apt_not_old $newname; then
-        return
-    fi
-
     if test "$name" = "$(lxc_template_release)"; then
         lxc_build_template_release
     fi
 
     lxc_transaction_begin $name
+    if lxc_exists_and_apt_not_old $newname; then
+        lxc_transaction_unlock
+        return
+    fi
+
     local draft=$(lxc_transaction_draft_name)
     if ! $LXC_SUDO lxc-copy --name=$name --newname=$draft; then
         echo lxc-copy --name=$name --newname=$draft failed
diff --git a/act/runner/run_context.go b/act/runner/run_context.go
index 9e4c2981..dd72ff09 100644
--- a/act/runner/run_context.go
+++ b/act/runner/run_context.go
@@ -193,6 +193,8 @@ var lxcHelpers string
 
 var startTemplate = template.Must(template.New("start").Parse(`#!/bin/bash -e
 
+exec 5<>/tmp/forgejo-runner-lxc.lock ; flock --timeout 21600 5
+
 LXC_CONTAINER_CONFIG="{{.Config}}"
 LXC_CONTAINER_RELEASE="{{.Release}}"
 
diff --git a/act/runner/testdata/actions-environment-and-context-tests/docker/Dockerfile b/act/runner/testdata/actions-environment-and-context-tests/docker/Dockerfile
index bd8fcb22..f50a50da 100644
--- a/act/runner/testdata/actions-environment-and-context-tests/docker/Dockerfile
+++ b/act/runner/testdata/actions-environment-and-context-tests/docker/Dockerfile
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-FROM alpine:3
+FROM code.forgejo.org/oci/alpine:latest
 
 COPY entrypoint.sh /entrypoint.sh
 
diff --git a/examples/lxc-systemd/forgejo-runner-service.sh b/examples/lxc-systemd/forgejo-runner-service.sh
index e949f3de..370d5fff 100755
--- a/examples/lxc-systemd/forgejo-runner-service.sh
+++ b/examples/lxc-systemd/forgejo-runner-service.sh
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ trap "rm -fr $TMPDIR" EXIT
 : ${INPUTS_TOKEN:=}
 : ${INPUTS_FORGEJO:=https://code.forgejo.org}
 : ${INPUTS_LIFETIME:=7d}
-DEFAULT_LXC_HELPERS_VERSION=1.1.1 # renovate: datasource=forgejo-tags depName=forgejo/lxc-helpers
+DEFAULT_LXC_HELPERS_VERSION=1.1.3 # renovate: datasource=forgejo-tags depName=forgejo/lxc-helpers
 : ${INPUTS_LXC_HELPERS_VERSION:=$DEFAULT_LXC_HELPERS_VERSION}
 DEFAULT_RUNNER_VERSION=11.1.2 # renovate: datasource=forgejo-releases depName=forgejo/runner
 : ${INPUTS_RUNNER_VERSION:=$DEFAULT_RUNNER_VERSION}