diff --git a/packages/mcp/package.json b/packages/mcp/package.json
index 40f65e94..e3fa00f8 100644
--- a/packages/mcp/package.json
+++ b/packages/mcp/package.json
@@ -20,10 +20,12 @@
     "dependencies": {
         "@zilliz/claude-context-core": "workspace:*",
         "@modelcontextprotocol/sdk": "^1.12.1",
-        "zod": "^3.25.55"
+        "zod": "^3.25.55",
+        "proper-lockfile": "^4.1.2"
     },
     "devDependencies": {
         "@types/node": "^20.0.0",
+        "@types/proper-lockfile": "^4.1.4",
         "tsx": "^4.19.4",
         "typescript": "^5.0.0"
     },
diff --git a/packages/mcp/src/handlers.ts b/packages/mcp/src/handlers.ts
index 1530d0c3..e61ff777 100644
--- a/packages/mcp/src/handlers.ts
+++ b/packages/mcp/src/handlers.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import * as fs from "fs";
 import * as path from "path";
 import * as crypto from "crypto";
+import { isCurrentProcessLeader, acquireLock } from './lock';
 import { Context, COLLECTION_LIMIT_MESSAGE } from "@zilliz/claude-context-core";
 import { SnapshotManager } from "./snapshot.js";
 import { ensureAbsolutePath, truncateContent, trackCodebasePath } from "./utils.js";
@@ -29,6 +30,11 @@ export class ToolHandlers {
      * - If local snapshot is missing directories (exist in cloud), ignore them
      */
     private async syncIndexedCodebasesFromCloud(): Promise<void> {
+        if (!isCurrentProcessLeader()) {
+            console.log('[SYNC-CLOUD] This process is a follower. Skipping cloud sync.');
+            return;
+        }
+
         try {
             console.log(`[SYNC-CLOUD] 🔄 Syncing indexed codebases from Zilliz Cloud...`);
 
@@ -142,6 +148,16 @@ export class ToolHandlers {
     }
 
     public async handleIndexCodebase(args: any) {
+        if (!isCurrentProcessLeader()) {
+            return {
+                content: [{
+                    type: "text",
+                    text: "Another process is already indexing. This process is a follower and cannot index."
+                }],
+                isError: true
+            };
+        }
+
         const { path: codebasePath, force, splitter, customExtensions, ignorePatterns } = args;
         const forceReindex = force || false;
         const splitterType = splitter || 'ast'; // Default to AST
@@ -569,6 +585,16 @@ export class ToolHandlers {
     }
 
     public async handleClearIndex(args: any) {
+        if (!isCurrentProcessLeader()) {
+            return {
+                content: [{
+                    type: "text",
+                    text: "Another process is already indexing. This process is a follower and cannot index."
+                }],
+                isError: true
+            };
+        }
+
         const { path: codebasePath } = args;
 
         if (this.snapshotManager.getIndexedCodebases().length === 0 && this.snapshotManager.getIndexingCodebases().length === 0) {
diff --git a/packages/mcp/src/lock.ts b/packages/mcp/src/lock.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..bcbc6a92
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/mcp/src/lock.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+
+import os from 'os';
+import path from 'path';
+import fs from 'fs';
+import lockfile from 'proper-lockfile';
+
+const CONTEXT_DIR = path.join(os.homedir(), '.context');
+const LOCK_FILE = path.join(CONTEXT_DIR, 'leader.lock');
+
+// Ensure the .context directory exists
+if (!fs.existsSync(CONTEXT_DIR)) {
+  fs.mkdirSync(CONTEXT_DIR, { recursive: true });
+}
+
+let isLeader = false;
+let lockInterval: NodeJS.Timeout | undefined;
+
+export async function acquireLock(): Promise<boolean> {
+    if (isLeader) {
+        return true;
+    }
+    try {
+        // Using flock is generally more reliable as the lock is released by the OS if the process dies.
+        // proper-lockfile will use flock on systems that support it (Linux, BSD, etc.)
+        // and fall back to other mechanisms on systems that don't (like Windows).
+        await lockfile.lock(LOCK_FILE, { retries: 0, realpath: false });
+        isLeader = true;
+        console.log('Acquired leader lock. This process is now the leader.');
+        if (lockInterval) {
+            clearInterval(lockInterval);
+            lockInterval = undefined;
+        }
+        return true;
+    } catch (error) {
+        console.log('Could not acquire leader lock, running as follower.');
+        isLeader = false;
+        if (!lockInterval) {
+            lockInterval = setInterval(acquireLock, 5000); // Check every 5 seconds
+        }
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
+export async function releaseLock(): Promise<void> {
+  if (isLeader) {
+    try {
+      await lockfile.unlock(LOCK_FILE, { realpath: false });
+      isLeader = false;
+      console.log('Released leader lock.');
+    } catch (error) {
+      console.error('Error releasing leader lock:', error);
+    }
+  }
+}
+
+export function isCurrentProcessLeader(): boolean {
+  return isLeader;
+}
+
+export function getLockFilePath(): string {
+  return LOCK_FILE;
+}
+
+// Graceful shutdown
+process.on('exit', async () => {
+  await releaseLock();
+});
+
+process.on('SIGINT', async () => {
+  await releaseLock();
+  process.exit();
+});
+
+process.on('SIGTERM', async () => {
+  await releaseLock();
+  process.exit();
+});