diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/commands/create_distributed_table.c b/src/backend/distributed/commands/create_distributed_table.c
index 26a905f23..26e7e4b9e 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/commands/create_distributed_table.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/commands/create_distributed_table.c
@@ -60,6 +60,7 @@
 #include "distributed/relation_access_tracking.h"
 #include "distributed/remote_commands.h"
 #include "distributed/shared_library_init.h"
+#include "distributed/shard_rebalancer.h"
 #include "distributed/worker_protocol.h"
 #include "distributed/worker_shard_visibility.h"
 #include "distributed/worker_transaction.h"
@@ -851,6 +852,13 @@ CreateHashDistributedTableShards(Oid relationId, int shardCount,
 
 	if (colocatedTableId != InvalidOid)
 	{
+		/*
+		 * If there is a concurrent shard move on this
+		 * colocation group fail this backend. But, allow
+		 * concurrent colocated table creation.
+		 */
+		AcquireColocationLock(colocatedTableId, ShareLock, "colocate distributed table");
+
 		CreateColocatedShards(relationId, colocatedTableId, useExclusiveConnection);
 	}
 	else
diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/operations/repair_shards.c b/src/backend/distributed/operations/repair_shards.c
index f29f0a75a..7e6d3d434 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/operations/repair_shards.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/operations/repair_shards.c
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 #include "distributed/reference_table_utils.h"
 #include "distributed/remote_commands.h"
 #include "distributed/resource_lock.h"
+#include "distributed/shard_rebalancer.h"
 #include "distributed/worker_manager.h"
 #include "distributed/worker_protocol.h"
 #include "distributed/worker_transaction.h"
@@ -318,11 +319,12 @@ citus_move_shard_placement(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	ErrorIfMoveUnsupportedTableType(relationId);
 	ErrorIfTargetNodeIsNotSafeToMove(targetNodeName, targetNodePort);
 
+	AcquireColocationLock(relationId, ExclusiveLock, "move placement");
+
 	ShardInterval *shardInterval = LoadShardInterval(shardId);
 	Oid distributedTableId = shardInterval->relationId;
 
 	List *colocatedTableList = ColocatedTableList(distributedTableId);
-	List *colocatedShardList = ColocatedShardIntervalList(shardInterval);
 
 	foreach(colocatedTableCell, colocatedTableList)
 	{
@@ -351,6 +353,7 @@ citus_move_shard_placement(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	}
 
 	/* we sort colocatedShardList so that lock operations will not cause any deadlocks */
+	List *colocatedShardList = ColocatedShardIntervalList(shardInterval);
 	colocatedShardList = SortList(colocatedShardList, CompareShardIntervalsById);
 	foreach(colocatedShardCell, colocatedShardList)
 	{
diff --git a/src/backend/distributed/operations/shard_rebalancer.c b/src/backend/distributed/operations/shard_rebalancer.c
index 60cb39e3f..75d4cc6c9 100644
--- a/src/backend/distributed/operations/shard_rebalancer.c
+++ b/src/backend/distributed/operations/shard_rebalancer.c
@@ -230,7 +230,6 @@ static float4 NodeCapacity(WorkerNode *workerNode, void *context);
 static ShardCost GetShardCost(uint64 shardId, void *context);
 static List * NonColocatedDistRelationIdList(void);
 static void RebalanceTableShards(RebalanceOptions *options, Oid shardReplicationModeOid);
-static void AcquireColocationLock(Oid relationId, const char *operationName);
 static void ExecutePlacementUpdates(List *placementUpdateList, Oid
 									shardReplicationModeOid, char *noticeOperation);
 static float4 CalculateUtilization(float4 totalCost, float4 capacity);
@@ -621,11 +620,11 @@ GetColocatedRebalanceSteps(List *placementUpdateList)
 /*
  * AcquireColocationLock tries to acquire a lock for rebalance/replication. If
  * this is it not possible it fails instantly because this means another
- * rebalance/replication is currently happening. This would really mess up
- * planning.
+ * rebalance/replication/colocated table creation is currently happening.
+ * This would really mess up planning, could even cause lost placements.
  */
-static void
-AcquireColocationLock(Oid relationId, const char *operationName)
+void
+AcquireColocationLock(Oid relationId, int lockmode, const char *operationName)
 {
 	uint32 lockId = relationId;
 	LOCKTAG tag;
@@ -638,12 +637,17 @@ AcquireColocationLock(Oid relationId, const char *operationName)
 
 	SET_LOCKTAG_REBALANCE_COLOCATION(tag, (int64) lockId);
 
-	LockAcquireResult lockAcquired = LockAcquire(&tag, ExclusiveLock, false, true);
+	LockAcquireResult lockAcquired = LockAcquire(&tag, lockmode, false, true);
 	if (!lockAcquired)
 	{
 		ereport(ERROR, (errmsg("could not acquire the lock required to %s %s",
 							   operationName, generate_qualified_relation_name(
-								   relationId))));
+								   relationId)),
+						errdetail("It means that either a concurrent shard move "
+								  "or colocated distributed table creation is "
+								  "happening."),
+						errhint("Make sure that the concurrent operation has "
+								"finished and re-run the command")));
 	}
 }
 
@@ -945,7 +949,7 @@ replicate_table_shards(PG_FUNCTION_ARGS)
 	char transferMode = LookupShardTransferMode(shardReplicationModeOid);
 	EnsureReferenceTablesExistOnAllNodesExtended(transferMode);
 
-	AcquireColocationLock(relationId, "replicate");
+	AcquireColocationLock(relationId, ExclusiveLock, "replicate");
 
 	List *activeWorkerList = SortedActiveWorkers();
 	List *shardPlacementList = FullShardPlacementList(relationId, excludedShardArray);
@@ -1558,7 +1562,7 @@ RebalanceTableShards(RebalanceOptions *options, Oid shardReplicationModeOid)
 
 	foreach_oid(relationId, options->relationIdList)
 	{
-		AcquireColocationLock(relationId, operationName);
+		AcquireColocationLock(relationId, ExclusiveLock, operationName);
 	}
 
 	List *placementUpdateList = GetRebalanceSteps(options);
diff --git a/src/include/distributed/shard_rebalancer.h b/src/include/distributed/shard_rebalancer.h
index ed13248c3..eb1fb7684 100644
--- a/src/include/distributed/shard_rebalancer.h
+++ b/src/include/distributed/shard_rebalancer.h
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@ extern List * RebalancePlacementUpdates(List *workerNodeList,
 extern List * ReplicationPlacementUpdates(List *workerNodeList, List *shardPlacementList,
 										  int shardReplicationFactor);
 extern void ExecuteRebalancerCommandInSeparateTransaction(char *command);
+extern void AcquireColocationLock(Oid relationId, int lockmode,
+								  const char *operationName);
 
 
 #endif   /* SHARD_REBALANCER_H */