diff --git a/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils.py b/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils.py
index 102a4ab7..69d437b7 100644
--- a/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils.py
+++ b/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils.py
@@ -76,7 +76,12 @@ def _unlock_checkpoint(
   """Removes a LOCKED directory to indicate unlocking."""
   if multihost.process_index() == 0:
     logging.info('Unlocking existing step: %d.', step)
-    step_dir = step_name_format.find_step(checkpoint_dir, step).path
+    try:
+      step_dir = step_name_format.find_step(checkpoint_dir, step).path
+    except ValueError as e:
+      # Checkpoint no longer exists, so there is nothing to unlock.
+      logging.warning('Did not find checkpoint: %s', e)
+      return
     utils.lockdir(step_dir).unlink(missing_ok=True)
 
 
diff --git a/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils_test.py b/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils_test.py
index 6fbe3b58..63d01cd9 100644
--- a/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils_test.py
+++ b/checkpoint/orbax/checkpoint/checkpoint_utils_test.py
@@ -302,6 +302,12 @@ def test_unlock_existing(self):
     self.assertFalse(utils.is_locked(self.directory / str(0)))
     self.assertFalse(utils.is_locked(self.directory / str(1)))
 
+  def test_unlock_deleted(self):
+    # Checkpoint does not exist; `_unlock_checkpoint` returns without raising.
+    checkpoint_utils._unlock_checkpoint(
+        self.directory, step=0, step_name_format=step_lib.standard_name_format()
+    )
+
   @parameterized.parameters(
       (None, None),
       (None, 8),