diff --git a/oslo_concurrency/lockutils.py b/oslo_concurrency/lockutils.py
index 6b514df..b2e96a2 100644
--- a/oslo_concurrency/lockutils.py
+++ b/oslo_concurrency/lockutils.py
@@ -53,8 +53,12 @@ _opts = [
 ]
 
 
+def _register_opts(conf):
+    conf.register_opts(_opts, group='oslo_concurrency')
+
+
 CONF = cfg.CONF
-CONF.register_opts(_opts, group='oslo_concurrency')
+_register_opts(CONF)
 
 
 def set_defaults(lock_path):
@@ -65,6 +69,16 @@ def set_defaults(lock_path):
     cfg.set_defaults(_opts, lock_path=lock_path)
 
 
+def get_lock_path(conf):
+    """Return the path used for external file-based locks.
+
+    :param conf: Configuration object
+    :type conf: oslo_config.cfg.ConfigOpts
+    """
+    _register_opts(conf)
+    return conf.oslo_concurrency.lock_path
+
+
 class _Hourglass(object):
     """A hourglass like periodic timer."""
 
diff --git a/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_lockutils.py b/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_lockutils.py
index 258592d..e163078 100644
--- a/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_lockutils.py
+++ b/oslo_concurrency/tests/unit/test_lockutils.py
@@ -898,3 +898,20 @@ class TestLockFixture(test_base.BaseTestCase):
         fixture = fixtures.LockFixture('test-lock')
         self.useFixture(fixture)
         self.lock = fixture.lock
+
+
+class TestGetLockPath(test_base.BaseTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        super(TestGetLockPath, self).setUp()
+        self.conf = self.useFixture(config.Config(lockutils.CONF)).conf
+
+    def test_get_default(self):
+        lockutils.set_defaults(lock_path='/the/path')
+        self.assertEqual('/the/path', lockutils.get_lock_path(self.conf))
+
+    def test_get_override(self):
+        lockutils._register_opts(self.conf)
+        self.conf.set_override('lock_path', '/alternate/path',
+                               group='oslo_concurrency')
+        self.assertEqual('/alternate/path', lockutils.get_lock_path(self.conf))