diff --git a/lib/moodlelib.php b/lib/moodlelib.php
index c4cab7d5dbf..0283ceb904b 100644
--- a/lib/moodlelib.php
+++ b/lib/moodlelib.php
@@ -9789,6 +9789,39 @@ function get_performance_info() {
     return $info;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Renames a file or directory to a unique name within the same directory.
+ *
+ * This function is designed to avoid any potential race conditions, and select an unused name.
+ *
+ * @param string $filepath Original filepath
+ * @param string $prefix Prefix to use for the temporary name
+ * @return string|bool New file path or false if failed
+ * @since Moodle 3.10
+ */
+function rename_to_unused_name(string $filepath, string $prefix = '_temp_') {
+    $dir = dirname($filepath);
+    $basename = $dir . '/' . $prefix;
+    $limit = 0;
+    while ($limit < 100) {
+        // Select a new name based on a random number.
+        $newfilepath = $basename . md5(mt_rand());
+
+        // Attempt a rename to that new name.
+        if (@rename($filepath, $newfilepath)) {
+            return $newfilepath;
+        }
+
+        // The first time, do some sanity checks, maybe it is failing for a good reason and there
+        // is no point trying 100 times if so.
+        if ($limit === 0 && (!file_exists($filepath) || !is_writable($dir))) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        $limit++;
+    }
+    return false;
+}
+
 /**
  * Delete directory or only its content
  *
@@ -9801,6 +9834,19 @@ function remove_dir($dir, $contentonly=false) {
         // Nothing to do.
         return true;
     }
+
+    if (!$contentonly) {
+        // Start by renaming the directory; this will guarantee that other processes don't write to it
+        // while it is in the process of being deleted.
+        $tempdir = rename_to_unused_name($dir);
+        if ($tempdir) {
+            // If the rename was successful then delete the $tempdir instead.
+            $dir = $tempdir;
+        }
+        // If the rename fails, we will continue through and attempt to delete the directory
+        // without renaming it since that is likely to at least delete most of the files.
+    }
+
     if (!$handle = opendir($dir)) {
         return false;
     }
diff --git a/lib/tests/moodlelib_test.php b/lib/tests/moodlelib_test.php
index 3f40d078d4d..cbb7dc2d925 100644
--- a/lib/tests/moodlelib_test.php
+++ b/lib/tests/moodlelib_test.php
@@ -4713,4 +4713,67 @@ class core_moodlelib_testcase extends advanced_testcase {
             ],
         ];
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests the rename_to_unused_name function with a file.
+     */
+    public function test_rename_to_unused_name_file() {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        // Create a new file in dataroot.
+        $file = $CFG->dataroot . '/argh.txt';
+        file_put_contents($file, 'Frogs');
+
+        // Rename it.
+        $newname = rename_to_unused_name($file);
+
+        // Check new name has expected format.
+        $this->assertRegExp('~/_temp_[a-f0-9]+$~', $newname);
+
+        // Check it's still in the same folder.
+        $this->assertEquals($CFG->dataroot, dirname($newname));
+
+        // Check file can be loaded.
+        $this->assertEquals('Frogs', file_get_contents($newname));
+
+        // OK, delete the file.
+        unlink($newname);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests the rename_to_unused_name function with a directory.
+     */
+    public function test_rename_to_unused_name_dir() {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        // Create a new directory in dataroot.
+        $file = $CFG->dataroot . '/arghdir';
+        mkdir($file);
+
+        // Rename it.
+        $newname = rename_to_unused_name($file);
+
+        // Check new name has expected format.
+        $this->assertRegExp('~/_temp_[a-f0-9]+$~', $newname);
+
+        // Check it's still in the same folder.
+        $this->assertEquals($CFG->dataroot, dirname($newname));
+
+        // Check it's still a directory
+        $this->assertTrue(is_dir($newname));
+
+        // OK, delete the directory.
+        rmdir($newname);
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * Tests the rename_to_unused_name function with error cases.
+     */
+    public function test_rename_to_unused_name_failure() {
+        global $CFG;
+
+        // Rename a file that doesn't exist.
+        $file = $CFG->dataroot . '/argh.txt';
+        $this->assertFalse(rename_to_unused_name($file));
+    }
 }
diff --git a/lib/upgrade.txt b/lib/upgrade.txt
index 60a675eba42..665a52d48ae 100644
--- a/lib/upgrade.txt
+++ b/lib/upgrade.txt
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@ information provided here is intended especially for developers.
   a callback function instead of an array of options.
 * Admin setting admin_setting_configselect now supports validating the selection by supplying a
   callback function.
+* New library function rename_to_unused_name() to rename a file within its current location.
 
 === 3.9 ===
 * Following function has been deprecated, please use \core\task\manager::run_from_cli().