diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 6fd96336..7b88aac4 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ and this project adheres to
 - ♿️(frontend) improve BoxButton a11y and native button semantics #2103
 - ♿️(frontend) improve language picker accessibility #2069
 - ♿️(frontend) add aria-hidden to decorative icons in dropdown menu #2093
+- 🐛(backend) move lock table closer to the insert operation targeted
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/src/backend/core/api/viewsets.py b/src/backend/core/api/viewsets.py
index 2f03f5d6..2bb258f9 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/api/viewsets.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/api/viewsets.py
@@ -674,17 +674,8 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
 
         return drf.response.Response(serializer.data)
 
-    @transaction.atomic
     def perform_create(self, serializer):
         """Set the current user as creator and owner of the newly created object."""
-
-        # locks the table to ensure safe concurrent access
-        with connection.cursor() as cursor:
-            cursor.execute(
-                f'LOCK TABLE "{models.Document._meta.db_table}" '  # noqa: SLF001
-                "IN SHARE ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE;"
-            )
-
         # Remove file from validated_data as it's not a model field
         # Process it if present
         uploaded_file = serializer.validated_data.pop("file", None)
@@ -707,10 +698,18 @@ class DocumentViewSet(
                     {"file": ["Could not convert file content"]}
                 ) from err
 
-        obj = models.Document.add_root(
-            creator=self.request.user,
-            **serializer.validated_data,
-        )
+        with transaction.atomic():
+            # locks the table to ensure safe concurrent access
+            with connection.cursor() as cursor:
+                cursor.execute(
+                    f'LOCK TABLE "{models.Document._meta.db_table}" '  # noqa: SLF001
+                    "IN SHARE ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE;"
+                )
+
+            obj = models.Document.add_root(
+                creator=self.request.user,
+                **serializer.validated_data,
+            )
         serializer.instance = obj
         models.DocumentAccess.objects.create(
             document=obj,
diff --git a/src/backend/core/models.py b/src/backend/core/models.py
index d1869e13..c6ed9ae1 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/models.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/models.py
@@ -267,6 +267,16 @@ class User(AbstractBaseUser, BaseModel, auth_models.PermissionsMixin):
         if settings.USER_ONBOARDING_SANDBOX_DOCUMENT:
             # transaction.atomic is used in a context manager to avoid a transaction if
             # the settings USER_ONBOARDING_SANDBOX_DOCUMENT is unused
+            sandbox_id = settings.USER_ONBOARDING_SANDBOX_DOCUMENT
+            try:
+                template_document = Document.objects.get(id=sandbox_id)
+            except Document.DoesNotExist:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Onboarding sandbox document with id %s does not exist. Skipping.",
+                    sandbox_id,
+                )
+                return
+
             with transaction.atomic():
                 # locks the table to ensure safe concurrent access
                 with connection.cursor() as cursor:
@@ -274,17 +284,6 @@ class User(AbstractBaseUser, BaseModel, auth_models.PermissionsMixin):
                         f'LOCK TABLE "{Document._meta.db_table}" '  # noqa: SLF001
                         "IN SHARE ROW EXCLUSIVE MODE;"
                     )
-
-                sandbox_id = settings.USER_ONBOARDING_SANDBOX_DOCUMENT
-                try:
-                    template_document = Document.objects.get(id=sandbox_id)
-                except Document.DoesNotExist:
-                    logger.warning(
-                        "Onboarding sandbox document with id %s does not exist. Skipping.",
-                        sandbox_id,
-                    )
-                    return
-
                 sandbox_document = Document.add_root(
                     title=template_document.title,
                     content=template_document.content,