diff --git a/server/planning/commands/__init__.py b/server/planning/commands/__init__.py
index 128b9f5ea..e7951c119 100644
--- a/server/planning/commands/__init__.py
+++ b/server/planning/commands/__init__.py
@@ -3,3 +3,4 @@
 from .delete_marked_assignments import DeleteMarkedAssignments  # noqa
 from .export_to_newsroom import ExportToNewsroom  # noqa
 from .export_scheduled_filters import ExportScheduledFilters  # noqa
+from .purge_expired_locks import PurgeExpiredLocks  # noqa
diff --git a/server/planning/commands/purge_expired_locks.py b/server/planning/commands/purge_expired_locks.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f9fa090ae
--- /dev/null
+++ b/server/planning/commands/purge_expired_locks.py
@@ -0,0 +1,145 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8; -*-
+#
+# This file is part of Superdesk.
+#
+# Copyright 2024 Sourcefabric z.u. and contributors.
+#
+# For the full copyright and license information, please see the
+# AUTHORS and LICENSE files distributed with this source code, or
+# at https://www.sourcefabric.org/superdesk/license
+
+import logging
+
+from flask import current_app as app
+from eve.utils import date_to_str
+
+from superdesk import Command, command, get_resource_service, Option
+from superdesk.utc import utcnow
+from superdesk.lock import lock, unlock
+from superdesk.celery_task_utils import get_lock_id
+from planning.item_lock import LOCK_ACTION, LOCK_SESSION, LOCK_TIME, LOCK_USER
+
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+class PurgeExpiredLocks(Command):
+    """
+    Purge item locks that are linked to a non-existing session
+
+    resource: The name of the resource to purge item locks for
+
+    Example:
+    ::
+
+        $ python manage.py planning:purge_expired_locks -r events
+        $ python manage.py planning:purge_expired_locks -r planning
+        $ python manage.py planning:purge_expired_locks -r assignments
+    """
+
+    option_list = [Option("--resource", "-r", required=True)]
+
+    def run(self, resource: str):
+        logger.info("Starting to purge expired item locks")
+
+        lock_name = get_lock_id("purge_expired_locks", resource)
+        if not lock(lock_name, expire=600):
+            logger.info("purge expired locks task is already running")
+            return
+
+        try:
+            self._purge_item_locks(resource)
+        except Exception as err:
+            logger.exception(f"Failed to purge item locks ({err})")
+        finally:
+            unlock(lock_name)
+
+        logger.info("Completed purging expired item locks")
+
+    def _purge_item_locks(self, resource: str):
+        resource_service = get_resource_service(resource)
+        try:
+            autosave_service = get_resource_service(
+                "event_autosave" if resource == "events" else f"{resource}_autosave"
+            )
+        except KeyError:
+            autosave_service = None
+
+        for items in self.get_locked_items(resource):
+            failed_ids = []
+            for item in items:
+                try:
+                    item_id = item["_id"]
+                except KeyError:
+                    logger.exception("Item ID not found, unable to purge its lock")
+                    continue
+
+                try:
+                    # Remove all lock information from this item
+                    resource_service.system_update(
+                        item_id,
+                        {
+                            LOCK_USER: None,
+                            LOCK_ACTION: None,
+                            LOCK_SESSION: None,
+                            LOCK_TIME: None,
+                        },
+                        item,
+                        push_notification=False,
+                    )
+                except Exception as err:
+                    logger.exception(f"Failed to purge item lock ({err})")
+                    failed_ids.append(item_id)
+                    continue
+
+                if autosave_service is None:
+                    continue
+
+                try:
+                    # Delete any autosave items associated with this item
+                    autosave_service.delete_action(lookup={"_id": item_id})
+                except Exception as err:
+                    logger.exception(f"Failed to delete autosave item(s) ({err})")
+
+            num_items = len(items)
+            num_success = num_items - len(failed_ids)
+            if num_success != num_items:
+                logger.warning(f"{num_success}/{num_items} item locks purged. Failed IDs: {failed_ids}")
+            else:
+                logger.info(f"{num_items} item locks purged")
+
+    def get_locked_items(self, resource: str):
+        now = utcnow()
+        active_sessions = [str(session["_id"]) for session in get_resource_service("auth").get(req=None, lookup={})]
+        service = get_resource_service(resource)
+        total_received = 0
+        query = {
+            "query": {
+                "bool": {
+                    "filter": [
+                        {"exists": {"field": LOCK_SESSION}},
+                        # Use a range filter for lock time, so if this task takes a while
+                        # it will exclude any newer item locks and/or sessions
+                        {"range": {LOCK_TIME: {"lt": date_to_str(now)}}},
+                    ],
+                    "must_not": [
+                        {"terms": {LOCK_SESSION: active_sessions}},
+                    ],
+                },
+            },
+            "size": app.config["MAX_EXPIRY_QUERY_LIMIT"],
+            "sort": [{LOCK_TIME: "asc"}],
+        }
+
+        for i in range(app.config["MAX_EXPIRY_LOOPS"]):
+            query["from"] = total_received
+            results = list(service.search(query))
+            num_results = len(results)
+
+            if not num_results:
+                break
+
+            total_received += num_results
+            yield results
+
+
+command("planning:purge_expired_locks", PurgeExpiredLocks())