diff --git a/cni/plugin.go b/cni/plugin.go
index d811155234..a0664ad25d 100644
--- a/cni/plugin.go
+++ b/cni/plugin.go
@@ -158,9 +158,6 @@ func (plugin *Plugin) InitializeKeyValueStore(config *common.PluginConfig) error
 			log.Printf("[cni] Failed to create store: %v.", err)
 			return err
 		}
-
-		// Force unlock the json store if the lock file is left on the node after reboot
-		removeLockFileAfterReboot(plugin)
 	}
 
 	// Acquire store lock.
diff --git a/cni/plugin_linux.go b/cni/plugin_linux.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 1a950712c2..0000000000
--- a/cni/plugin_linux.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-package cni
-
-import (
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-container-networking/log"
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-container-networking/platform"
-)
-
-func removeLockFileAfterReboot(plugin *Plugin) {
-	rebootTime, _ := platform.GetLastRebootTime()
-	log.Printf("[cni] reboot time %v", rebootTime)
-}
diff --git a/cni/plugin_windows.go b/cni/plugin_windows.go
deleted file mode 100644
index 34a96403a4..0000000000
--- a/cni/plugin_windows.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,22 +0,0 @@
-package cni
-
-import (
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-container-networking/log"
-	"github.com/Azure/azure-container-networking/platform"
-)
-
-func removeLockFileAfterReboot(plugin *Plugin) {
-	if lockFileModTime, err := plugin.Store.GetLockFileModificationTime(); err == nil {
-		rebootTime, err := platform.GetLastRebootTime()
-		log.Printf("[cni] reboot time %v storeLockFile mod time %v", rebootTime, lockFileModTime)
-		if err == nil && rebootTime.After(lockFileModTime) {
-			log.Printf("[cni] Detected Reboot")
-
-			if err := plugin.Store.Unlock(true); err != nil {
-				log.Printf("[cni] Failed to force unlock store due to error %v", err)
-			} else {
-				log.Printf("[cni] Force unlocked the store successfully")
-			}
-		}
-	}
-}
diff --git a/store/json.go b/store/json.go
index 3181f371a9..84cdff5c0a 100644
--- a/store/json.go
+++ b/store/json.go
@@ -176,6 +176,11 @@ func (kvs *jsonFileStore) flush() error {
 
 // Lock locks the store for exclusive access.
 func (kvs *jsonFileStore) Lock(block bool) error {
+	var (
+		lockFile *os.File
+		err      error
+	)
+
 	kvs.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer kvs.Mutex.Unlock()
 
@@ -183,9 +188,8 @@ func (kvs *jsonFileStore) Lock(block bool) error {
 		return ErrStoreLocked
 	}
 
-	var lockFile *os.File
-	var err error
-	lockPerm := os.FileMode(0o664) + os.FileMode(os.ModeExclusive)
+	//nolint:gomnd // 0o664 - read write mode constant
+	lockPerm := os.FileMode(0o644) + os.FileMode(os.ModeExclusive)
 
 	// Try to acquire the lock file.
 	var lockRetryCount uint
@@ -270,14 +274,6 @@ func (kvs *jsonFileStore) GetLockFileModificationTime() (time.Time, error) {
 	kvs.Mutex.Lock()
 	defer kvs.Mutex.Unlock()
 
-	// Check if the file exists.
-	file, err := os.Open(kvs.lockFileName)
-	if err != nil {
-		return time.Time{}.UTC(), err
-	}
-
-	defer file.Close()
-
 	info, err := os.Stat(kvs.lockFileName)
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("os.stat() for file %v failed: %v", kvs.lockFileName, err)