diff --git a/java/google/registry/dns/DnsQueue.java b/java/google/registry/dns/DnsQueue.java
index c94f56ec9..0934595ac 100644
--- a/java/google/registry/dns/DnsQueue.java
+++ b/java/google/registry/dns/DnsQueue.java
@@ -15,7 +15,6 @@
 package google.registry.dns;
 
 import static com.google.common.base.Preconditions.checkArgument;
-import static com.google.common.base.Strings.isNullOrEmpty;
 import static google.registry.dns.DnsConstants.DNS_PULL_QUEUE_NAME;
 import static google.registry.dns.DnsConstants.DNS_TARGET_NAME_PARAM;
 import static google.registry.dns.DnsConstants.DNS_TARGET_TYPE_PARAM;
@@ -35,13 +34,11 @@ import com.google.apphosting.api.DeadlineExceededException;
 import com.google.common.base.Optional;
 import com.google.common.collect.ImmutableList;
 import com.google.common.net.InternetDomainName;
-import google.registry.config.ConfigModule.Config;
 import google.registry.dns.DnsConstants.TargetType;
 import google.registry.model.registry.Registries;
 import google.registry.util.FormattingLogger;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.concurrent.TimeUnit;
-import javax.annotation.Nullable;
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 import javax.inject.Named;
 import org.joda.time.Duration;
@@ -51,7 +48,6 @@ public class DnsQueue {
 
   private static final FormattingLogger logger = FormattingLogger.getLoggerForCallerClass();
 
-  @Inject @Config("dnsWriteLockTimeout") Duration writeLockTimeout;
   @Inject @Named(DNS_PULL_QUEUE_NAME) Queue queue;
   @Inject DnsQueue() {}
 
@@ -93,23 +89,10 @@ public class DnsQueue {
     return addToQueue(TargetType.ZONE, fullyQualifiedZoneName, fullyQualifiedZoneName);
   }
 
-  /**
-   * Returns a batch of pending tasks.
-   */
-  public List<TaskHandle> leaseTasks() {
-    return leaseTasks(null);
-  }
-
-  /**
-   * Returns a batch of pending tasks.
-   *
-   * @param tag the filter used to lease only those tasks that match
-   */
-  public List<TaskHandle> leaseTasks(@Nullable String tag) {
+  /** Returns handles for a batch of tasks, leased for the specified duration. */
+  public List<TaskHandle> leaseTasks(Duration leaseDuration) {
     try {
-      return isNullOrEmpty(tag)
-          ? queue.leaseTasks(writeLockTimeout.getMillis(), MILLISECONDS, writeBatchSize)
-          : queue.leaseTasksByTag(writeLockTimeout.getMillis(), MILLISECONDS, writeBatchSize, tag);
+      return queue.leaseTasks(leaseDuration.getMillis(), MILLISECONDS, writeBatchSize);
     } catch (TransientFailureException | DeadlineExceededException e) {
       logger.severe(e, "Failed leasing tasks too fast");
       return ImmutableList.of();
@@ -154,7 +137,6 @@ public class DnsQueue {
    */
   public static DnsQueue create() {
     DnsQueue result = new DnsQueue();
-    result.writeLockTimeout = Duration.standardSeconds(120);
     result.queue = QueueFactory.getQueue(DNS_PULL_QUEUE_NAME);
     return result;
   }
diff --git a/java/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueAction.java b/java/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueAction.java
index 2ebb0a844..fe5899056 100644
--- a/java/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueAction.java
+++ b/java/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueAction.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ import java.util.Random;
 import java.util.Set;
 import javax.inject.Inject;
 import javax.inject.Named;
+import org.joda.time.Duration;
 
 /**
  * Action for fanning out DNS refresh tasks by TLD, using data taken from the DNS pull queue.
@@ -72,6 +73,7 @@ public final class ReadDnsQueueAction implements Runnable {
   private static final FormattingLogger logger = FormattingLogger.getLoggerForCallerClass();
 
   @Inject @Config("dnsTldUpdateBatchSize") int tldUpdateBatchSize;
+  @Inject @Config("dnsWriteLockTimeout") Duration writeLockTimeout;
   @Inject @Named(DNS_PUBLISH_PUSH_QUEUE_NAME) Queue dnsPublishPushQueue;
   @Inject @Parameter(JITTER_SECONDS_PARAM) Optional<Integer> jitterSeconds;
   @Inject @Parameter(KEEP_TASKS_PARAM) boolean keepTasks;
@@ -104,7 +106,7 @@ public final class ReadDnsQueueAction implements Runnable {
   public void run() {
     Set<String> tldsOfInterest = getTlds();
 
-    List<TaskHandle> tasks = dnsQueue.leaseTasks();
+    List<TaskHandle> tasks = dnsQueue.leaseTasks(writeLockTimeout);
     if (tasks.isEmpty()) {
       return;
     }
diff --git a/javatests/google/registry/dns/DnsQueueTest.java b/javatests/google/registry/dns/DnsQueueTest.java
index 259db7d13..70c681481 100644
--- a/javatests/google/registry/dns/DnsQueueTest.java
+++ b/javatests/google/registry/dns/DnsQueueTest.java
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ import static google.registry.testing.TaskQueueHelper.assertTasksEnqueued;
 import google.registry.testing.AppEngineRule;
 import google.registry.testing.ExceptionRule;
 import google.registry.testing.TaskQueueHelper.TaskMatcher;
-import org.joda.time.Duration;
 import org.junit.Before;
 import org.junit.Rule;
 import org.junit.Test;
@@ -49,7 +48,6 @@ public class DnsQueueTest {
     dnsQueue = new DnsQueue();
     dnsQueue.queue = getQueue("dns-pull");
     dnsQueue.writeBatchSize = 10;
-    dnsQueue.writeLockTimeout = Duration.standardSeconds(30);
   }
 
   @Test
diff --git a/javatests/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueActionTest.java b/javatests/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueActionTest.java
index 20b8ca21d..d2ba37cd0 100644
--- a/javatests/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueActionTest.java
+++ b/javatests/google/registry/dns/ReadDnsQueueActionTest.java
@@ -88,12 +88,12 @@ public class ReadDnsQueueActionTest {
     persistResource(Registry.get("example").asBuilder().setTldType(TldType.TEST).build());
     dnsQueue = new DnsQueue();
     dnsQueue.queue = getQueue(DNS_PULL_QUEUE_NAME);
-    dnsQueue.writeLockTimeout = Duration.standardSeconds(10);
   }
 
   private void run(boolean keepTasks) throws Exception {
     ReadDnsQueueAction action = new ReadDnsQueueAction();
     action.tldUpdateBatchSize = TEST_TLD_UPDATE_BATCH_SIZE;
+    action.writeLockTimeout = Duration.standardSeconds(10);
     action.dnsQueue = dnsQueue;
     action.dnsPublishPushQueue = QueueFactory.getQueue(DNS_PUBLISH_PUSH_QUEUE_NAME);
     action.taskEnqueuer = new TaskEnqueuer(new Retrier(null, 1));