diff --git a/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementStartWorkflow.php b/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementStartWorkflow.php
--- a/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementStartWorkflow.php
+++ b/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementStartWorkflow.php
@@ -11,11 +11,19 @@
           'Start the standard configured collection of Phabricator daemons. '.
           'This is appropriate for most installs. Use **phd launch** to '.
           'customize which daemons are launched.'))
-      ->setArguments(array());
+      ->setArguments(
+        array(
+          array(
+            'name' => 'keep-leases',
+            'help' => pht(
+              'By default, **phd start** will free all task leases held by '.
+              'the daemons. With this flag, this step will be skipped.'),
+          ),
+        ));
   }
 
   public function execute(PhutilArgumentParser $args) {
-    return $this->executeStartCommand();
+    return $this->executeStartCommand($args->getArg('keep-leases'));
   }
 
 }
diff --git a/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementWorkflow.php b/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementWorkflow.php
--- a/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementWorkflow.php
+++ b/src/applications/daemon/management/PhabricatorDaemonManagementWorkflow.php
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@
 /* -(  Commands  )----------------------------------------------------------- */
 
 
-  protected function executeStartCommand() {
+  protected function executeStartCommand($keep_leases = false) {
     $console = PhutilConsole::getConsole();
 
     $running = $this->loadRunningDaemons();
@@ -246,6 +246,16 @@
       }
     }
 
+    if ($keep_leases) {
+      $console->writeErr("%s\n", pht('Not touching active task queue leases.'));
+    } else {
+      $console->writeErr("%s\n", pht('Freeing active task leases...'));
+      $count = $this->freeActiveLeases();
+      $console->writeErr(
+        "%s\n",
+        pht('Freed %s task lease(s).', new PhutilNumber($count)));
+    }
+
     $daemons = array(
       array('PhabricatorRepositoryPullLocalDaemon', array()),
       array('PhabricatorGarbageCollectorDaemon', array()),
@@ -352,4 +362,15 @@
     return 0;
   }
 
+  private function freeActiveLeases() {
+    $task_table = id(new PhabricatorWorkerActiveTask());
+    $conn_w = $task_table->establishConnection('w');
+    queryfx(
+      $conn_w,
+      'UPDATE %T SET leaseExpires = UNIX_TIMESTAMP()
+        WHERE leaseExpires > UNIX_TIMESTAMP()',
+      $task_table->getTableName());
+    return $conn_w->getAffectedRows();
+  }
+
 }