data queue's and locks

Problem:  I want to send a *SHUTDOWN command to a data queue, but I do not 
want to do so, if the data queue job is already dead.  Tried some simple 
little logic like
PGM

DCL &QNAME     *CHAR   10  VALUE(EXCLEIACT)
DCL &QLIB      *CHAR   10  VALUE(*LIBL)
DCL &QLEN      *DEC     5  VALUE(9)
DCL &QDATA     *CHAR    9  VALUE('*SHUTDOWN')
DCL &QWAIT     *DEC     5  VALUE(0) /* Seconds to wait */


/* Check lock status.*/
ALCOBJ     OBJ((&QLIB/&QNAME *DTAQ *EXCL)) WAIT(&qwait)
MONMSG     MSGID(CPF1002) EXEC(DO)
  /* Data queue in use therefore EXCLEIACT is running. */
  RCVMSG     MSGTYPE(*LAST) /* Clear the unable to allocate message from 
job queue */
  /* Send the shutdown command */
  CALL       PGM(QSNDDTAQ) PARM(&QNAME &QLIB &QLEN &QDATA)
ENDDO

ENDPGM

However there is no lock on the object even if the data queue reader job 
is at this call stack:

Type  Program 
   1  QCMD       QSYS 
      EXCLEIACT  GDIHQ
      EXCLEIACT  GDIHQ
      QRCVDTAQ   QSYS 

So, I guess my options include:
1 - Modifying the reader program to do some sort of ALCOBJ to get this 
logic to work.
2 - Using the list jobs api to see if the EXCLEIACT job is running.
3 - Modifying the reader program to clear the data queue upon start (which 
may cause issues with other stacked up entries).

Rob Berendt