diff --git a/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIO.java b/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIO.java
index 43975683eba1..786fa91f5582 100644
--- a/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIO.java
+++ b/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/main/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIO.java
@@ -2005,10 +2005,14 @@ static class WriteToSpannerFn extends DoFn<Iterable<MutationGroup>, Void> {
     /* Number of times an aborted write to spanner could be retried */
     private static final int ABORTED_RETRY_ATTEMPTS = 5;
     /* Error string in Aborted exception during schema change */
-    private final String errString =
+    private final String schemaChangeErrString =
         "Transaction aborted. "
             + "Database schema probably changed during transaction, retry may succeed.";
 
+    /* Error string in Aborted exception for concurrent transaction in Spanner Emulator */
+    private final String emulatorErrorString =
+        "The emulator only supports one transaction at a time.";
+
     @VisibleForTesting static Sleeper sleeper = Sleeper.DEFAULT;
 
     private final Counter mutationGroupBatchesReceived =
@@ -2139,7 +2143,9 @@ private void spannerWriteWithRetryIfSchemaChange(List<Mutation> batch) throws Sp
           if (retry >= ABORTED_RETRY_ATTEMPTS) {
             throw e;
           }
-          if (e.isRetryable() || e.getMessage().contains(errString)) {
+          if (e.isRetryable()
+              || e.getMessage().contains(schemaChangeErrString)
+              || e.getMessage().contains(emulatorErrorString)) {
             continue;
           }
           throw e;
diff --git a/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/test/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIOWriteTest.java b/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/test/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIOWriteTest.java
index 2f5d4d7aed87..9cd6008a9466 100644
--- a/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/test/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIOWriteTest.java
+++ b/sdks/java/io/google-cloud-platform/src/test/java/org/apache/beam/sdk/io/gcp/spanner/SpannerIOWriteTest.java
@@ -758,12 +758,22 @@ public void deadlineExceededFailsAfterRetries() throws InterruptedException {
 
   @Test
   public void retryOnSchemaChangeException() throws InterruptedException {
-    List<Mutation> mutationList = Arrays.asList(buildUpsertMutation((long) 1));
-
     String errString =
         "Transaction aborted. "
             + "Database schema probably changed during transaction, retry may succeed.";
+    retryOnAbortedExceptionWithMessage(errString);
+  }
 
+  @Test
+  public void retryOnEmulatorRejectedConcurrentTransaction() throws InterruptedException {
+    String errString =
+        "Transaction 199 aborted due to active transaction 167. "
+            + "The emulator only supports one transaction at a time.";
+    retryOnAbortedExceptionWithMessage(errString);
+  }
+
+  public void retryOnAbortedExceptionWithMessage(String errString) throws InterruptedException {
+    List<Mutation> mutationList = Arrays.asList(buildUpsertMutation((long) 1));
     // mock sleeper so that it does not actually sleep.
     WriteToSpannerFn.sleeper = Mockito.mock(Sleeper.class);
 
@@ -806,11 +816,22 @@ public void retryOnSchemaChangeException() throws InterruptedException {
 
   @Test
   public void retryMaxOnSchemaChangeException() throws InterruptedException {
-    List<Mutation> mutationList = Arrays.asList(buildUpsertMutation((long) 1));
-
     String errString =
         "Transaction aborted. "
             + "Database schema probably changed during transaction, retry may succeed.";
+    retryMaxOnAbortedExceptionWithMessage(errString);
+  }
+
+  @Test
+  public void retryMaxOnEmulatorRejectedConcurrentTransaction() throws InterruptedException {
+    String errString =
+        "Transaction 199 aborted due to active transaction 167. "
+            + "The emulator only supports one transaction at a time.";
+    retryOnAbortedExceptionWithMessage(errString);
+  }
+
+  public void retryMaxOnAbortedExceptionWithMessage(String errString) throws InterruptedException {
+    List<Mutation> mutationList = Arrays.asList(buildUpsertMutation((long) 1));
 
     // mock sleeper so that it does not actually sleep.
     WriteToSpannerFn.sleeper = Mockito.mock(Sleeper.class);