diff --git a/doc/api/hooks_server-side.md b/doc/api/hooks_server-side.md
index 021f633f3..fb7b706df 100644
--- a/doc/api/hooks_server-side.md
+++ b/doc/api/hooks_server-side.md
@@ -292,6 +292,7 @@ You can pass the following values to the provided callback:
   downgraded to modify-only if `settings.editOnly` is true.)
 * `['modify']` will grant access to modify but not create the pad if the
   request is for a pad, otherwise access is simply granted.
+* `['readOnly']` will grant read-only access.
 * `[false]` will deny access.
 * `[]` or `undefined` will defer the authorization decision to the next
   authorization plugin (if any, otherwise deny).
diff --git a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
index 56e506023..1094fe837 100644
--- a/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
+++ b/src/node/handler/PadMessageHandler.js
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ var remoteAddress = require("../utils/RemoteAddress").remoteAddress;
 const assert = require('assert').strict;
 const nodeify = require("nodeify");
 const { RateLimiterMemory } = require('rate-limiter-flexible');
+const webaccess = require('../hooks/express/webaccess');
 
 const rateLimiter = new RateLimiterMemory({
   points: settings.commitRateLimiting.points,
@@ -224,7 +225,6 @@ exports.handleMessage = async function(client, message)
     padId = await readOnlyManager.getPadId(padId);
   }
 
-  // FIXME: Allow to override readwrite access with readonly
   const {session: {user} = {}} = client.client.request;
   const {accessStatus, authorID} =
       await securityManager.checkAccess(padId, auth.sessionID, auth.token, auth.password, user);
@@ -973,7 +973,8 @@ async function handleClientReady(client, message, authorID)
   // Save in sessioninfos that this session belonges to this pad
   sessionInfo.padId = padIds.padId;
   sessionInfo.readOnlyPadId = padIds.readOnlyPadId;
-  sessionInfo.readonly = padIds.readonly;
+  sessionInfo.readonly =
+      padIds.readonly || !webaccess.userCanModify(message.padId, client.client.request);
 
   // Log creation/(re-)entering of a pad
   let ip = remoteAddress[client.id];
@@ -1112,7 +1113,7 @@ async function handleClientReady(client, message, authorID)
       "chatHead": pad.chatHead,
       "numConnectedUsers": roomClients.length,
       "readOnlyId": padIds.readOnlyPadId,
-      "readonly": padIds.readonly,
+      "readonly": sessionInfo.readonly,
       "serverTimestamp": Date.now(),
       "userId": authorID,
       "abiwordAvailable": settings.abiwordAvailable(),
diff --git a/src/node/hooks/express/specialpages.js b/src/node/hooks/express/specialpages.js
index b11f77a00..2b5ea231c 100644
--- a/src/node/hooks/express/specialpages.js
+++ b/src/node/hooks/express/specialpages.js
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ var eejs = require('ep_etherpad-lite/node/eejs');
 var toolbar = require("ep_etherpad-lite/node/utils/toolbar");
 var hooks = require('ep_etherpad-lite/static/js/pluginfw/hooks');
 var settings = require('../../utils/Settings');
+const webaccess = require('./webaccess');
 
 exports.expressCreateServer = function (hook_name, args, cb) {
   // expose current stats
@@ -42,7 +43,8 @@ exports.expressCreateServer = function (hook_name, args, cb) {
   args.app.get('/p/:pad', function(req, res, next)
   {
     // The below might break for pads being rewritten
-    var isReadOnly = req.url.indexOf("/p/r.") === 0;
+    const isReadOnly =
+        req.url.indexOf("/p/r.") === 0 || !webaccess.userCanModify(req.params.pad, req);
 
     hooks.callAll("padInitToolbar", {
       toolbar: toolbar,
diff --git a/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js b/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js
index 0f3a01ee7..2be42ceab 100644
--- a/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js
+++ b/src/node/hooks/express/webaccess.js
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+const assert = require('assert').strict;
 const express = require('express');
 const log4js = require('log4js');
 const httpLogger = log4js.getLogger('http');
@@ -15,6 +16,7 @@ exports.normalizeAuthzLevel = (level) => {
   switch (level) {
     case true:
       return 'create';
+    case 'readOnly':
     case 'modify':
     case 'create':
       return level;
@@ -24,6 +26,16 @@ exports.normalizeAuthzLevel = (level) => {
   return false;
 };
 
+exports.userCanModify = (padId, req) => {
+  if (!settings.requireAuthentication) return true;
+  const {session: {user} = {}} = req;
+  assert(user); // If authn required and user == null, the request should have already been denied.
+  assert(user.padAuthorizations); // This is populated even if !settings.requireAuthorization.
+  const level = exports.normalizeAuthzLevel(user.padAuthorizations[padId]);
+  assert(level); // If !level, the request should have already been denied.
+  return level !== 'readOnly';
+};
+
 // Exported so that tests can set this to 0 to avoid unnecessary test slowness.
 exports.authnFailureDelayMs = 1000;
 
diff --git a/tests/backend/specs/socketio.js b/tests/backend/specs/socketio.js
index 717c4f7b8..b22d8cd5a 100644
--- a/tests/backend/specs/socketio.js
+++ b/tests/backend/specs/socketio.js
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ describe('socket.io access checks', function() {
     assert.equal(clientVars.data.readonly, false);
   });
   it("level='modify' -> can modify", async () => {
-    const pad = await padManager.getPad('pad'); // Create the pad.
+    await padManager.getPad('pad'); // Create the pad.
     authorize = () => 'modify';
     settings.requireAuthentication = true;
     settings.requireAuthorization = true;
@@ -282,4 +282,24 @@ describe('socket.io access checks', function() {
     const message = await handshake(socket, 'pad');
     assert.equal(message.accessStatus, 'deny');
   });
+  it("level='readOnly' -> unable to create", async () => {
+    authorize = () => 'readOnly';
+    settings.requireAuthentication = true;
+    settings.requireAuthorization = true;
+    const res = await agent.get('/p/pad').auth('user', 'user-password').expect(200);
+    socket = await connect(res);
+    const message = await handshake(socket, 'pad');
+    assert.equal(message.accessStatus, 'deny');
+  });
+  it("level='readOnly' -> unable to modify", async () => {
+    await padManager.getPad('pad'); // Create the pad.
+    authorize = () => 'readOnly';
+    settings.requireAuthentication = true;
+    settings.requireAuthorization = true;
+    const res = await agent.get('/p/pad').auth('user', 'user-password').expect(200);
+    socket = await connect(res);
+    const clientVars = await handshake(socket, 'pad');
+    assert.equal(clientVars.type, 'CLIENT_VARS');
+    assert.equal(clientVars.data.readonly, true);
+  });
 });