diff --git a/qemu/qmp.go b/qemu/qmp.go
index 53ba105a8..73d2ec4cf 100644
--- a/qemu/qmp.go
+++ b/qemu/qmp.go
@@ -773,11 +773,12 @@ func (q *QMP) ExecuteQuit(ctx context.Context) error {
 	return q.executeCommand(ctx, "quit", nil, nil)
 }
 
-func (q *QMP) blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID string) (map[string]interface{}, map[string]interface{}) {
+func (q *QMP) blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID string, ro bool) (map[string]interface{}, map[string]interface{}) {
 	var args map[string]interface{}
 
 	blockdevArgs := map[string]interface{}{
-		"driver": "raw",
+		"driver":    "raw",
+		"read-only": ro,
 		"file": map[string]interface{}{
 			"driver":   "file",
 			"filename": device,
@@ -801,8 +802,8 @@ func (q *QMP) blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID string) (map[string]interfa
 // path of the device to add, e.g., /dev/rdb0, and blockdevID is an identifier
 // used to name the device.  As this identifier will be passed directly to QMP,
 // it must obey QMP's naming rules, e,g., it must start with a letter.
-func (q *QMP) ExecuteBlockdevAdd(ctx context.Context, device, blockdevID string) error {
-	args, _ := q.blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID)
+func (q *QMP) ExecuteBlockdevAdd(ctx context.Context, device, blockdevID string, ro bool) error {
+	args, _ := q.blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID, ro)
 
 	return q.executeCommand(ctx, "blockdev-add", args, nil)
 }
@@ -814,8 +815,8 @@ func (q *QMP) ExecuteBlockdevAdd(ctx context.Context, device, blockdevID string)
 // direct denotes whether use of O_DIRECT (bypass the host page cache)
 // is enabled.  noFlush denotes whether flush requests for the device are
 // ignored.
-func (q *QMP) ExecuteBlockdevAddWithCache(ctx context.Context, device, blockdevID string, direct, noFlush bool) error {
-	args, blockdevArgs := q.blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID)
+func (q *QMP) ExecuteBlockdevAddWithCache(ctx context.Context, device, blockdevID string, direct, noFlush, ro bool) error {
+	args, blockdevArgs := q.blockdevAddBaseArgs(device, blockdevID, ro)
 
 	if q.version.Major < 2 || (q.version.Major == 2 && q.version.Minor < 9) {
 		return fmt.Errorf("versions of qemu (%d.%d) older than 2.9 do not support set cache-related options for block devices",
diff --git a/qemu/qmp_test.go b/qemu/qmp_test.go
index 60457453c..5a7233f72 100644
--- a/qemu/qmp_test.go
+++ b/qemu/qmp_test.go
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ func TestQMPBlockdevAdd(t *testing.T) {
 	q := startQMPLoop(buf, cfg, connectedCh, disconnectedCh)
 	q.version = checkVersion(t, connectedCh)
 	err := q.ExecuteBlockdevAdd(context.Background(), "/dev/rbd0",
-		fmt.Sprintf("drive_%s", volumeUUID))
+		fmt.Sprintf("drive_%s", volumeUUID), false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ func TestQMPBlockdevAddWithCache(t *testing.T) {
 	q := startQMPLoop(buf, cfg, connectedCh, disconnectedCh)
 	q.version = checkVersion(t, connectedCh)
 	err := q.ExecuteBlockdevAddWithCache(context.Background(), "/dev/rbd0",
-		fmt.Sprintf("drive_%s", volumeUUID), true, true)
+		fmt.Sprintf("drive_%s", volumeUUID), true, true, false)
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fatalf("Unexpected error %v", err)
 	}