diff --git a/src/buffer.cc b/src/buffer.cc
index 9c38605a4..ffb45e184 100644
--- a/src/buffer.cc
+++ b/src/buffer.cc
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ Buffer::Buffer(String name, Flags flags, BufferLines lines,
 
     options().get_local_option("eolformat").set(eolformat);
     options().get_local_option("BOM").set(bom);
+    options().get_local_option("readonly").set((bool)(flags & Flags::ReadOnly));
 
     // now we may begin to record undo data
     if (not (flags & Flags::NoUndo))