diff --git a/app/models/ability.rb b/app/models/ability.rb
index 1ee62162a6..c8dcf992ff 100644
--- a/app/models/ability.rb
+++ b/app/models/ability.rb
@@ -22,7 +22,8 @@ class Ability
                          :marker_permissions,
                          :encode_dashboard_permissions,
                          :timeline_permissions,
-                         :checkout_permissions]
+                         :checkout_permissions,
+                         :repository_read_only_permissions]
 
   # Override to add handling of SpeedyAF proxy objects
   def edit_permissions
@@ -260,6 +261,16 @@ def checkout_permissions
     end
   end
 
+  def repository_read_only_permissions
+    if Settings.repository_read_only_mode
+      cannot [:create, :edit, :update, :destroy, :update_access_control, :unpublish], [MediaObject, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject]
+      cannot [:create, :edit, :update, :destroy], [MasterFile, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile]
+      cannot [:create, :edit, :update, :destroy], [Derivative, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative]
+      cannot [:create, :edit, :update, :destroy, :update_unit, :update_access_control, :update_managers, :update_editors, :update_depositors], [Admin::Collection, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection]
+      cannot [:create, :edit, :update, :destroy], SpeedyAF::Base
+    end
+  end
+
   def is_administrator?
     @user_groups.include?("administrator")
   end
@@ -289,5 +300,4 @@ def is_api_request?
     @json_api_login ||= false
     @json_api_login
   end
-
 end
diff --git a/config/initializers/active_fedora_general.rb b/config/initializers/active_fedora_general.rb
index 968cb63305..0e17e96e41 100644
--- a/config/initializers/active_fedora_general.rb
+++ b/config/initializers/active_fedora_general.rb
@@ -209,3 +209,9 @@ def initialize(file)
     get_values(:type) << self.class.type
   end
 end
+
+ActiveFedora::Common.module_eval do
+  def readonly?
+    @readonly || Settings.repository_read_only_mode
+  end
+end
diff --git a/config/settings.yml b/config/settings.yml
index ef52e1131b..687ea27dcd 100644
--- a/config/settings.yml
+++ b/config/settings.yml
@@ -129,4 +129,9 @@ derivative:
 # If the default system /tmp directory is storage constrained, you can define an alternative here. 
 # Leave commented out to use the system default.
 # tempfile:
-#   location: '/tmp'
\ No newline at end of file
+#   location: '/tmp'
+
+# Enable read-only mode for disabling all save interactions with fedora and solr
+# Does not affect actions that only affect the database
+# This is useful when running long migrations
+repository_read_only_mode: false
diff --git a/spec/lib/active_fedora_base.rb b/spec/lib/active_fedora_base.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..eb17ac156c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/lib/active_fedora_base.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+# Copyright 2011-2024, The Trustees of Indiana University and Northwestern
+#   University.  Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+#   you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+#
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+# http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software distributed
+#   under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS, WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR
+#   CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied. See the License for the
+#   specific language governing permissions and limitations under the License.
+# ---  END LICENSE_HEADER BLOCK  ---
+
+require 'rails_helper'
+
+describe 'ActiveFedora::Base' do
+  let(:new_obj) { ActiveFedora::Base.new }
+  let(:obj) { ActiveFedora::Base.create }
+
+  # This tests changes overrides that are in config/initializers/active_fedora_general.rb
+  context 'when read-only mode' do
+    before { allow(Settings).to receive(:repository_read_only_mode).and_return(true) }
+
+    it 'raises ReadOnlyRecord for any write operation' do
+      expect { ActiveFedora::Base.create }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { new_obj.save }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { new_obj.save! }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.save }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.save! }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.update }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.update! }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.delete }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.destroy }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.destroy! }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { obj.eradicate }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { ActiveFedora::Base.eradicate(obj.to_uri) }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+      expect { ActiveFedora::Base.delete_tombstone(obj.to_uri) }.to raise_error ActiveFedora::ReadOnlyRecord
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/ability_spec.rb b/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
index 914b6aa858..c4662cda5b 100644
--- a/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/ability_spec.rb
@@ -20,4 +20,169 @@
       expect(Ability.new(nil).user_groups).to eq ["public"]
     end
   end
+
+  describe 'repository read-only mode' do
+    # Next line is let! to ensure that it runs before the before block which would stop the object from being created
+    let!(:media_object) { FactoryBot.create(:media_object) }
+    let(:media_object_proxy) { SpeedyAF::Base.find(media_object.id) }
+    let(:collection) { media_object.collection }
+    let(:collection_proxy) { SpeedyAF::Base.find(collection.id) }
+    let(:admin) { FactoryBot.create(:administrator) }
+    let(:session) { {} }
+    subject(:admin_ability) { Ability.new(admin, session) }
+
+    before { allow(Settings).to receive(:repository_read_only_mode).and_return(read_only) }
+
+    context 'with read-only enabled' do
+      let(:read_only) { true }
+
+      it 'has read-only abilities' do
+        expect(subject.can?(:manage, :all)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:manage, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:discover_everything, MediaObject)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, media_object)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, media_object_proxy)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, collection_proxy)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:unpublish, MediaObject)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:unpublish, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, MasterFile)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, MasterFile)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, MasterFile)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, MasterFile)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, Derivative)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, Derivative)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, Derivative)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, Derivative)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_unit, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_managers, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_editors, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_depositors, Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_unit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_managers, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_editors, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_depositors, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq false
+      end
+    end
+
+    context 'with read-only disabled' do
+      let(:read_only) { false }
+
+      it 'has all abilities' do
+        expect(subject.can?(:manage, :all)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:manage, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:discover_everything, MediaObject)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, media_object)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, collection)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:unpublish, MediaObject)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:unpublish, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MediaObject)).to eq true
+ 
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, MasterFile)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::MasterFile)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, Derivative)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Derivative)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_unit, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_managers, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_editors, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_depositors, Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+
+        expect(subject.can?(:create, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:read, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:edit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:destroy, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_unit, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_access_control, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_managers, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_editors, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+        expect(subject.can?(:update_depositors, SpeedyAF::Proxy::Admin::Collection)).to eq true
+      end
+    end
+  end
 end