diff --git a/lib/libimhex/CMakeLists.txt b/lib/libimhex/CMakeLists.txt
index 1977cf830..7d12c5e30 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/lib/libimhex/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ set(LIBIMHEX_SOURCES
         source/ui/banner.cpp
 
         source/subcommands/subcommands.cpp
+        source/init/cli.cpp
 )
 
 if (APPLE)
diff --git a/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/imhex_api/system.hpp b/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/imhex_api/system.hpp
index f83dcbe20..3522756dc 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/imhex_api/system.hpp
+++ b/lib/libimhex/include/hex/api/imhex_api/system.hpp
@@ -88,6 +88,8 @@ EXPORT_MODULE namespace hex {
             bool frameRateUnlockRequested();
             void resetFrameRateUnlockRequested();
 
+            void setReadOnlyMode(bool enabled);
+
         }
 
         /**
@@ -186,6 +188,11 @@ EXPORT_MODULE namespace hex {
         */
         std::string getInitArgument(const std::string &key);
 
+        /**
+         * @brief Returns whether ImHex is running in read-only mode (no edits/saves)
+         */
+        bool isReadOnlyMode();
+
         /**
          * @brief Sets if ImHex should follow the system theme
          * @param enabled Whether to follow the system theme
diff --git a/lib/libimhex/source/api/imhex_api.cpp b/lib/libimhex/source/api/imhex_api.cpp
index 549d13e95..ed9d7f661 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/source/api/imhex_api.cpp
+++ b/lib/libimhex/source/api/imhex_api.cpp
@@ -619,6 +619,11 @@ namespace hex {
                 s_frameRateUnlockRequested = false;
             }
 
+            static bool s_readOnlyMode = false;
+            void setReadOnlyMode(bool enabled) {
+                s_readOnlyMode = enabled;
+            }
+
         }
 
         bool isMainInstance() {
@@ -1092,6 +1097,10 @@ namespace hex {
             RequestSetPostProcessingShader::post(vertexShader, fragmentShader);
         }
 
+        bool isReadOnlyMode() {
+            return impl::s_readOnlyMode;
+        }
+
 
     }
 
diff --git a/lib/libimhex/source/init/cli.cpp b/lib/libimhex/source/init/cli.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..c84b1d477
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/libimhex/source/init/cli.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+#include <hex.hpp>
+
+#include <hex/api/imhex_api/system.hpp>
+
+namespace hex::init::cli_support {
+
+    void applyGlobalFlag(const std::string &arg) {
+        if (arg == "--readonly" || arg == "-r") {
+            ImHexApi::System::impl::setReadOnlyMode(true);
+        }
+    }
+
+}
+
+
diff --git a/lib/libimhex/source/providers/provider.cpp b/lib/libimhex/source/providers/provider.cpp
index 9ed32f0d0..431f2193a 100644
--- a/lib/libimhex/source/providers/provider.cpp
+++ b/lib/libimhex/source/providers/provider.cpp
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ namespace hex::prv {
     }
 
     void Provider::write(u64 offset, const void *buffer, size_t size) {
-        if (!this->isWritable())
+        if (!this->isWritable() || ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode())
             return;
 
         EventProviderDataModified::post(this, offset, size, static_cast<const u8*>(buffer));
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ namespace hex::prv {
     }
 
     void Provider::save() {
-        if (!this->isWritable())
+        if (!this->isWritable() || ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode())
             return;
         
         EventProviderSaved::post(this);
@@ -100,6 +100,9 @@ namespace hex::prv {
     }
 
     bool Provider::resize(u64 newSize) {
+        if (ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode()) {
+            return false;
+        }
         if (newSize >> 63) {
             log::error("new provider size is very large ({}). Is it a negative number ?", newSize);
             return false;
@@ -116,12 +119,14 @@ namespace hex::prv {
     }
 
     void Provider::insert(u64 offset, u64 size) {
+        if (ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode()) return;
         EventProviderDataInserted::post(this, offset, size);
 
         this->markDirty();
     }
 
     void Provider::remove(u64 offset, u64 size) {
+        if (ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode()) return;
         EventProviderDataRemoved::post(this, offset, size);
 
         this->markDirty();
diff --git a/main/gui/source/init/run/cli.cpp b/main/gui/source/init/run/cli.cpp
index a5315c264..ce91611a7 100644
--- a/main/gui/source/init/run/cli.cpp
+++ b/main/gui/source/init/run/cli.cpp
@@ -71,7 +71,24 @@ namespace hex::init {
             PluginManager::load(dir);
         }
 
-        // Process the arguments
+        // Process our own global flags first
+        {
+            std::vector<std::string> remaining;
+            remaining.reserve(args.size());
+
+            for (size_t i = 0; i < args.size(); i += 1) {
+                const auto &arg = args[i];
+                if (arg == "--readonly" || arg == "-r") {
+                    ImHexApi::System::impl::setReadOnlyMode(true);
+                    continue;
+                }
+                remaining.push_back(arg);
+            }
+
+            args.swap(remaining);
+        }
+
+        // Process the arguments (subcommands) after handling globals
         hex::subcommands::processArguments(args);
 
         // Explicitly don't unload plugins again here.
diff --git a/plugins/builtin/source/content/events.cpp b/plugins/builtin/source/content/events.cpp
index ec1b2e79a..9f32c81d4 100644
--- a/plugins/builtin/source/content/events.cpp
+++ b/plugins/builtin/source/content/events.cpp
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
 
         EventWindowClosing::subscribe([](GLFWwindow *window) {
             imhexClosing = false;
-            if (ImHexApi::Provider::isDirty() && !imhexClosing) {
+            if (!ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode() && ImHexApi::Provider::isDirty() && !imhexClosing) {
                 glfwSetWindowShouldClose(window, GLFW_FALSE);
                 ui::PopupQuestion::open("hex.builtin.popup.exit_application.desc"_lang,
                     [] {
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
 
         EventCloseButtonPressed::subscribe([]() {
             if (ImHexApi::Provider::isValid()) {
-                if (ImHexApi::Provider::isDirty()) {
+                if (!ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode() && ImHexApi::Provider::isDirty()) {
                     ui::PopupQuestion::open("hex.builtin.popup.exit_application.desc"_lang,
                         [] {
                             for (const auto &provider : ImHexApi::Provider::getProviders())
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
         });
 
         EventProviderClosing::subscribe([](const prv::Provider *provider, bool *shouldClose) {
-            if (provider->isDirty()) {
+            if (!ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode() && provider->isDirty()) {
                 *shouldClose = false;
                 PopupUnsavedChanges::open("hex.builtin.popup.close_provider.desc"_lang,
                     []{
diff --git a/plugins/builtin/source/content/main_menu_items.cpp b/plugins/builtin/source/content/main_menu_items.cpp
index 88a325ed8..47ee1d977 100644
--- a/plugins/builtin/source/content/main_menu_items.cpp
+++ b/plugins/builtin/source/content/main_menu_items.cpp
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ namespace hex::plugin::builtin {
         }
 
         bool noRunningTaskAndWritableProvider() {
-            return noRunningTasks() && ImHexApi::Provider::isValid() && ImHexApi::Provider::get()->isWritable();
+            return noRunningTasks() && !ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode() && ImHexApi::Provider::isValid() && ImHexApi::Provider::get()->isWritable();
         }
 
     }
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 979391fd5..ccccdf04b 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -5,4 +5,5 @@ target_compile_definitions(tests_common PUBLIC IMHEX_PROJECT_NAME="${PROJECT_NAM
 
 add_subdirectory(helpers)
 add_subdirectory(algorithms)
-add_subdirectory(plugins)
\ No newline at end of file
+add_subdirectory(plugins)
+add_subdirectory(cli)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/tests/cli/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/cli/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ec8a64cc6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.16)
+
+project(cli_test)
+set(TEST_CATEGORY CLI)
+
+set(AVAILABLE_TESTS
+    ReadOnlyFlagSetsMode
+)
+
+add_executable(${PROJECT_NAME}
+        source/test_cli_readonly.cpp
+)
+
+target_include_directories(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE include)
+target_link_libraries(${PROJECT_NAME} PRIVATE libimhex tests_common ${FMT_LIBRARIES})
+
+set_target_properties(${PROJECT_NAME} PROPERTIES RUNTIME_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
+
+foreach (test IN LISTS AVAILABLE_TESTS)
+    add_test(NAME "${TEST_CATEGORY}/${test}" COMMAND ${PROJECT_NAME} "${test}" WORKING_DIRECTORY ${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR})
+endforeach ()
+
+add_dependencies(unit_tests ${PROJECT_NAME})
+
+
diff --git a/tests/cli/source/test_cli_readonly.cpp b/tests/cli/source/test_cli_readonly.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..cba524bc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/cli/source/test_cli_readonly.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+#include <hex/test/tests.hpp>
+
+#include <hex/api/imhex_api/system.hpp>
+
+// We only declare the CLI runner here; it's defined in the GUI main module
+namespace hex::init {
+    void runCommandLine(int argc, char **argv);
+}
+
+static int runReadOnlyCLI(const std::vector<const char*> &args) {
+    int argc = static_cast<int>(args.size());
+    // const_cast is safe here because CLI layer doesn't mutate program name/args strings
+    auto argv = const_cast<char**>(reinterpret_cast<char* const*>(args.data()));
+    hex::init::runCommandLine(argc, argv);
+    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+TEST_SEQUENCE("ReadOnlyFlagSetsMode") {
+    // Simulate: imhex --readonly somefile
+    const char *prog = "imhex";
+    const char *flag = "--readonly";
+    const char *file = "dummy.bin";
+    const std::vector<const char*> argv = { prog, flag, file };
+
+    (void) runReadOnlyCLI(argv);
+
+    // Expect the global read-only mode to be enabled
+    TEST_ASSERT(hex::ImHexApi::System::isReadOnlyMode());
+
+    TEST_SUCCESS();
+};
+
+