diff --git a/src/frontends/controllers/ControlPrint.h b/src/frontends/controllers/ControlPrint.h
index f1d0b3c825..f6023ae0df 100644
--- a/src/frontends/controllers/ControlPrint.h
+++ b/src/frontends/controllers/ControlPrint.h
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ public:
 	///
 	virtual bool isBufferDependent() const { return true; }
 	///
+	virtual bool canApplyToReadOnly() const { return true; }
+	///
 	virtual kb_action getLfun() const { return LFUN_BUFFER_PRINT; }
 
 	/// Browse for a file
diff --git a/src/frontends/controllers/ControlViewSource.h b/src/frontends/controllers/ControlViewSource.h
index 43081f5658..0c2218e5d4 100644
--- a/src/frontends/controllers/ControlViewSource.h
+++ b/src/frontends/controllers/ControlViewSource.h
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ public:
 	virtual bool isBufferDependent() const { return true; }
 	///
 	bool canApply() const { return true; }
+	///
+	virtual bool canApplyToReadOnly() const { return true; }
 
 	/// The title displayed by the dialog reflects source type.
 	docstring const title() const;
diff --git a/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.cpp b/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.cpp
index d8591586ee..a46f1b84a3 100644
--- a/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ void Dialog::apply()
 {
 	if (controller().isBufferDependent()) {
 		if (!kernel().isBufferAvailable() ||
-		    kernel().isBufferReadonly())
+		    (kernel().isBufferReadonly() &&
+		     !controller().canApplyToReadOnly()))
 			return;
 	}
 
@@ -188,7 +189,7 @@ void Dialog::checkStatus()
 		bc().readOnly(readonly);
 		// refreshReadOnly() is too generous in _enabling_ widgets
 		// update dialog to disable disabled widgets again
-		if (!readonly)
+		if (!readonly || controller().canApplyToReadOnly())
 			view().update();
 	} else
 		bc().readOnly(true);
diff --git a/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.h b/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.h
index 0caa303816..892f69cc88 100644
--- a/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.h
+++ b/src/frontends/controllers/Dialog.h
@@ -161,6 +161,12 @@ public:
 	 */
 	virtual bool isBufferDependent() const = 0;
 
+	/** \return true if the dialog can apply data also
+	 *  for ReadOnly buffers.
+	 *  This has to be distinguished from isBufferDependent()
+	 */
+	virtual bool canApplyToReadOnly() const { return false; }
+
 	/** The lfun that is sent for applying the data.
 	 *
 	 * This method is used by the default implementation of canApply()