diff --git a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
index aa58a834f9..8d0c75e6dd 100644
--- a/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
+++ b/src/frontends/qt4/GuiView.cpp
@@ -1210,7 +1210,7 @@ bool GuiView::getStatus(FuncRequest const & cmd, FuncStatus & flag)
 			}
 		}
 		else if (name == "symbols") {
-			if (!view() || view()->cursor().inMathed())
+			if (buf->isReadonly() || !view() || view()->cursor().inMathed())
 				enable = false;
 			else {
 				InsetCode ic = view()->cursor().inset().lyxCode();
diff --git a/status.16x b/status.16x
index 1a63ea1677..cf98e6651e 100644
--- a/status.16x
+++ b/status.16x
@@ -202,6 +202,9 @@ What's new
   (e.g. ".lyx15"). This avoids a crash when loading two files with
   identical names but different extensions (bug 5646), and disambiguates
   such files in the user interface.
+
+- Disable Symbols dialog for read-only dialog. This prevents a potential
+  crash.
   
 - Fall back to default UI file if the specified one cannot be found
   (bug 6076).