diff --git a/src/LyXFunc.cpp b/src/LyXFunc.cpp
index 2a8bcb3dbc..f69f5f8882 100644
--- a/src/LyXFunc.cpp
+++ b/src/LyXFunc.cpp
@@ -1061,8 +1061,7 @@ void LyXFunc::dispatch(FuncRequest const & cmd)
 			LASSERT(lyx_view_ && lyx_view_->buffer(), /**/);
 			if (!ensureBufferClean(view()))
 				break;
-			if (lyx_view_->buffer()->lyxvc().inUse()
-					&& lyx_view_->buffer()->isReadonly()) {
+			if (lyx_view_->buffer()->lyxvc().inUse()) {
 				lyx_view_->buffer()->lyxvc().checkOut();
 				reloadBuffer();
 			}
diff --git a/src/VCBackend.cpp b/src/VCBackend.cpp
index 829b291ca6..8b9b7a1ade 100644
--- a/src/VCBackend.cpp
+++ b/src/VCBackend.cpp
@@ -464,13 +464,14 @@ bool SVN::checkInEnabled()
 
 void SVN::checkOut()
 {
-	lyxerr << "Sorry not implemented." << endl;
+	doVCCommand("svn update " + quoteName(onlyFilename(owner_->absFileName())),
+		    FileName(owner_->filePath()));
 }
 
 
 bool SVN::checkOutEnabled()
 {
-	return false;
+	return true;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/VCBackend.h b/src/VCBackend.h
index 402a723399..d44bb045f9 100644
--- a/src/VCBackend.h
+++ b/src/VCBackend.h
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ public:
 	/// return the lock status of this file
 	VCStatus status() const { return vcstatus; }
 	/// do we need special handling for read-only toggling?
+	/// (also used for check-out operation)
 	virtual bool toggleReadOnlyEnabled() = 0;
 protected:
 	/// parse information from the version file