diff --git a/lib/locking/file_locking.c b/lib/locking/file_locking.c
index 4e51c7e85..fb452c6fd 100644
--- a/lib/locking/file_locking.c
+++ b/lib/locking/file_locking.c
@@ -244,6 +244,10 @@ int init_file_locking(struct locking_type *locking, struct config_file *cf)
 	if (!create_dir(_lock_dir))
 		return 0;
 
+	/* Trap a read-only file system */
+	if ((access(_lock_dir, R_OK | W_OK | X_OK) == -1) && (errno == EROFS))
+		return 0;
+
 	list_init(&_lock_list);
 
 	if (sigfillset(&_intsigset) || sigfillset(&_fullsigset)) {
diff --git a/lib/locking/locking.c b/lib/locking/locking.c
index 0073d4893..6ebf10804 100644
--- a/lib/locking/locking.c
+++ b/lib/locking/locking.c
@@ -75,24 +75,32 @@ int init_locking(int type, struct config_file *cf)
 		init_no_locking(&_locking, cf);
 		log_print("WARNING: Locking disabled. Be careful! "
 			  "This could corrupt your metadata.");
-		break;
+		return 1;
+
 	case 1:
 		if (!init_file_locking(&_locking, cf))
-			return 0;
+			break;
 		log_very_verbose("File-based locking enabled.");
-		break;
+		return 1;
 
 	case 2:
 		if (!init_external_locking(&_locking, cf))
-			return 0;
+			break;
 		log_very_verbose("External locking enabled.");
-		break;
+		return 1;
 
 	default:
 		log_error("Unknown locking type requested.");
 		return 0;
 	}
 
+	if (!ignorelockingfailure())
+		return 0;
+
+	log_verbose("Locking disabled - only read operations permitted.");
+
+	init_no_locking(&_locking, cf);
+
 	return 1;
 }
 
diff --git a/lib/log/log.c b/lib/log/log.c
index f6cf07cd4..ce576fcf5 100644
--- a/lib/log/log.c
+++ b/lib/log/log.c
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ static int _syslog = 0;
 static int _indent = 1;
 static int _log_cmd_name = 0;
 static int _log_suppress = 0;
+static int _ignorelockingfailure = 0;
 static char _cmd_name[30] = "";
 static char _msg_prefix[30] = "  ";
 
@@ -66,6 +67,11 @@ void init_partial(int level)
 	_partial = level;
 }
 
+void init_ignorelockingfailure(int level)
+{
+	_ignorelockingfailure = level;
+}
+
 void init_cmd_name(int status)
 {
 	_log_cmd_name = status;
@@ -100,6 +106,11 @@ int partial_mode()
 	return _partial;
 }
 
+int ignorelockingfailure()
+{
+	return _ignorelockingfailure;
+}
+
 void init_debug(int level)
 {
 	_debug_level = level;
diff --git a/lib/log/log.h b/lib/log/log.h
index 810f2fddb..112e2df56 100644
--- a/lib/log/log.h
+++ b/lib/log/log.h
@@ -52,12 +52,14 @@ void init_debug(int level);
 void init_cmd_name(int status);
 void init_msg_prefix(const char *prefix);
 void init_indent(int indent);
+void init_ignorelockingfailure(int level);
 
 void set_cmd_name(const char *cmd_name);
 
 int test_mode(void);
 int partial_mode(void);
 int debug_level(void);
+int ignorelockingfailure(void);
 
 /* Suppress messages to stdout/stderr */
 void log_suppress(int suppress);
diff --git a/tools/args.h b/tools/args.h
index b2eda99c6..ecfb1d12c 100644
--- a/tools/args.h
+++ b/tools/args.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 arg(version_ARG, '\0', "version", NULL)
 arg(quiet_ARG, '\0', "quiet", NULL)
 arg(physicalvolumesize_ARG, '\0', "setphysicalvolumesize", size_arg)
+arg(ignorelockingfailure_ARG, '\0', "ignorelockingfailure", NULL)
 
 /* Allow some variations */
 arg(resizable_ARG, '\0', "resizable", yes_no_arg)
diff --git a/tools/commands.h b/tools/commands.h
index 036acd16e..bac069290 100644
--- a/tools/commands.h
+++ b/tools/commands.h
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@ xx(lvchange,
 
    autobackup_ARG, available_ARG, contiguous_ARG,
    minor_ARG, persistent_ARG, partial_ARG,
-   permission_ARG, readahead_ARG, test_ARG)
+   permission_ARG, readahead_ARG, test_ARG,
+   ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(lvcreate,
    "Create a logical volume",
@@ -103,7 +104,7 @@ xx(lvdisplay,
    "\t[-v/--verbose]\n"
    "\tLogicalVolume[Path] [LogicalVolume[Path]...]\n",
 
-    colon_ARG, disk_ARG, maps_ARG, partial_ARG)
+    colon_ARG, disk_ARG, maps_ARG, partial_ARG, ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(lvextend,
    "Add space to a logical volume",
@@ -230,7 +231,7 @@ xx(lvscan,
    "\t[-v|--verbose] " "\n"
    "\t[--version]\n",
 
-   blockdevice_ARG, disk_ARG, partial_ARG)
+   blockdevice_ARG, disk_ARG, partial_ARG, ignorelockingfailure_ARG);
 
 xx(pvchange,
    "Change attributes of physical volume(s)",
@@ -291,7 +292,7 @@ xx(pvdisplay,
    "\t[-v/--verbose]\n"
    "\tPhysicalVolumePath [PhysicalVolumePath...]\n",
 
-   colon_ARG, maps_ARG, short_ARG)
+   colon_ARG, maps_ARG, short_ARG, ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(pvmove,
    "Move extents from one physical volume to another",
@@ -334,7 +335,8 @@ xx(pvscan,
    "\t[-v|--verbose] " "\n"
    "\t[--version]\n",
 
-   exported_ARG,  novolumegroup_ARG, partial_ARG, short_ARG, uuid_ARG)
+   exported_ARG,  novolumegroup_ARG, partial_ARG, short_ARG, uuid_ARG,
+   ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(vgcfgbackup,
    "Backup volume group configuration(s)",
@@ -345,7 +347,7 @@ xx(vgcfgbackup,
    "\t[-v|--verbose]" "\n"
    "\t[-V|--version] " "\n"
    "\t[VolumeGroupName...]\n",
-   file_ARG)
+   file_ARG, partial_ARG, ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(vgcfgrestore,
    "Restore volume group configuration",
@@ -379,7 +381,7 @@ xx(vgchange,
 
    autobackup_ARG, available_ARG, logicalvolume_ARG, partial_ARG,
    resizeable_ARG, resizable_ARG, allocation_ARG,
-   test_ARG)
+   test_ARG, ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(vgck,
    "Check the consistency of volume group(s)",
@@ -418,7 +420,8 @@ xx(vgdisplay,
    "\t[--version]" "\n"
    "\t[VolumeGroupName...] ]\n",
 
-   activevolumegroups_ARG, colon_ARG, disk_ARG, short_ARG, partial_ARG)
+   activevolumegroups_ARG, colon_ARG, disk_ARG, short_ARG, partial_ARG,
+   ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(vgexport,
    "Unregister volume group(s) from the system",
@@ -524,7 +527,7 @@ xx(vgscan,
    "\t[-h/-?/--help]\n"
    "\t[-P/--partial] " "\n"
    "\t[-v/--verbose]\n" ,
-   partial_ARG)
+   partial_ARG, ignorelockingfailure_ARG)
 
 xx(vgsplit,
    "Move physical volumes into a new volume group",
diff --git a/tools/lvchange.c b/tools/lvchange.c
index 6e6942e51..8f9b50ca2 100644
--- a/tools/lvchange.c
+++ b/tools/lvchange.c
@@ -41,6 +41,13 @@ int lvchange(struct cmd_context *cmd, int argc, char **argv)
 		return EINVALID_CMD_LINE;
 	}
 
+	if (arg_count(cmd, ignorelockingfailure_ARG) &&
+	    (arg_count(cmd, contiguous_ARG) || arg_count(cmd, permission_ARG) ||
+	     arg_count(cmd, readahead_ARG) || arg_count(cmd, persistent_ARG))) {
+		log_error("Only -a permitted with --ignorelockingfailure");
+		return EINVALID_CMD_LINE;
+	}
+
 	if (!argc) {
 		log_error("Please give logical volume path(s)");
 		return EINVALID_CMD_LINE;
diff --git a/tools/lvm.c b/tools/lvm.c
index f6434a1a4..366b906bc 100644
--- a/tools/lvm.c
+++ b/tools/lvm.c
@@ -640,6 +640,11 @@ static int process_common_commands(struct command *com)
 	} else
 		init_partial(0);
 
+	if (arg_count(cmd, ignorelockingfailure_ARG))
+		init_ignorelockingfailure(1);
+	else
+		init_ignorelockingfailure(0);
+
 	/* Handle synonyms */
 	if (!merge_synonym(resizable_ARG, resizeable_ARG) ||
 	    !merge_synonym(allocation_ARG, allocatable_ARG) ||
diff --git a/tools/vgchange.c b/tools/vgchange.c
index 87424f06e..9deeb4535 100644
--- a/tools/vgchange.c
+++ b/tools/vgchange.c
@@ -63,6 +63,12 @@ int vgchange(struct cmd_context *cmd, int argc, char **argv)
 		return EINVALID_CMD_LINE;
 	}
 
+	if (arg_count(cmd, ignorelockingfailure_ARG) &&
+	    !arg_count(cmd, available_ARG)) {
+		log_error("--ignorelockingfailure only available with -a");
+		return EINVALID_CMD_LINE;
+	}
+
 	if (arg_count(cmd, available_ARG) == 1
 	    && arg_count(cmd, autobackup_ARG)) {
 		log_error("-A option not necessary with -a option");