diff --git a/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/api/ModeEndpoint.java b/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/api/ModeEndpoint.java
index a02976afb5..c07ae31509 100644
--- a/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/api/ModeEndpoint.java
+++ b/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/api/ModeEndpoint.java
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@
 
 import static javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType.APPLICATION_JSON;
 import static javax.ws.rs.core.MediaType.TEXT_PLAIN;
-import static pl.allegro.tech.hermes.management.domain.mode.ModeService.ManagementMode.READ_ONLY;
 import static pl.allegro.tech.hermes.management.domain.mode.ModeService.ManagementMode.READ_WRITE;
+import static pl.allegro.tech.hermes.management.domain.mode.ModeService.ManagementMode.READ_ONLY_ADMIN;
 
 @Component
 @Path("/mode")
@@ -48,10 +48,11 @@ public Response setMode(@QueryParam("mode") String mode) {
         }
         switch (mode) {
             case ModeService.READ_WRITE:
-                modeService.setMode(READ_WRITE);
+                modeService.setModeByAdmin(READ_WRITE);
                 break;
             case ModeService.READ_ONLY:
-                modeService.setMode(READ_ONLY);
+            case ModeService.READ_ONLY_ADMIN:
+                modeService.setModeByAdmin(READ_ONLY_ADMIN);
                 break;
             default:
                 return Response.status(Response.Status.BAD_REQUEST).build();
diff --git a/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/mode/ModeService.java b/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/mode/ModeService.java
index df1e2d92f0..6b8583d0a5 100644
--- a/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/mode/ModeService.java
+++ b/hermes-management/src/main/java/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/mode/ModeService.java
@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ public class ModeService {
 
     public static final String READ_WRITE = "readWrite";
     public static final String READ_ONLY = "readOnly";
+    public static final String READ_ONLY_ADMIN = "readOnlyAdmin";
 
     public enum ManagementMode {
         READ_WRITE(ModeService.READ_WRITE),
-        READ_ONLY(ModeService.READ_ONLY);
+        READ_ONLY(ModeService.READ_ONLY),
+        READ_ONLY_ADMIN(ModeService.READ_ONLY_ADMIN);
 
         private final String text;
 
@@ -30,11 +32,18 @@ public ManagementMode getMode() {
         return mode;
     }
 
-    public void setMode(ManagementMode mode) {
+    public synchronized void setModeByAdmin(ManagementMode mode) {
         this.mode = mode;
     }
 
     public boolean isReadOnlyEnabled() {
-        return mode == ManagementMode.READ_ONLY;
+        return mode == ManagementMode.READ_ONLY || mode == ManagementMode.READ_ONLY_ADMIN;
+    }
+
+    public synchronized void setMode(ManagementMode newMode) {
+        /* READ_ONLY_ADMIN is a flag that can be changed only by admin */
+        if (!mode.equals(ManagementMode.READ_ONLY_ADMIN)) {
+            this.mode = newMode;
+        }
     }
 }
diff --git a/hermes-management/src/test/groovy/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/health/HealthCheckTaskTest.groovy b/hermes-management/src/test/groovy/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/health/HealthCheckTaskTest.groovy
index aed11162b0..bdff69be31 100644
--- a/hermes-management/src/test/groovy/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/health/HealthCheckTaskTest.groovy
+++ b/hermes-management/src/test/groovy/pl/allegro/tech/hermes/management/domain/health/HealthCheckTaskTest.groovy
@@ -90,6 +90,37 @@ class HealthCheckTaskTest extends MultiZookeeperIntegrationTest {
         successfulCounter.count() == 3
     }
 
+    def "should not change status to READ_WRITE if READ_ONLY is set by admin"() {
+        given:
+        modeService.setModeByAdmin(ModeService.ManagementMode.READ_ONLY_ADMIN)
+
+        when:
+        healthCheckTask.run()
+
+        then:
+        modeService.readOnlyEnabled
+
+        and:
+        successfulCounter.count() == 2
+    }
+
+    def "should change status from READ_ONLY_ADMIN to READ_WRITE only by admin"() {
+        given:
+        modeService.setModeByAdmin(ModeService.ManagementMode.READ_ONLY_ADMIN)
+
+        when:
+        healthCheckTask.run()
+
+        then:
+        modeService.readOnlyEnabled
+
+        when:
+        modeService.setModeByAdmin(ModeService.ManagementMode.READ_WRITE)
+
+        then:
+        !modeService.readOnlyEnabled
+    }
+
     static setupZookeeperPath(ZookeeperClient zookeeperClient, String path) {
         def healthCheckPathExists = zookeeperClient.curatorFramework
                 .checkExists()