diff --git a/CHANGELOG b/CHANGELOG
index 1aa9d7f26a33..8bbce35fc84a 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG
+++ b/CHANGELOG
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ devel
   not-yet-officially committed data. Use at your own risk if performance
   is more important than correctness or if you know that data does not
   change.
+  The responses which can contain dirty reads will have set the HTTP header
+  "x-arango-potential-dirty-read" set to "true".
 
 * Changed HTTP response code for error number 1521 from 500 to 400.
 
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/Query.cpp b/arangod/Aql/Query.cpp
index 9855ea175891..f23453a5e127 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/Query.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/Query.cpp
@@ -121,7 +121,8 @@ Query::Query(QueryId id, std::shared_ptr<transaction::Context> ctx,
                      transaction::V8Context::isEmbedded()),
       _registeredInV8Context(false),
       _queryKilled(false),
-      _queryHashCalculated(false) {
+      _queryHashCalculated(false),
+      _allowDirtyReads(false) {
   if (!_transactionContext) {
     THROW_ARANGO_EXCEPTION_MESSAGE(
         TRI_ERROR_INTERNAL, "failed to create query transaction context");
@@ -384,6 +385,11 @@ std::unique_ptr<ExecutionPlan> Query::preparePlan() {
   _trx->addHint(
       transaction::Hints::Hint::FROM_TOPLEVEL_AQL);  // only used on toplevel
 
+  // We need to preserve the information about dirty reads, since the
+  // transaction who knows might be gone before we have produced the
+  // result:
+  _allowDirtyReads = _trx->state()->options().allowDirtyReads;
+
   // As soon as we start to instantiate the plan we have to clean it
   // up before killing the unique_ptr
 
@@ -454,6 +460,9 @@ ExecutionState Query::execute(QueryResult& queryResult) {
               queryResult.data = cacheEntry->_queryResult;
               queryResult.extra = cacheEntry->_stats;
               queryResult.cached = true;
+              // Note: cached queries were never done with dirty reads,
+              // so we can always hand out the result here without extra
+              // HTTP header.
               return ExecutionState::DONE;
             }
             // if no permissions, fall through to regular querying
@@ -545,8 +554,12 @@ ExecutionState Query::execute(QueryResult& queryResult) {
         // must close result array here because it must be passed as a closed
         // array to the query cache
         queryResult.data->close();
+        queryResult.allowDirtyReads = _allowDirtyReads;
 
-        if (useQueryCache && _warnings.empty()) {
+        if (useQueryCache && !_allowDirtyReads && _warnings.empty()) {
+          // Cannot cache dirty reads! Yes, the query cache is not used in
+          // the cluster anyway, but we leave this condition in here for
+          // a future in which the query cache could be used in the cluster!
           std::unordered_map<std::string, std::string> dataSources =
               _queryDataSources;
 
@@ -788,6 +801,7 @@ QueryResultV8 Query::executeV8(v8::Isolate* isolate) {
     queryResult.v8Data = resArray;
     queryResult.context = _trx->transactionContext();
     queryResult.extra = std::make_shared<VPackBuilder>();
+    queryResult.allowDirtyReads = _allowDirtyReads;
 
     if (useQueryCache && _warnings.empty()) {
       auto dataSources = _queryDataSources;
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/Query.h b/arangod/Aql/Query.h
index ec69449ca09a..66c94b68525b 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/Query.h
+++ b/arangod/Aql/Query.h
@@ -216,6 +216,8 @@ class Query : public QueryContext, public std::enable_shared_from_this<Query> {
   // so user actually has a chance to kill it here.
   void debugKillQuery() override;
 
+  bool allowDirtyReads() const noexcept { return _allowDirtyReads; }
+
  protected:
   /// @brief initializes the query
   void init(bool createProfile);
@@ -356,6 +358,11 @@ class Query : public QueryContext, public std::enable_shared_from_this<Query> {
   // retrigger a kill.
   bool _wasDebugKilled{false};
 #endif
+
+  bool _allowDirtyReads;  // this is set from the information in the
+                          // transaction, it is valid and remains valid
+                          // once `preparePlan` has run and can be queried
+                          // until the query object is gone!
 };
 
 }  // namespace aql
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.cpp b/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.cpp
index f5b32452adcf..ac1ecfa69c34 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.cpp
+++ b/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.cpp
@@ -152,11 +152,14 @@ QueryStreamCursor::QueryStreamCursor(std::shared_ptr<arangodb::aql::Query> q,
     : Cursor(TRI_NewServerSpecificTick(), batchSize, ttl, /*hasCount*/ false),
       _query(std::move(q)),
       _queryResultPos(0),
-      _finalization(false) {
+      _finalization(false),
+      _allowDirtyReads(false) {
   _query->prepareQuery(SerializationFormat::SHADOWROWS);
+  _allowDirtyReads = _query->allowDirtyReads();  // is set by prepareQuery!
   TRI_IF_FAILURE("QueryStreamCursor::directKillAfterPrepare") {
     debugKillQuery();
   }
+
   // In all the following ASSERTs it is valid (though unlikely) that the query
   // is already killed In the cluster this kill operation will trigger cleanup
   // side-effects, such as changing the STATE and commiting / aborting the
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.h b/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.h
index eceb00e9fd99..957a44676554 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.h
+++ b/arangod/Aql/QueryCursor.h
@@ -72,6 +72,11 @@ class QueryResultCursor final : public arangodb::Cursor {
   /// If no extras are set this will return a NONE slice.
   arangodb::velocypack::Slice extra() const;
 
+  /// @brief Remember, if dirty reads were allowed:
+  bool allowDirtyReads() const override final {
+    return _result.allowDirtyReads;
+  }
+
  private:
   DatabaseGuard _guard;
   aql::QueryResult _result;
@@ -110,6 +115,14 @@ class QueryStreamCursor final : public arangodb::Cursor {
 
   std::shared_ptr<transaction::Context> context() const override final;
 
+  // The following method returns, if the transaction the query is using
+  // allows dirty reads (reads from followers).
+  virtual bool allowDirtyReads() const override final {
+    // We got this information from the query directly in the constructor,
+    // when `prepareQuery` has been called:
+    return _allowDirtyReads;
+  }
+
  private:
   // Writes from _queryResults to builder. Removes copied blocks from
   // _queryResults and sets _queryResultPos appropriately. Relies on the caller
@@ -134,6 +147,9 @@ class QueryStreamCursor final : public arangodb::Cursor {
   transaction::Methods::StatusChangeCallback _stateChangeCb;
 
   bool _finalization;
+
+  bool _allowDirtyReads;  // keep this information when the query is already
+                          // gone.
 };
 
 }  // namespace aql
diff --git a/arangod/Aql/QueryResult.h b/arangod/Aql/QueryResult.h
index 2043a1fd615c..3c7c588006ea 100644
--- a/arangod/Aql/QueryResult.h
+++ b/arangod/Aql/QueryResult.h
@@ -48,11 +48,13 @@ struct QueryResult {
   QueryResult(QueryResult&& other) = default;
   QueryResult& operator=(QueryResult&& other) = default;
 
-  QueryResult() : result(), cached(false) {}
+  QueryResult() : result(), cached(false), allowDirtyReads(false) {}
 
-  explicit QueryResult(Result const& res) : result(res), cached(false) {}
+  explicit QueryResult(Result const& res)
+      : result(res), cached(false), allowDirtyReads(false) {}
 
-  explicit QueryResult(Result&& res) : result(std::move(res)), cached(false) {}
+  explicit QueryResult(Result&& res)
+      : result(std::move(res)), cached(false), allowDirtyReads(false) {}
 
   virtual ~QueryResult() = default;
 
@@ -85,6 +87,11 @@ struct QueryResult {
  public:
   Result result;
   bool cached;
+  bool allowDirtyReads;  // indicate that query was done with dirty reads,
+                         // we need to preserve this here, since query results
+                         // can live longer than their query objects and the
+                         // transaction therein and we might still need the
+                         // information to produce the outgoing HTTP header!
   std::unordered_set<std::string> bindParameters;
   std::vector<std::string> collectionNames;
   std::shared_ptr<arangodb::velocypack::Builder> data;
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp
index 8b44ed294558..9b41165a4bfc 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.cpp
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ using namespace arangodb::rest;
 
 RestBaseHandler::RestBaseHandler(ArangodServer& server, GeneralRequest* request,
                                  GeneralResponse* response)
-    : RestHandler(server, request, response) {}
+    : RestHandler(server, request, response), _potentialDirtyReads(false) {}
 
 ////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
 /// @brief parses the body as VelocyPack
@@ -94,6 +94,9 @@ void RestBaseHandler::generateResult(
     rest::ResponseCode code, Payload&& payload,
     std::shared_ptr<transaction::Context> context) {
   resetResponse(code);
+  if (_potentialDirtyReads) {
+    _response->setHeaderNC(StaticStrings::PotentialDirtyRead, "true");
+  }
   writeResult(std::forward<Payload>(payload), *(context->getVPackOptions()));
 }
 
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h
index f1be0d78d7ad..931d336cb9c1 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestBaseHandler.h
@@ -82,5 +82,13 @@ class RestBaseHandler : public rest::RestHandler {
 
   template<typename Payload>
   void writeResult(Payload&&, arangodb::velocypack::Options const& options);
+
+  /// @brief configure if outgoing responses will have the potential
+  /// dirty reads header set:
+  void setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(bool flag) { _potentialDirtyReads = flag; }
+
+  /// @brief Flag, if the outgoing response should have an HTTP header
+  /// indicating potential dirty reads:
+  bool _potentialDirtyReads;
 };
 }  // namespace arangodb
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestCursorHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestCursorHandler.cpp
index c0194c71058f..8d97f2395d0f 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestCursorHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestCursorHandler.cpp
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@
 #include "Cluster/ClusterFeature.h"
 #include "Cluster/ClusterInfo.h"
 #include "Cluster/ServerState.h"
+#include "StorageEngine/TransactionState.h"
 #include "Transaction/Context.h"
 #include "Utils/Cursor.h"
 #include "Utils/CursorRepository.h"
@@ -314,6 +315,10 @@ RestStatus RestCursorHandler::handleQueryResult() {
     // result is smaller than batchSize and will be returned directly. no need
     // to create a cursor
 
+    if (_queryResult.allowDirtyReads) {
+      setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(true);
+    }
+
     VPackOptions options = VPackOptions::Defaults;
     options.buildUnindexedArrays = true;
     options.buildUnindexedObjects = true;
@@ -598,6 +603,10 @@ RestStatus RestCursorHandler::generateCursorResult(rest::ResponseCode code) {
     return RestStatus::WAITING;
   }
 
+  if (_cursor->allowDirtyReads()) {
+    setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(true);
+  }
+
   if (r.ok()) {
     builder.add(StaticStrings::Error, VPackValue(false));
     builder.add(StaticStrings::Code, VPackValue(static_cast<int>(code)));
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestDocumentHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestDocumentHandler.cpp
index 458fc0065a76..2a39a90ee8ca 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestDocumentHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestDocumentHandler.cpp
@@ -386,6 +386,10 @@ RestStatus RestDocumentHandler::readSingleDocument(bool generateBody) {
     return RestStatus::DONE;
   }
 
+  if (_activeTrx->state()->options().allowDirtyReads) {
+    setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(true);
+  }
+
   return waitForFuture(
       _activeTrx->documentAsync(collection, search, options)
           .thenValue([=, this,
@@ -854,6 +858,10 @@ RestStatus RestDocumentHandler::readManyDocuments() {
     return RestStatus::DONE;
   }
 
+  if (_activeTrx->state()->options().allowDirtyReads) {
+    setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(true);
+  }
+
   return waitForFuture(
       _activeTrx->documentAsync(cname, search, opOptions)
           .thenValue([=, this](OperationResult opRes) {
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestEdgesHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestEdgesHandler.cpp
index b210723f6bf7..38580b40d4df 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestEdgesHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestEdgesHandler.cpp
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
 #include "Aql/QueryString.h"
 #include "Aql/Variable.h"
 #include "Basics/StringUtils.h"
+#include "StorageEngine/TransactionState.h"
 #include "Transaction/Helpers.h"
 #include "Transaction/StandaloneContext.h"
 #include "Utils/CollectionNameResolver.h"
@@ -191,7 +192,12 @@ bool RestEdgesHandler::readEdges() {
 
   auto queryResult = ::queryEdges(_vocbase, collectionName, direction,
                                   startVertex, allowDirtyReads);
-
+  if (queryResult.allowDirtyReads) {
+    // Note that this is not necessarily the same as `allowDirtyReads` above!
+    // This is, because this particular query could be in the context of a
+    // transcation doing dirty reads!
+    setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(true);
+  }
   if (queryResult.result.fail()) {
     if (queryResult.result.is(TRI_ERROR_REQUEST_CANCELED) ||
         (queryResult.result.is(TRI_ERROR_QUERY_KILLED))) {
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestTransactionHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestTransactionHandler.cpp
index 5e6de2692006..680ef3d493cf 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestTransactionHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestTransactionHandler.cpp
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@ void RestTransactionHandler::executeBegin() {
       // a new transaction. Otherwise, we use the default given by the
       // existing transaction.
       allowDirtyReads = true;
+      setOutgoingDirtyReadsHeader(true);
     }
 
     // start
diff --git a/arangod/RestHandler/RestVocbaseBaseHandler.cpp b/arangod/RestHandler/RestVocbaseBaseHandler.cpp
index 887b1c2da299..869ac7415ad0 100644
--- a/arangod/RestHandler/RestVocbaseBaseHandler.cpp
+++ b/arangod/RestHandler/RestVocbaseBaseHandler.cpp
@@ -423,6 +423,9 @@ void RestVocbaseBaseHandler::generateDocument(VPackSlice const& input,
   if (!rev.empty()) {
     _response->setHeaderNC(StaticStrings::Etag, "\"" + rev + "\"");
   }
+  if (_potentialDirtyReads) {
+    _response->setHeaderNC(StaticStrings::PotentialDirtyRead, "true");
+  }
 
   try {
     _response->setContentType(_request->contentTypeResponse());
diff --git a/arangod/Utils/Cursor.h b/arangod/Utils/Cursor.h
index ede7e862d2ea..8fe1edc082a4 100644
--- a/arangod/Utils/Cursor.h
+++ b/arangod/Utils/Cursor.h
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ class Cursor {
   virtual void setWakeupHandler(std::function<bool()> const& cb) {}
   virtual void resetWakeupHandler() {}
 
+  virtual bool allowDirtyReads() const { return false; }
+
  protected:
   CursorId const _id;
   size_t const _batchSize;