diff --git a/ioreg/builder/accessors.rs b/ioreg/builder/accessors.rs
index 6e0aa1f2..83f0f9da 100644
--- a/ioreg/builder/accessors.rs
+++ b/ioreg/builder/accessors.rs
@@ -34,8 +34,10 @@ pub struct BuildAccessors<'a, 'b, 'c> {
 impl<'a, 'b, 'c> node::RegVisitor for BuildAccessors<'a, 'b, 'c> {
   fn visit_prim_reg(&mut self, path: &Vec<String>, reg: &node::Reg,
                     _width: node::RegWidth, fields: &Vec<node::Field>) {
-    let item = build_get_fn(self.cx, path, reg);
-    self.builder.push_item(item);
+    if fields.iter().any(|f| f.access != node::WriteOnly) {
+      let item = build_get_fn(self.cx, path, reg);
+      self.builder.push_item(item);
+    }
 
     for field in fields.iter() {
       match build_field_accessors(self.cx, path, reg, field) {
diff --git a/ioreg/builder/setter.rs b/ioreg/builder/setter.rs
index 9068b8a7..c8b371be 100644
--- a/ioreg/builder/setter.rs
+++ b/ioreg/builder/setter.rs
@@ -122,6 +122,15 @@ fn build_drop<'a>(cx: &'a ExtCtxt, path: &Vec<String>,
     }
   }
 
+  // no need to read write-only registers
+  let wo_reg: bool = fields.iter().all(|f| f.access == node::WriteOnly);
+  let initial_value =
+    if wo_reg {
+      quote_expr!(cx, 0)
+    } else {
+      quote_expr!(cx, self.reg.value.get())
+    };
+
   let item = quote_item!(cx,
     #[unsafe_destructor]
     #[doc = "This performs the register update"]
@@ -129,7 +138,7 @@ fn build_drop<'a>(cx: &'a ExtCtxt, path: &Vec<String>,
       fn drop(&mut self) {
         let clear_mask: $unpacked_ty = $clear as $unpacked_ty;
         if self.mask != 0 {
-          let v: $unpacked_ty = self.reg.value.get() & ! clear_mask & ! self.mask;
+          let v: $unpacked_ty = $initial_value & ! clear_mask & ! self.mask;
           self.reg.value.set(self.value | v);
         }
       }