diff --git a/crates/editor/src/items.rs b/crates/editor/src/items.rs
index ec01cf31696f23d4bacc6b368292228c49c03303..b6837652b5071ca227d78a9f790951c570819a53 100644
--- a/crates/editor/src/items.rs
+++ b/crates/editor/src/items.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 use crate::{
-    Anchor, Autoscroll, BufferSerialization, Editor, EditorEvent, EditorSettings, ExcerptId,
-    ExcerptRange, FormatTarget, MultiBuffer, MultiBufferSnapshot, NavigationData,
+    Anchor, Autoscroll, BufferSerialization, Capability, Editor, EditorEvent, EditorSettings,
+    ExcerptId, ExcerptRange, FormatTarget, MultiBuffer, MultiBufferSnapshot, NavigationData,
     ReportEditorEvent, SearchWithinRange, SelectionEffects, ToPoint as _,
     display_map::HighlightKey,
     editor_settings::SeedQuerySetting,
@@ -809,6 +809,25 @@ impl Item for Editor {
         self.read_only(cx)
     }
 
+    // Note: this mirrors the logic in `Editor::toggle_read_only`, but is reachable
+    // without relying on focus-based action dispatch.
+    fn toggle_read_only(&mut self, window: &mut Window, cx: &mut Context<Self>) {
+        if let Some(buffer) = self.buffer.read(cx).as_singleton() {
+            buffer.update(cx, |buffer, cx| {
+                buffer.set_capability(
+                    match buffer.capability() {
+                        Capability::ReadWrite => Capability::Read,
+                        Capability::Read => Capability::ReadWrite,
+                        Capability::ReadOnly => Capability::ReadOnly,
+                    },
+                    cx,
+                );
+            });
+        }
+        cx.notify();
+        window.refresh();
+    }
+
     fn has_deleted_file(&self, cx: &App) -> bool {
         self.buffer().read(cx).read(cx).has_deleted_file()
     }
diff --git a/crates/workspace/src/item.rs b/crates/workspace/src/item.rs
index d07a361c05d23a83a96708891f42f7bce99dde5f..367cec0da617de612d76f559fe8bb589733b50e0 100644
--- a/crates/workspace/src/item.rs
+++ b/crates/workspace/src/item.rs
@@ -258,6 +258,9 @@ pub trait Item: Focusable + EventEmitter<Self::Event> + Render + Sized {
     fn is_read_only(&self, _: &App) -> bool {
         false
     }
+
+    fn toggle_read_only(&mut self, _window: &mut Window, _cx: &mut Context<Self>) {}
+
     fn has_deleted_file(&self, _: &App) -> bool {
         false
     }
@@ -480,6 +483,7 @@ pub trait ItemHandle: 'static + Send {
     fn to_any_view(&self) -> AnyView;
     fn is_dirty(&self, cx: &App) -> bool;
     fn is_read_only(&self, cx: &App) -> bool;
+    fn toggle_read_only(&self, window: &mut Window, cx: &mut App);
     fn has_deleted_file(&self, cx: &App) -> bool;
     fn has_conflict(&self, cx: &App) -> bool;
     fn can_save(&self, cx: &App) -> bool;
@@ -957,6 +961,12 @@ impl<T: Item> ItemHandle for Entity<T> {
         self.read(cx).is_read_only(cx)
     }
 
+    fn toggle_read_only(&self, window: &mut Window, cx: &mut App) {
+        self.update(cx, |this, cx| {
+            this.toggle_read_only(window, cx);
+        })
+    }
+
     fn has_deleted_file(&self, cx: &App) -> bool {
         self.read(cx).has_deleted_file(cx)
     }