diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index fe3528b..2b3cb07 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ your model config.
   }
 ```
 
-Attempting to update a ReadOnly model will reult in a 403 error.
+Attempting to update a ReadOnly model will reult in a 403 error for this entire model.
 
 OPTIONS
 =============
@@ -98,7 +98,8 @@ OPTIONS
 The specific fields that are to be marked as readonly can be set by passing an
 object to the mixin options.
 
-In this example we mark the `status` and `role` fields as readonly.
+In this example we mark the `status` field as readonly for all actions, but the
+`role` field can be set on create, but not for updates (it is marked `"createOnly"`).
 
 ```json
   {
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ In this example we mark the `status` and `role` fields as readonly.
     "mixins": {
       "ReadOnly" : {
         "status" : true,
-        "role" : true
+        "role" : "createOnly"
       }
     }
   }
@@ -125,6 +126,8 @@ In this example we mark the `status` and `role` fields as readonly.
 
 Any data set by a REST client in ReadOnly properties will be stripped out
 on the way to the server and will not be saved on the updated model instance.
+However, any method calls from within the server application can still 
+update any of this data.
 
 TESTING
 =============
diff --git a/lib/read-only.js b/lib/read-only.js
index a8c6797..e3d85d2 100644
--- a/lib/read-only.js
+++ b/lib/read-only.js
@@ -15,8 +15,11 @@ module.exports = function(Model, options) {
     if (properties) {
       debug('Creating %s : Read only properties are %j', Model.modelName, properties);
       Object.keys(properties).forEach(function(key) {
-        debug('The \'%s\' property is read only, removing incoming data', key);
-        delete body[key];
+        if (properties[key] === true ||
+          (properties[key].toString().toLowerCase() === 'createonly' && ctx.instance)) {
+          debug('The \'%s\' property is read only, removing incoming data', key);
+          delete body[key];
+        }
       });
       next();
     } else {
diff --git a/test/fixtures/simple-app/common/models/person.json b/test/fixtures/simple-app/common/models/person.json
index 3ea177b..2f3e154 100644
--- a/test/fixtures/simple-app/common/models/person.json
+++ b/test/fixtures/simple-app/common/models/person.json
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
   "mixins": {
     "ReadOnly": {
       "status": true,
-      "role": true
+      "role": "createOnly"
     }
   }
 }
diff --git a/test/test-mixinsources.js b/test/test-mixinsources.js
index c68050c..4b8ec6e 100644
--- a/test/test-mixinsources.js
+++ b/test/test-mixinsources.js
@@ -36,6 +36,11 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (mixin sources.js)', function()
 
   describe('when called remotely', function() {
     lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Product', {name: 'some book', type: 'book', status: 'pending'}, 'product');
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Person', {name: 'Tom', status: 'disabled', role: 'user'}, 'Person');
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('AuditTrail', {event: 'edit', user: 'tom'}, 'audittrail');
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Product', {name: 'book 1', type: 'book', status: 'disabled'}, 'book1', 'product');
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Product', {name: 'book 12', type: 'book', status: 'pending'}, 'book2', 'product');
+    
     it('should not save readonly properties on create.', function(done) {
       var product = this.product;
       this.post('/api/products')
@@ -52,7 +57,24 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (mixin sources.js)', function()
         });
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Product', {name: 'some book', type: 'book', status: 'pending'}, 'product');
+    it('should save createOnly properties on create.', function(done) {
+      var Person = this.Person;
+      this.post('/api/people')
+        .send({
+          name: 'John',
+          status: 'active',
+          role: 'other user'
+        })
+        .expect(200)
+        .end(function(err, res) {
+          expect(err).to.not.exist;
+          expect(res.body.name).to.equal('John');
+          expect(res.body.status).to.not.exist;
+          expect(res.body.role).to.equal('other user');
+          done();
+        });
+    });
+
     it('should not change readonly properties on update (single readonly property)', function(done) {
       var product = this.product;
       this.put('/api/products/' + product.id)
@@ -69,14 +91,13 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (mixin sources.js)', function()
         });
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Person', {name: 'Tom', status: 'disabled', role: 'user'}, 'Person');
     it('should not change readonly properties on update (multiple readonly properties)', function(done) {
       var Person = this.Person;
       this.put('/api/people/' + Person.id)
         .send({
           name: 'Tom (edited)',
           status: 'active',
-          role: 'user'
+          role: 'user (edited)'
         })
         .expect(200)
         .end(function(err, res) {
@@ -88,7 +109,6 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (mixin sources.js)', function()
         });
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('AuditTrail', {event: 'edit', user: 'tom'}, 'audittrail');
     it('should not change readonly properties on update (full read only model)', function(done) {
       var audittrail = this.audittrail;
       this.put('/api/audittrails/' + audittrail.id)
@@ -100,8 +120,6 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (mixin sources.js)', function()
         .end(done);
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Product', {name: 'book 1', type: 'book', status: 'disabled'}, 'book1', 'product');
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('Product', {name: 'book 12', type: 'book', status: 'pending'}, 'book2', 'product');
     it('should not change readonly properties with bulk updates', function(done) {
       var self = this;
       var data = { status: 'disabled' };
diff --git a/test/test-serverjs.js b/test/test-serverjs.js
index 3c25171..47e4538 100644
--- a/test/test-serverjs.js
+++ b/test/test-serverjs.js
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (server.js)', function() {
     // A model with 2 readonly properties.
     var Person = this.Person = loopback.PersistedModel.extend('person',
       { name: String, status: String, role: String },
-      { mixins: { ReadOnly: { status: true, role: true } } }
+      { mixins: { ReadOnly: { status: true, role: "createOnly" } } }
     );
     Person.attachTo(loopback.memory());
     app.model(Person);
@@ -68,7 +68,12 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (server.js)', function() {
   });
 
   describe('when called remotely', function() {
-
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('product', {name: 'some book', type: 'book', status: 'pending'});
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('person', {name: 'Tom', status: 'disabled', role: 'user'});
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('audittrail', {event: 'edit', user: 'tom'});
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('product', {name: 'book 1', type: 'book', status: 'disabled'}, 'book1');
+    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('product', {name: 'book 12', type: 'book', status: 'pending'}, 'book2');
+    
     it('should not save readonly properties on create.', function(done) {
       var product = this.product;
       this.post('/products')
@@ -85,7 +90,6 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (server.js)', function() {
         });
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('product', {name: 'some book', type: 'book', status: 'pending'});
     it('should not change readonly properties on update (single readonly property)', function(done) {
       var product = this.product;
       this.put('/products/' + product.id)
@@ -102,7 +106,6 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (server.js)', function() {
         });
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('person', {name: 'Tom', status: 'disabled', role: 'user'});
     it('should not change readonly properties on update (multiple readonly properties)', function(done) {
       var person = this.person;
       this.put('/people/' + person.id)
@@ -121,7 +124,6 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (server.js)', function() {
         });
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('audittrail', {event: 'edit', user: 'tom'});
     it('should not change readonly properties on update (full read only model)', function(done) {
       var audittrail = this.audittrail;
       this.put('/audittrails/' + audittrail.id)
@@ -133,8 +135,6 @@ describe('loopback datasource readonly property (server.js)', function() {
         .end(done);
     });
 
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('product', {name: 'book 1', type: 'book', status: 'disabled'}, 'book1');
-    lt.beforeEach.givenModel('product', {name: 'book 12', type: 'book', status: 'pending'}, 'book2');
     it('should not change readonly properties with bulk updates', function(done) {
       var self = this;
       var data = { 'status': 'disabled' };