diff --git a/docs/api/v2/errors.go b/docs/api/v2/errors.go
index ece52a2cd..97cb03e28 100644
--- a/docs/api/v2/errors.go
+++ b/docs/api/v2/errors.go
@@ -133,4 +133,14 @@ var (
 		longer proceed.`,
 		HTTPStatusCode: http.StatusNotFound,
 	})
+
+	// ErrorCodeMaintenanceMode is returned when an upload can't be
+	// accepted because the registry is in maintenance mode.
+	ErrorCodeMaintenanceMode = errcode.Register(errGroup, errcode.ErrorDescriptor{
+		Value:   "MAINTENANCE_MODE",
+		Message: "registry in maintenance mode",
+		Description: `The upload cannot be accepted because the registry
+		is running read-only in maintenance mode.`,
+		HTTPStatusCode: http.StatusServiceUnavailable,
+	})
 )
diff --git a/docs/handlers/api_test.go b/docs/handlers/api_test.go
index 52a74a2b8..e85ae4348 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/api_test.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/api_test.go
@@ -633,6 +633,54 @@ func TestDeleteDisabled(t *testing.T) {
 	checkResponse(t, "deleting layer with delete disabled", resp, http.StatusMethodNotAllowed)
 }
 
+func TestDeleteReadOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	env := newTestEnv(t, true)
+
+	imageName := "foo/bar"
+	// "build" our layer file
+	layerFile, tarSumStr, err := testutil.CreateRandomTarFile()
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("error creating random layer file: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	layerDigest := digest.Digest(tarSumStr)
+	layerURL, err := env.builder.BuildBlobURL(imageName, layerDigest)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("Error building blob URL")
+	}
+	uploadURLBase, _ := startPushLayer(t, env.builder, imageName)
+	pushLayer(t, env.builder, imageName, layerDigest, uploadURLBase, layerFile)
+
+	env.app.readOnly = true
+
+	resp, err := httpDelete(layerURL)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error deleting layer: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	checkResponse(t, "deleting layer in read-only mode", resp, http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+}
+
+func TestStartPushReadOnly(t *testing.T) {
+	env := newTestEnv(t, true)
+	env.app.readOnly = true
+
+	imageName := "foo/bar"
+
+	layerUploadURL, err := env.builder.BuildBlobUploadURL(imageName)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error building layer upload url: %v", err)
+	}
+
+	resp, err := http.Post(layerUploadURL, "", nil)
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("unexpected error starting layer push: %v", err)
+	}
+	defer resp.Body.Close()
+
+	checkResponse(t, "starting push in read-only mode", resp, http.StatusServiceUnavailable)
+}
+
 func httpDelete(url string) (*http.Response, error) {
 	req, err := http.NewRequest("DELETE", url, nil)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/docs/handlers/app.go b/docs/handlers/app.go
index 5103c5fbe..d851714ad 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/app.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/app.go
@@ -64,6 +64,9 @@ type App struct {
 
 	// true if this registry is configured as a pull through cache
 	isCache bool
+
+	// true if the registry is in a read-only maintenance mode
+	readOnly bool
 }
 
 // NewApp takes a configuration and returns a configured app, ready to serve
@@ -99,13 +102,18 @@ func NewApp(ctx context.Context, configuration *configuration.Configuration) *Ap
 
 	purgeConfig := uploadPurgeDefaultConfig()
 	if mc, ok := configuration.Storage["maintenance"]; ok {
-		for k, v := range mc {
-			switch k {
-			case "uploadpurging":
-				purgeConfig = v.(map[interface{}]interface{})
+		if v, ok := mc["uploadpurging"]; ok {
+			purgeConfig, ok = v.(map[interface{}]interface{})
+			if !ok {
+				panic("uploadpurging config key must contain additional keys")
+			}
+		}
+		if v, ok := mc["readonly"]; ok {
+			app.readOnly, ok = v.(bool)
+			if !ok {
+				panic("readonly config key must have a boolean value")
 			}
 		}
-
 	}
 
 	startUploadPurger(app, app.driver, ctxu.GetLogger(app), purgeConfig)
diff --git a/docs/handlers/blob.go b/docs/handlers/blob.go
index 4a923aa51..69c39841b 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/blob.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/blob.go
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ func blobDispatcher(ctx *Context, r *http.Request) http.Handler {
 	return handlers.MethodHandler{
 		"GET":    http.HandlerFunc(blobHandler.GetBlob),
 		"HEAD":   http.HandlerFunc(blobHandler.GetBlob),
-		"DELETE": http.HandlerFunc(blobHandler.DeleteBlob),
+		"DELETE": mutableHandler(blobHandler.DeleteBlob, ctx),
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/docs/handlers/blobupload.go b/docs/handlers/blobupload.go
index bbb70b59d..198a8f67f 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/blobupload.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/blobupload.go
@@ -23,12 +23,12 @@ func blobUploadDispatcher(ctx *Context, r *http.Request) http.Handler {
 	}
 
 	handler := http.Handler(handlers.MethodHandler{
-		"POST":   http.HandlerFunc(buh.StartBlobUpload),
+		"POST":   mutableHandler(buh.StartBlobUpload, ctx),
 		"GET":    http.HandlerFunc(buh.GetUploadStatus),
 		"HEAD":   http.HandlerFunc(buh.GetUploadStatus),
-		"PATCH":  http.HandlerFunc(buh.PatchBlobData),
-		"PUT":    http.HandlerFunc(buh.PutBlobUploadComplete),
-		"DELETE": http.HandlerFunc(buh.CancelBlobUpload),
+		"PATCH":  mutableHandler(buh.PatchBlobData, ctx),
+		"PUT":    mutableHandler(buh.PutBlobUploadComplete, ctx),
+		"DELETE": mutableHandler(buh.CancelBlobUpload, ctx),
 	})
 
 	if buh.UUID != "" {
diff --git a/docs/handlers/helpers.go b/docs/handlers/helpers.go
index 5a3c99841..9b462a192 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/helpers.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/helpers.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
 
 	ctxu "github.com/docker/distribution/context"
 	"github.com/docker/distribution/registry/api/errcode"
+	"github.com/docker/distribution/registry/api/v2"
 )
 
 // closeResources closes all the provided resources after running the target
@@ -60,3 +61,16 @@ func copyFullPayload(responseWriter http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request, destWr
 
 	return nil
 }
+
+// mutableHandler wraps a http.HandlerFunc with a check that the registry is
+// not in read-only mode. If it is in read-only mode, the wrapper returns
+// v2.ErrorCodeMaintenanceMode to the client.
+func mutableHandler(handler http.HandlerFunc, ctx *Context) http.HandlerFunc {
+	return func(w http.ResponseWriter, r *http.Request) {
+		if ctx.App.readOnly {
+			ctx.Errors = append(ctx.Errors, v2.ErrorCodeMaintenanceMode)
+			return
+		}
+		handler(w, r)
+	}
+}
diff --git a/docs/handlers/images.go b/docs/handlers/images.go
index e19317302..78e36a13b 100644
--- a/docs/handlers/images.go
+++ b/docs/handlers/images.go
@@ -34,8 +34,8 @@ func imageManifestDispatcher(ctx *Context, r *http.Request) http.Handler {
 
 	return handlers.MethodHandler{
 		"GET":    http.HandlerFunc(imageManifestHandler.GetImageManifest),
-		"PUT":    http.HandlerFunc(imageManifestHandler.PutImageManifest),
-		"DELETE": http.HandlerFunc(imageManifestHandler.DeleteImageManifest),
+		"PUT":    mutableHandler(imageManifestHandler.PutImageManifest, ctx),
+		"DELETE": mutableHandler(imageManifestHandler.DeleteImageManifest, ctx),
 	}
 }