diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/document/DocumentViewer.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/document/DocumentViewer.svelte
index 789a68d7..b0ce8af6 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/document/DocumentViewer.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/document/DocumentViewer.svelte
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ type Props = {
 	isLoading: boolean;
 	error: string;
 	transcribeMode?: boolean;
+	canAnnotate?: boolean;
 	blockNumbers?: Record<string, number>;
 	annotationReloadKey?: number;
 	activeAnnotationId: string | null;
@@ -33,6 +34,7 @@ let {
 	isLoading,
 	error,
 	transcribeMode = false,
+	canAnnotate = false,
 	blockNumbers = {},
 	annotationReloadKey = 0,
 	activeAnnotationId = $bindable(),
@@ -93,6 +95,7 @@ let {
 			url={fileUrl}
 			documentId={doc.id}
 			transcribeMode={transcribeMode}
+			canAnnotate={canAnnotate}
 			blockNumbers={blockNumbers}
 			annotationReloadKey={annotationReloadKey}
 			bind:activeAnnotationId={activeAnnotationId}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte b/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte
index 5b6d09c3..e9169c5d 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ let {
 	url,
 	documentId = '',
 	transcribeMode = false,
+	canAnnotate = false,
 	blockNumbers = {},
 	annotationReloadKey = 0,
 	activeAnnotationId = $bindable<string | null>(null),
@@ -28,6 +29,7 @@ let {
 	url: string;
 	documentId?: string;
 	transcribeMode?: boolean;
+	canAnnotate?: boolean;
 	blockNumbers?: Record<string, number>;
 	annotationReloadKey?: number;
 	activeAnnotationId?: string | null;
@@ -262,7 +264,7 @@ function handleAnnotationClick(id: string) {
 								annotations={visibleAnnotations.filter(
 									(a) => a.pageNumber === renderer.currentPage
 								)}
-								canDraw={transcribeMode}
+								canDraw={transcribeMode && canAnnotate}
 								color={TRANSCRIPTION_COLOR}
 								blockNumbers={blockNumbers}
 								activeAnnotationId={activeAnnotationId}
diff --git a/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte.test.ts b/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte.test.ts
index 17d1827c..e528b443 100644
--- a/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte.test.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/lib/document/viewer/PdfViewer.svelte.test.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,38 @@ describe('PdfViewer — loaded state', () => {
 		}
 	});
 
+	it('makes the annotation surface drawable (crosshair) when transcribeMode and canAnnotate', async () => {
+		render(PdfViewer, {
+			url: '/api/documents/test/file',
+			documentId: 'test',
+			transcribeMode: true,
+			canAnnotate: true,
+			libLoader: makeFakeLibLoader()
+		});
+
+		await vi.waitFor(() => {
+			const surface = document.querySelector('[role="presentation"]');
+			expect(surface).not.toBeNull();
+			expect(surface?.getAttribute('style') ?? '').toContain('crosshair');
+		});
+	});
+
+	it('does not make the annotation surface drawable when canAnnotate is false (read-only user)', async () => {
+		render(PdfViewer, {
+			url: '/api/documents/test/file',
+			documentId: 'test',
+			transcribeMode: true,
+			canAnnotate: false,
+			libLoader: makeFakeLibLoader()
+		});
+
+		await vi.waitFor(() => {
+			expect(document.querySelector('.bg-pdf-bg')).not.toBeNull();
+		});
+		const surface = document.querySelector('[role="presentation"]');
+		expect(surface?.getAttribute('style') ?? '').not.toContain('crosshair');
+	});
+
 	it('renders the canvas region when documentFileHash is provided', async () => {
 		render(PdfViewer, {
 			url: '/api/documents/test/file',
diff --git a/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte b/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte
index ef03a55f..32cd894e 100644
--- a/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte
+++ b/frontend/src/routes/documents/[id]/+page.svelte
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ const ocrJob = createOcrJob({
 	onJobFinished: async () => {
 		await transcription.load();
 		transcription.bumpAnnotationReloadKey();
-		panelMode = transcription.hasBlocks ? 'read' : 'edit';
+		panelMode = canWrite && !transcription.hasBlocks ? 'edit' : 'read';
 	}
 });
 
@@ -148,10 +148,10 @@ $effect(() => {
 			if (skipInitialPanelMode) {
 				skipInitialPanelMode = false;
 			} else {
-				panelMode = transcription.hasBlocks ? 'read' : 'edit';
+				panelMode = canWrite && !transcription.hasBlocks ? 'edit' : 'read';
 			}
 		});
-		ocrJob.checkStatus();
+		if (canWrite) ocrJob.checkStatus();
 	}
 });
 
@@ -252,6 +252,7 @@ onMount(() => {
 				isLoading={fileLoader.isLoading}
 				error={fileLoader.fileError}
 				transcribeMode={transcribeMode && !ocrJob.running}
+				canAnnotate={canWrite}
 				blockNumbers={transcription.blockNumbers}
 				annotationReloadKey={transcription.annotationReloadKey}
 				annotationsDimmed={transcribeMode && panelMode === 'read'}
@@ -293,7 +294,10 @@ onMount(() => {
 					hasBlocks={transcription.hasBlocks}
 					blockCount={transcription.blocks.length}
 					lastEditedAt={transcription.lastEditedAt}
-					onModeChange={(newMode) => (panelMode = newMode)}
+					canEdit={canWrite}
+					onModeChange={(newMode) => {
+						if (canWrite) panelMode = newMode;
+					}}
 					onClose={() => (transcribeMode = false)}
 				/>
 				<div class="flex-1 overflow-y-auto">